User reviews

Took my 5 year old to see this fully knowing the franchise is worn out after having seen the disappointing Cars 2 and the first Planes. The plot is more interesting here as it plays out like an 80 minute episode of Rescue Heroes.

The animation is fantastic as you would expect. Having animated planes allows for more panoramic views of the woodlands and fires.

Sounds like kids were bored during the sad parts. The story didn't really need this as it's all predictable. You knew Rusty would defeat the odds to save the day in the end. Dane Cook voiced Rusty similar to Owen Wilson's Lightning McQueen, very down to earth without being over the top.

There is certainly nothing groundbreaking here but the action scenes were good enough for my son to say he liked it (which is all that really counts!).

Dusty Crophopper is now a successful famous air racer. He returns to Propwash Junction to promote the upcoming Corn Festival. His gearbox malfunctions and there are no replacements. His racing career is over. He recklessly pushes to the limits and crash lands at the airport. Old fire truck Mayday barely is able to put out the resulting fire. Government inspectors put the airport on notice. They need another firefighting vehicle. Dusty decides to get certified as a firefighter.

I like the start of this movie a lot. I like Dusty's problem. I really like Mayday. I don't really like the move away from Propwash Junction. First it feels unlikely and unwarranted. Also it's just better to stay with some of the characters especially Mayday. The fire and firefighters could easily come to Propwash Junction. The stakes would be elevated if his hometown is threatened with destruction. The fire fighting scenes are quite exciting and a vast improvement over the first movie. This is generally a better movie than the first. It's rare but I think this movie is too short. There is a straight to video quality to this that better writing could solve.

I had great expectations for both "Planes" and "Planes: Fire and rescue". Both were letdowns! Neither film had the humor, heart and charisma that have characterized previous Pixar films. Ever since Disney bought out Pixar I have noticed a distinct decline in the quality of films made under the Disney Animation Studios logo. Disney has, in my opinion, ignored great Pixar directors like Andrew Stanton, Pete Doctor, and Lee Unkrich. These directors have made the best animated films on the planet and Disney doesn't use them! I have also noticed much of the production work is done in India with Indian animators and production staff. Is there a reason for this? I am not saying they are worse or better than animators in America. They are good. Disney needs to bring back Andrew Stanton, Pete Doctor and Lee Unkrich.

The first "Planes" was a pleasant surprise. It may have had practically the same "race-against-all-odds" story as "Cars", "Turbo" and many other animated films. But "Planes" still managed to be distinct and charming on its own, for both kids and adults.

We get a lot of this homespun country charm again in this second installment called "Planes: Fire and Rescue." Our hero cropduster Dusty is having problems with his gear box and cannot push his engine to racing anymore. A fire at his hangar revealed the inadequacy of the fire-fighting capabilities of his area, so Dusty decided to try and have himself accredited as a Fire-Fighter.

For adults, this may be an average affair for the most part. Even my tween kids did not too interested about watching it. Personally, my favorite part was when it was revealed that Dusty's stern mentor Blade Ranger (authoritatively voiced by Ed Harris) was once an actor in a TV cop-show called "CHoPs", which had the very familiar theme song of 70's motorcycle cop show "CHiPs"! The nostalgia brought a smile to my face.

The story is pretty slim, standard and predictable, so this episode spent a lot of time showing grand forest vistas, amazingly realistic and scary fire scenes and more amazing aerial feats by Dusty and the other fire-fighting aircraft. Despite the fact that this is a film for kids, I give it props for tackling a form of heroism not usually shown on the big screen -- fire and rescue teams.

The story revolves around Dusty a lovely plane who learns he cannot race anymore as his engine is about to burst. Not one to give up he tries to prove he can still be useful.

Whilst it is admirable for one to not lose spirits in the face of adversity the way this has been displayed in this animating adventure has proved ineffective.

Dusty comes across as a stubborn plane who in his refusal to accept he is damaged and stay put manages to constantly endanger himself as well as other planes. There is a failed attempt, a telling off, then another incident and another etc... Given he cannot race he opts for becoming a fire-fighter but the problems remain, his engine is not up to the task. More failed attempts and endangerment.

Whereas the spectacle/cinematography is acceptable the moral of the story falls short and given how the cinema was filled with youngsters something tells me it did not convey a very poignant message.

