Planes fail to reach new heights

FANS of top-flight animation might be inclined to take a trip with Planes, thinking it's a Pixar-powered offering sitting on the runway.

Planes fail to reach new heights

FANS of top-flight animation might be inclined to take a trip with Planes, thinking it's a Pixar-powered offering sitting on the runway.

Well, Planes is Pixar-ish in a few ways. Pixar guru John Lasseter dreamt up the concept of an aviation companion to his Cars series, and the illustration designs are unashamedly Cars-esque.

However, Planes is not Pixar-ish in so many other ways. The animation was handled by Disney's direct-to-DVD division. The heart, soul and high spirits of a typical Pixar movie are absent.

Therefore, Planes is fated to only ever achieve limited takeoff before settling into a low glide for the duration of its journey.

Like the comparatively superior Turbo, the tale is that of an unlikely hero (in this case, a lowly cropduster named Dusty) who wants to realise an impossible dream by winning a famous race (the Wings Around the Globe Rally).

There are naysayers to be proved wrong, and nefarious rivals to be bested with honour.

Oh, and Dusty must also overcome a fear of heights.

The sole recommendation of Planes is that at least it is better than the substandard Smurfs 2. Perhaps best enjoyed by very young children hitting the cinema for the very first time.

> PLANES [G]

Director: Klay Hall (Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure)

Starring: the voices of Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Julia-Louis Dreyfus, Teri Hatcher

"A struggle to wing you over"

Rating: 2/5