About halfway through "Disney's Planes" (hereafter "D's Planes), one of Ripslinger's (voice of Roger Smith) bumbling lackeys (Ned or Zed, I couldn't tell) admits Dusty Crophopper's (voice of Dane Cook) efforts to compete in the worldwide flying race is a "compelling Rocky tale". I think he's mostly right, except "Rocky" ends a little bit differently. But "D's Planes" has the other "Rocky" clichés in abundance.
We have the underdog, a determined but outclassed and unlikely racing contender in the form of a low-flying cropduster (Dusty) who has the added handicap of acrophobia (fear of heights, but in this case, heights over 1,000 feet!). We have the underdog's loyal buddy and moral support in the form of the Mater-like fuel truck Chug (voice of Brad Garrett). We have the grizzled, gravelly-voiced, demanding racing trainer (and Dusty's idol) in the form of heroic veteran aerial bomber Skipper Riley (voice of Stacy Keach) who harbors a shameful secret. We have the unscrupulous, sneaky current flying champion, the aforementioned Ripslinger, and his minions (not THOSE minions) Ned and Zed (voice of Gabriel Iglesias), willing to do anything to knock Dusty out of the race. Finally, we have the diverse, colorful, if stereotypical fellow racers and opponents such as the veddy British Bulldog (voice of John Cleese), the flirtatious Rochelle (voice of Julie Louis-Dryfuss), and the flamboyant Casanova El Chupacabra (voice of Carlos Alazraqui).
Yup, we have the millionth version of the underdog tale. But, in the final analysis, so what? How many films are really that original anyway? And everyone likes a well-told, inspirational underdog story, no matter how many times we've heard it, right? Right? Well, anyway, I contend that "D's Planes" has several positive qualities that make this same old tale well worth watching.
The first, most striking one is its visual artistry and photo-simulating effects. Even though like its obvious ancestors "Cars" and "Cars II" we're dealing with sentient, living machines, the backgrounds and scenery feel so meticulously real and accurate. A second quality is "D's Planes" mechanical and aviation knowledge which I guess was inaccessible to most watchers except machine experts, but didn't make you feel stupid that you didn't know it (like me). I still found that knowledge was impressive. A third one is the race from the perspective of the airplanes - the bankings, the divebombings, the barrel rolls, the acrobatics- that convince you that absolutely nothing beats flying as the single most exciting, exhilarating activity on earth.
However, the most important quality is the underdog Dusty himself, on whose wings the movie hangs. Dusty is ambitious and determined to be more than a farm worker, but he is not brash and cocky. On the contrary, he is humble, hardworking, and gracious and helpful to everybody, even to opponents like Bulldog and El Chupacabra. As a result, Dusty begins to grow on others who would never have given him a chance before, and even begin to help him. Kindness CAN pay dividends. Dusty even persuades the reclusive Skipper to not only train him, but to even overcome his own stigma to come to Dusty's aid when Ripslinger tries to sabotage him. Yes, Dusty is a fine role model.
In conclusion, even though "D's Planes" lacks the adult sophistication of Pixar movies, and is going, more or less, where you think it's going, it makes the journey worthwhile. Besides the previously mentioned qualities, it's clean and family-friendly, except for a risqué bit involving removal of Dusty's "sprayer" to reduce weight and drag ("You can reattach it, right?"). The race showcases the globe well and the geological and climate obstacles the planes face. It convincingly converts the soul classic "Love Machine" into a ballad El Chupacabra uses to serenade Rochelle. Most effectively, though "D's Planes" doesn't insist upon it, like "Rocky", it convinces us that, regardless of the outcome, those who never give up are always winners.
We have the underdog, a determined but outclassed and unlikely racing contender in the form of a low-flying cropduster (Dusty) who has the added handicap of acrophobia (fear of heights, but in this case, heights over 1,000 feet!). We have the underdog's loyal buddy and moral support in the form of the Mater-like fuel truck Chug (voice of Brad Garrett). We have the grizzled, gravelly-voiced, demanding racing trainer (and Dusty's idol) in the form of heroic veteran aerial bomber Skipper Riley (voice of Stacy Keach) who harbors a shameful secret. We have the unscrupulous, sneaky current flying champion, the aforementioned Ripslinger, and his minions (not THOSE minions) Ned and Zed (voice of Gabriel Iglesias), willing to do anything to knock Dusty out of the race. Finally, we have the diverse, colorful, if stereotypical fellow racers and opponents such as the veddy British Bulldog (voice of John Cleese), the flirtatious Rochelle (voice of Julie Louis-Dryfuss), and the flamboyant Casanova El Chupacabra (voice of Carlos Alazraqui).
Yup, we have the millionth version of the underdog tale. But, in the final analysis, so what? How many films are really that original anyway? And everyone likes a well-told, inspirational underdog story, no matter how many times we've heard it, right? Right? Well, anyway, I contend that "D's Planes" has several positive qualities that make this same old tale well worth watching.
The first, most striking one is its visual artistry and photo-simulating effects. Even though like its obvious ancestors "Cars" and "Cars II" we're dealing with sentient, living machines, the backgrounds and scenery feel so meticulously real and accurate. A second quality is "D's Planes" mechanical and aviation knowledge which I guess was inaccessible to most watchers except machine experts, but didn't make you feel stupid that you didn't know it (like me). I still found that knowledge was impressive. A third one is the race from the perspective of the airplanes - the bankings, the divebombings, the barrel rolls, the acrobatics- that convince you that absolutely nothing beats flying as the single most exciting, exhilarating activity on earth.
However, the most important quality is the underdog Dusty himself, on whose wings the movie hangs. Dusty is ambitious and determined to be more than a farm worker, but he is not brash and cocky. On the contrary, he is humble, hardworking, and gracious and helpful to everybody, even to opponents like Bulldog and El Chupacabra. As a result, Dusty begins to grow on others who would never have given him a chance before, and even begin to help him. Kindness CAN pay dividends. Dusty even persuades the reclusive Skipper to not only train him, but to even overcome his own stigma to come to Dusty's aid when Ripslinger tries to sabotage him. Yes, Dusty is a fine role model.
In conclusion, even though "D's Planes" lacks the adult sophistication of Pixar movies, and is going, more or less, where you think it's going, it makes the journey worthwhile. Besides the previously mentioned qualities, it's clean and family-friendly, except for a risqué bit involving removal of Dusty's "sprayer" to reduce weight and drag ("You can reattach it, right?"). The race showcases the globe well and the geological and climate obstacles the planes face. It convincingly converts the soul classic "Love Machine" into a ballad El Chupacabra uses to serenade Rochelle. Most effectively, though "D's Planes" doesn't insist upon it, like "Rocky", it convinces us that, regardless of the outcome, those who never give up are always winners.