Planes: Fire and Rescue (2014)
Certified: U
Duration: 84 minutes
Directed by: Roberts Gannaway
Voices of: Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Danny Mann, Teri Hatcher, Julie Bowen, Ed Harris, Wes Studi, Dale Dye
KRS Releasing Ltd
Set in the world of Pixar’s/Disney’s Cars universe, Planes: Fire and Rescue is a very big improvement over 2013’s Planes. Last year’s movie and this year’s sequel bear all the hallmarks of Disney’s strength and corporate expertise in managing to deliver animated movies at a constant rate and with a certain level of quality. This also displays how much the ‘House of the Mouse’ has confidence to spare when it comes to this genre.
This film, however, is not aiming to be this year’s Frozen or this year’s tent pole Disney/Pixar movie, but it manages to liven up the screen in its boyish manner. Made under the Disney Toons banner, it is aimed at providing summer family entertainment and it does so successfully.
The film sees the return of Dusty Crophopper (Dane Cook), the hero of the first film who is now a celebrity and a renowned air-racer. However, he is struck by calamity when he is told that he has problems with his gearbox. Thus there’s the possibility that he may never be able to race again.
Dusty finds a new calling when a fire incident places Propwash Junction into grave danger. He sets out to Piston Peak National Park where he intends to learn what it means to be a firefighter.
The characters are an homage to the work carried out by firefighting personnel
Here he is trained by the veteran helicopter Blade Ranger (Ed Harris) and his team of fire and rescue vehicles: heavy lifter helicopter Windlifter (Wes Studi) and super scooper Dipper (Julie Bowen). Blade Ranger is not altogether sure at what to do with this celebrity that has been placed in his hands.
The team and Dusty will soon be pitted against a fire that seemingly enough cannot be tamed. It is here that he will learn what it means to be a true hero rather than being just a face on a magazine.
The film’s structure and plot is closely based on that of the Cars movies (2006, 2011) and Planes (2013). It however sports a simple message: that becoming famous is easy but to remain a true hero is something else entirely. This message is well delivered and is to be well understood by the young ones.
The characters are an homage to the work carried out by firefighting personnel. Veteran character actor Harris brings strong voicing to Blade Ranger, giving the character a bold personality. The production has seen fit to provide him with enough back story to make him an interesting screen presence.
The Windlifter, as voiced by Studi, plays out on Red Indian stereotypes of being one with nature, while Bowen’s Dipper delivers quite a few laughs. Hal Holbrook as Mayday, a firefighter truck who has seen too many a year, is quite poignant. Other voicing cameos include Teri Hatcher and Erik Estrada.
Colourful and shiny, this film comes visually to its own when there is an action sequence going on and there are quite a few intense ones. The wildfire sequences really bring out the heat. These scenes are very detailed, rich in texture and present an exciting cinematic panel.
The production’s emphasis on the importance of teamwork is given prominence and should appeal to the young audience.