In the year were every movie seems to be a Sequel comes Plane: Fire and Rescue which turned out to be Way better than the original planes, but that's not saying much.

What I like particularly about this Sequel was that the original planes came out less than a year ago and there is already a sequel. I guess if the first was more successful it would have taken longer to come up with a decent sequel.

The animation has not change since the first movie and the first movie was not impressive when it came to that. What this movie does have that's better than the fist was the story premise. Dusty Crophopper is having engine problems that take him out of the racing game so he finds a new occupation as a firefighting aircraft, but he has to receive training.

The action sequences with the planes fighting fires was actually great to look at and the new characters that make up the rescue team are very interesting. I also like the musical score which added dramatic tension to the action.

The movie was dedicated to fire fighters so I hope they got a kick out of the upgrade story. I still prefer the Cars franchise myself.

Planes: Fire and Rescue is about second chances. Dusty is a hot shot plane until one day he is at a crossroads in life, so he decides to join the world of fire rescue. Filled with a cast of fun characters this movie touts on bravery and the forgotten machines that protect us during unexpected natural disasters. In this case it is fire. There is a little bit for everyone, excitement, romance, and team work. This movie is cute and has a fun story line. The animated characters give a reality to the behind the scenes of fire fighting. It also gives you a boast on the optimism of new opportunities. No matter what happens you are able to reinvent yourself and be a part of the team. Colorful and enigmatic Planes: Fire & Rescue make you ready to take on a life of adventure.

Presenting itself as an episode, and not a sequel was key for Disney - Pixar in releasing Fire and Rescue. The subject, by all appearances in the trailer, sounded more like a children's TV show than a hour plus experience. As such, expectations of viewers are adequately set low for this pseudo sequel. Following the old adage, promise low, deliver high, Planes Fire and Rescue does just that; it promised little, and delivered more, showing that they may have learned from the lackluster cars 2.

The key here is that they delivered more, not to be confused with being great, and with sober expectations, can be enjoyed for what it is; a warm and fuzzy story for kids that is relatively content safe and funny. Strengths include revisiting a consistent portrayal of their source material, which is growing expansive. As such there are nods, often irreverently funny, to some of the recognizable entities in their other films. Rusteeze medicated bumper ointment and Dusty's former employer's pungent fertilizer make a return, one even justifying a short film on the Blueray/DVD release.

When looking at the plot itself, the writers come harrowingly close to undermining the basic point of the first film. By the end of the movie, they have corrected the deviation, though only by resolving things through the most obvious of manners. This resolution was so glaringly obvious that my own small children complained they could see it coming, though this shouldn't detract from the journey of getting to the end, which is a visual spectacle. They may have gone a little overboard on the fire, but the concern for Dusty is the anchor that keeps you engaged throughout the film.

With a significantly smaller story, and an ever ready abundance of new characters, this movie is sure to delight the small child audience for which it is intended, though sacrificing the depth of the original. Parents should know that there is more innuendo in this film, and like the original also contains several stereotypes that may offend. These include an native Indian helicopter and an inappropriately behaved fan who is present through most of the film.

This animated film tells the story of a winning racer plane who goes to another a place in order to train as a firefighter.

"Planes: Fire & Rescue" has nice visuals, as the forest and the surrounding natural scenery are very beautiful. The characters in the film are cute and likable, especially Dusty and his friends. How they convey emotions using the shapes of their eyes is quite fascinating. Young children can learn about emotions, courage and also enjoy an adventure. Older children will like the thrill of the plot, while adults can enjoy the several one line jokes aimed at adults. There's something for everyone in this animation, and I envied watching it.

This was a huge disappointment from my perspective. It lacked any substance of storyline and fell short on keeping the audience (Kids) interested for the hour and a half. Really boring at points. The only redeeming aspect of this animated film for families was the very impressive look of the film. Great scenery and camera shots putting the viewer right in the cockpit of the planes. This film will fad in time and will only be considered so-so for most viewers. Kids deserve better than this and the level of quality should be more interesting of characters. Disney deserves better material and clever comedy to entertain an audience. Family films coming up short this summer sadly.

