Review: Planes
CBN.com - Planes, Disney’s new Cars look-a-like movie, unfortunately feels a bit awkward. Think Lightning McQueen, but with planes, plus sexual innuendos, over-the-top racial stereotypes and a suggestive scene promoting alcohol.
This summer, family-friendly touted flick from Disney starts well enough, and has the bones to be a funny, heartwarming story, but falls short due its surprising questionable content.
THE MOVIE IN A MINUTE
Dusty always dreamed of winning a prestigious airplane race around the world. Thing is, Dusty is a crop-duster, not a racer – a fact most are quick to point out. Still, he’s determined to shake the dust of the farm of his wheels, make it to the big race and win it.
THE GOOD AND BAD IN PLANES
Planes may have a Cars feel to it, but they are not one and the same (despite this movie's worldwide race being reminiscent of Cars 2). The original films about Lightning and Tow Mater were PIXAR creations; Planes is decidedly Disney.
A bumbling romantic/Mexican soap opera star, a mysterious, alluring Indian and an unfriendly Brit are just a few of the ‘planes’ Dusty encounters along the way. The film jokes about reincarnation and has gassy humor. It makes special mention of removing Dusty’s “sprayer” a few times and has a scene suggesting drinking alcohol is what you should do when you’re sad. In another scene, one of the planes rejects the advances of another racer toward her, saying to him, “go plow yourself”. Granted, most kids will not catch all of these suggestive, adult references. Even so, it’s all a bit much.
The soul of this movie teaches kids that it’s OK to take risks and go after their dreams. Dusty eventually realizes he can be a racer, and that he can do more than what he was created to do – stay on the farm and dust crops.
IN THE END
Planes is, at times, a fun movie and would have been a great option for families were it not for its problematic content, including moments of peril that may be scary for younger kids.
For more reviews like this one, sign up to receive CBN.com's Entertainment email update.
Hannah Goodwyn serves as the Entertainment producer for CBN.com. For more articles and information, visit Hannah's bio page.
About The Author
