Planes:
Fire And Rescue
From
the animated tale
most of you did not see last year comes the animated tale most of you
will not see this year. It’s Planes:
Fire And Rescue!
Dane Cook is back as the voice of Dusty Crophopper – the crop
duster plane who always wanted to go fast, and became a famous, world
champion racing plane (that’s what you missed in Planes).
However, Dusty’s racing career is put in jeopardy when a key
component of his engine breaks down and the replacement part may never
be found (you can’t just sign him up for Tommy John surgery,
this is more serious).
With damage that might force him into retirement, our favorite racer
decides to do something more important with his life.
It becomes painfully obvious his airport needs a better fire
department, so Dusty volunteers to learn how to become a fireman (or
fireplane, I guess that’s what you would call it).
Does Dusty have what it takes to fly in when others are flying out?
It’s very admirable the people behind Planes:
Fire And Rescue want to make a
movie honoring first responders, firefighters, and more. However, if
you truly want to honor them, make a better movie.
Planes: Fire
And Rescue is a schizophrenic
film always trying to figure out if it will be a comedy or a drama or a
kids film.
It’s never silly enough to appeal to the youngest of kids.
It’s too dark, dangerous and intense for those young kids to
be able to handle the emotion and drama.
And, it’s never clever enough to be a movie that appeals to
adults.
Writer Jeffrey Howard and director Roberts Gannaway give us a very
bland and forgettable picture. The comedy is flat and predictable as we
have all of the typical cliché stories about the girl
crushing on the reluctant object of her affection, the hero trying to
overcome an insurmountable obstacle, secrets that shaped our
characters’ personalities, and the big moment of triumph
(complete with rousing music and a soundtrack Disney wants you to
download immediately).
However, the biggest shock in Planes:
Fire And Rescue is how
inappropriate it is for the smaller kids who are most likely to be
interested in seeing the silly, talking planes. What they get is a
harrowing movie about planes facing life and death in quite stark and
memorable ways, and maybe a few nightmares to along with that popcorn
you bought them.
Planes: Fire
And Rescue needs more fun, but
would that be appropriate for such a serious subject?
Planes:
Fire And Rescue is rated PG for action
and some peril.
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