At first, I really thought this movie was okay and was a little bland, but the second half made it a little better. Also, the comedy raised it to a 7 for me, there were hilarious jokes on there that made me laugh. I like this better than the first Planes, because this story is more original. The first planes is just basically Cars on wings, it's based off of Cars making the story less original. Planes 2 is original and is about something different than racing. Sort of like Cars 2, which is racing/fighting action. But Planes 2 is better than Cars 2, because the 2nd movie still has the Planes vibe, whereas with Cars 2, it's nothing like the first Cars. Planes 2 had a few things like comedy and a great second half that made a comeback and saved it from having the pleasure of being a 5.0 movie. But a few comments. 1. There are continuity errors like the fact that he can't push his engine to like 250 mph without his engine having an error, but in the first one, he can outrace supersonic jets that go 700 mph. 2. Another continuity error, the girl he was with in the first one was completely forgotten. As if they don't really hang out anymore, and has a new girl in the movie that just sweeps aside the girl in the first Planes movie. However, I think the 2nd girl was more exciting in my opinion. 3. I think that fancy car should have been more of an enemy just to make the story interesting, he would make a great villain. For example, if he wouldn't let Dusty save the people, only the landscape. But yeah, overall, this movie gets a 7(Good).

The first film is fine, nothing great. This is a little better, and more enjoyable

To be fair, I haven't seen the first Disney Planes film, because I wasn't part of its target audience (in other words, kids 12 and under). But seeing the sequel, Planes: Fire and Rescue, made me wonder why it could have been green lighted so fast. Maybe Disney wanted to cash in on this franchise like its predecessor, Cars, in the past. I don't know. I'm just a critic, not a studio executive.

In this sequel, world-renowned plane Dusty (comedian Dane Cook) breaks his engine and won't be able to race unless a new one is found. But when he causes a fire on the airfield, he blames himself. After that incident, he decides to be a wildfire air rescuer on Piston Peak. Leading the team is Blade Ranger (voiced by Ed Harris), a firefighter with his own secret. A deadly wildfire in the climax tests their skills and teamwork in motion.

The 3D animation and resounding visuals are amazing and Mark Mancina's adventurous score sounds remarkable, but this is a routine animated film made for the little fry with nothing much special for the over-12 crowd. There's echoes of Cars in this film with mentions of Rust Eze bumper ointment and Lightening McQueen's catchphrase ("ka-chow") and glimpses of the tractors from the 'other' film. But the script by Jeffrey M. Howard isn't that much funny for grown-ups and he even resorts to that overdone kiddie film cliché, the fart joke, to get a laugh. (Memo to Howard: fart jokes aren't that funny anymore.)

Teens and parents, if you want to see a grown-up fire film, I recommend seeing Ron Howard's Backdraft (1991) and Jay Russell's Ladder 49 (2004). Planes: Fire and Rescue is strictly made for the kids.

Rating:**

Parent Advisory: Planes: Fire and Rescue is rated PG for the action sequences and some peril.

Another weekend, another Disney movie in the form of inanimate objects being brought to life and giving them personality. My first film to review is a pickup of a Pixar abandoned world that transitioned from the hard paved racetrack to the free roaming wilderness of the open sky. You have guessed it, my movie is on the latest Disney sequel Planes: Fire and Rescue, a movie that many see as another addition to the world of kid's movies to appease a growing population. Is this the simple stereotypical kid's film or does it stand out from the flood? Let's cut the chatter and get to the review.

Let's face it, the one certainty you have when it comes to Planes is it is going to be kiddy and they meet your expectations. Disney has made a nice friendly movie, lacking the secret naughty jokes that adults love, for good simple fun in a nice convenient package, where everything happens in just the right circumstances to drive the story. The colorful world will grab most children's attention, depending on their energy level, and leave their eyes wide with excited fun. The animation is hands down impressive, a nice collage of anthropomorphic movements interlaid with smooth flying through a beautiful world as they start to catch up to their former partners. My favorite parts of the movie involved the majestic flights through the generated world of canyons, lakes, and forests, often putting us in a first person perspective that makes you feel you are in the cockpits and perhaps a little dizzy. To help give it some suspense, the planes dive into some turbulent skies as the fires, which seems to start up so quickly, create a dark haze for our cast to travel in. While kids may get tense, and our brave men and women of service may appreciate the "edge", it did lack some edge, more on that later.

