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Blu-Ray : For Fans
Ranking:
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Release Date: November 19th, 2013 Movie Release Year: 2013

Planes

Overview -

The world of Cars takes flight in Planes, an animated comedy revved up with action and adventure. Join Dusty (Dane Cook), a crop duster with sky-high dreams and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take on the world's fastest flyers in the greatest air race ever. Dusty has a huge heart but two big problems: he's not exactly built for speed, and he's afraid of heights. His courage is put to the ultimate test, though, as this unlikely hero aims higher than he ever imagined. With a little help from his friends, Dusty finds the courage to be more than he was built for, and the inspiration to soar.

OVERALL:
For Fans
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
Region Free
Video Resolution/Codec:
1080p/AVC MPEG-4
Length:
92
Aspect Ratio(s):
1.78:1
Audio Formats:
Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles/Captions:
Spanish
Special Features:
Trailers
Release Date:
November 19th, 2013

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

Dusty Crophopper (voiced by Dane Cook) was made for crop dusting, but in Disney's 'Planes,' which is set within the world of Pixar's 'Cars,' he leaves everyone in the dust during a round-the-world aerial race to prove he's more than just what he was built for. Sadly, when it comes to the world of movies, where the competition can be demanding and fierce, he's the one left in the dust, flying to the finish line in dead last. All that training, practice and learning those aerobatic maneuvers help in accomplishing his goal — beating the faster, more experienced veteran racers, of course! — but they do little in making a competently satisfying motion picture.

Dusty may be the predictable winner, netted in a very predictable plot and surrounded by some adorable characters, but he makes for uninteresting and dull competition. Although he demonstrates some inept skill during the qualifiers for the "Wings Across the World" race, his entry is ultimately just as unexciting and boring — a convenient accident involving illegal fuel enhancers. In a movie blatantly designed for the youngest among us! In fact, the story's entire theme tries to inspire and encourage, in none too subtle hints, to reach for the skies and push the limits, but it does so with some rather problematic and disturbing implications. The suggestion of illegal substances in a sport is only a fraction of it.

Don't get me wrong, inspiring young audiences to strive for greatness is admirable and a worthy theme in any animated film. However, the idea of punishing those who use enhancers at the beginning undermines this very motif by the script contradicting itself in the third act. Our unlikely hero Dusty displays heart and sportsmanship throughout the race while still being true to himself, particularly when choosing to help fellow racer Bulldog (John Cleese), which turns him into a worldwide sensation for the working class. But after being battered by a tropical storm and crashing into the ocean, Dusty — and the filmmakers — see no problem in him exchanging the broken parts with better, superior parts.

In essence, changing your exterior body and making physical alterations in order to enhance your ability to race, to which you were never built for, is perfectly acceptable. If you can't do it with what you've got, then commit yourself to some surgery to change your outside. And as long as you remain true to yourself, it's all fair game?


I'm sure some will be quick to accuse me of nitpicking, but this contradiction within the story is genuinely being expressed by the film's end. Enhancers are there to help when doing it on your own is too difficult. Making things worse the whole movie is a series of utterly lame jokes spoken by incredibly dull stock characters. Dusty's entourage includes Chug (Brad Garrett), a supportive but dim-witted fuel truck, forklift mechanic Dottie (Teri Hatcher) and reclusive Navy war plane turned trainer Skipper (Stacy Keach). In the race, he befriends a Mexican race-plane that inexplicably wears a wrestling mask and cape named El Chupacabra (Carlos Alazraqui), who Dusty later helps transform into the "Lowv Ma-chin."

Other planes participate in their requisite roles for guiding Dusty into championship glory, but none are really ever given enough screen time to feel like their involvement would have made any difference. Well, outside of the arrogant reigning champion Ripslinger (Roger Craig Smith) as antagonist, the other competitors add little to the story's anticipated end. Julia Louis-Dreyfus voices French-Canadian racer Rochelle, and Priyanka Chopra plays Dusty's love interest as Ishani while Ripslinger's followers Ned and Zed (Gabriel Iglesias) fail at breaking a smile. In fact, the only genuine moment of laughter is when Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards show up to help our would-be hero, but that will likely go over the heads of most viewers unfamiliar with Tony Scott's 'Top Gun.'

In the end, 'Planes' is not the high-flying, action-packed thrill ride it imagines itself to be. From DisneyToon Studios, this CG-animated spin-off of Pixar's 'Cars' franchise was initially intended to be grounded in the direct-to-video runway mat, but someone made the mistake of clearing it for departure into wide-release. Now, audiences everywhere are set to witness this crash and burn disaster with two more installments! Is no one manning the radio tower!


The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment brings 'Planes' to Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a code for a Digital Copy. The Region Free, BD50 disc sits comfortably on the panel opposite a DVD-9 copy with a lightly embossed, glossy slipcover. At startup, the disc commences with skippable trailers before switching to a menu screen with the standard options, music and full-motion clips.

Video Review

Ranking:

'Planes' flies unto Blu-ray with an excellent, eye-popping 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode. Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio, the image bursts off the screen with a wide assortment of bright, vivid colors. Richly-saturated primaries lavish every scene with energy and life while softer pastel hues provide warmth and zest. Contrast and brightness are very well-balanced with crisp, glowing whites and deeply intense blacks which complement the 3D picture splendidly. I did detect some mild aliasing and negligible banding here and there; however, a majority of the animation is razor-sharp, nicely revealing the amount of talented work that went into designing this CG world. Individual lines along the bodies of each plane are highly detailed and distinct; ocean waves swell and crash with lifelike movement; and various buildings and landmarks are very well-defined.


Audio Review

Ranking:

The CG-animated film swooshes, whirls and breaks the speed of sound with a shockingly excellent DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack that utilizes all seven channels to amazing effect. The rears are employed at various moments throughout, even during quieter spots with subtle ambient sounds in the distance. Most impressive, however, are the flying sequences when planes zoom from front to back and vice versa with superb realism and panning. The front soundstage is expansive and broad with a variety of activity across all three channels while maintaining precise, distinct vocals in the center. Dynamic range is crystal-clear with splendid detailed clarity in the upper frequencies, and the low-end delivers a powerful response with a couple thundering booms that resonate across the room, mostly in scenes with propellers and jet planes.


Special Features

Ranking:
  • Klay's Flight Plan (HD, 16 min) — A discussion with the filmmakers on the production, especially director Klay Hall's particular interest in the subject, inspiration and the film's development.

  • Meet the Racers (HD, 7 min) — Broken into four sections, a brief bio on Dusty, El Chupacabra, Ishani and Ripslinger.

  • Top 10 Fliers (HD, 6 min) — ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd counts down the biggest names in aviation.

  • Deleted Scenes (HD)

  • Trailers (HD)


From DisneyToon Studios, 'Planes' is a CG-animated spin-off of Pixar's 'Cars' franchise initially intended as a direct-to-video feature, but a last minute decision turned it into a theatrical wide release. Unfortunately, the dull and uninspiring underdog story of a plane winning a round-the-world race probably never should have left the runway mat. Nonetheless, the movie arrives on Blu-ray with an excellent video and audio presentation that'll have kiddies roaring for more. Supplements are a lighter side of things, but provide additional info younger viewers might find interesting. All in all, the package is ultimately for fans only.