Now you might be thinking, "This is Disney, surely something sad has to happen that will make my little one cry?" Well surprise, surprise Planes flies over the depressing twist and keeps the movie lighthearted for the most part. With the opening message and dedication to the brave fire fighters, you expected a little more drama to drive the plot, yet Disney chose to keep the fun going with as little stress as possible. While this should keep your kids laughing and smiling, or in some cases running across the theater mimicking the planes, it leads to a simplistic film that may leave older audience members bored. Planes lacks a lot of excitement and zest that some of the previous Disney films contained, that creative spark that entertained us for so many years lost to the lower threshold of entertainment we have all set for ourselves. Now this doesn't mean all is lost, for Planes has some rather witty puns that had me chuckling from time to time, but aside from that the humor is based on your ability to appreciate cultural references and how child like your humor is. The good news though, is that parents won't have to spend too much time in this light hearted movie, for it runs less than 90 minutes, which is a great time span for a movie such as this.

So what else is worth mentioning about this film? Let's talk a little about the voice acting. Planes Fire and Rescue stars Dane Cook, the crude comedian again diverging from his usual stand up to give a mediocre performance. The animation, more than the voice acting, captivates the emotion more, but Cook's monotone voice is easy to understand and fitting for the character. Ed Harris does a nice job as the stern trainer, somehow being harsh, but packing wisdom and experience that mimics his years on the Silver screen. Fans of Modern Family will be happy to see, or hear in this case, Julie Bowen whose overdramatic/overacted character has been captured in plane form. The audience was laughing at her delivery, her character both creepy and yet endearing as she tried to guide Dusty through his training. Yet my favorite voice was from former Nerd Curtis Armstrong, whose rough, cut to the point, honesty never gets old for this reviewer, especially when it comes out of a little pipsqueak like Maru. Voice acting aside, the designs of the characters is well done, taking common patterns and colors of rescue vehicles and crafting them into symbols that match the ethnicity they represented mainly for the Native American helicopter.

Planes is a fun, family adventure that brings joy, happiness, and very layman humor that will entertain the young. Again the visuals are nice, the story very easy to follow, and the world colorful and fun, with little emotional diversity. Yet, Disney could have easily made this one of their original movies, and put it on TV, not only sparing us a carbon copy of their teenage romantic plots, but also saving us some money as well. My suggestion in to forego this movie, unless you really need something to curb your children's energy, or you are just looking for simple animation. Otherwise save your money and stay home in the comforts of your own home, waiting for a few other films coming in the new few weeks.

My scores for Planes are:

Animation/Adventure/Comedy: 6.0 Movie Overall: 5.0

It can justify its existence even less than the first one. The main good thing I could say about it is that it felt a lot shorter than it was.

From personal opinion the first Planes film was dull and lazy though not without its moments. Its sequel Planes: Fire and Rescue is not great as such but in more ways than one it's (far) superior to its predecessor. The story, while still improving on that of the original, is very slight and predictable with an unfinished ending and Dusty's character arc being laboured and with tedious exposition between him and Blade. Some of the music is mismatched, parts have genuine tension but others have a slow-paced country-bar music vibe and it just doesn't fit. The characters are mostly very likable, especially Dipper but others including Dusty lack spark. Dane Cook didn't really do it for me either as Dusty, some of his comic timing is good but he often has too much of a smug approach to a character that would have fared better being played straight. Planes: Fire and Rescue does have a lot of very good things, particularly the animation which is outstanding and even better than that of the original. The colours are richer, the backgrounds and landscapes more textured and the photorealistic animation in the fire fighting sequences is far better than any of the animation in the first. Children and adults will appreciate the witty lines and easy-going humour as well as that it is nowhere near as derivative as the story of the first film and that the messaging is surprisingly gentle for a message movie, though with the odd preachy moment. The pacing is crisp while also gentle, and the fire fighting sequences are tense and exceptionally well animated with a truly thrilling climax. In fact the aerial sequences all soar and the action blazes. The voice acting is very good, with Cook being the only reservation. Especially good were Julie Bowen, who brings lovable sass and hilarious comic timing to Dipper, Ed Harris who brings grit and bite to Blade and Curtis Armstrong who's a warm presence. Wes Studi has his moments as well but his character could have been better fleshed out and more sensitively written. Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara have a very heartfelt moment together too. To conclude, not a great sequel but one that improves vastly over the first Planes film. 6/10 Bethany Cox