“Planet 51” marks many firsts for its whole production crew both as the first feature film from Madrid-based computer animation studio Ilion and first solo flight full-length project written by scribe Joe Stillman. As part of the production crew responsible for bringing to life the tale of the first two Shrek films, Stillman is no stranger to alien inspired features. The main theme of the movie was obviously highly patterned after the rage on space alien invasion of 1950s science fiction pictures. Straying to create a film based on an overused cliché, Stillman incorporates a twist of switching roles where human plays invader and aliens as home residents.
American astronaut Capt. Charles “Chuck” Baker (Dwayne Johnson) arrives at a planet oozing with a 50s small-town Middle America vibe invaded by green creatures with antennas sticking from their heads, four-fingered hands, and webbed feet resembling the likes of Shrek. Similar to humans in its predecessor films, these creatures possess a fear of unknown monsters and beings from the other side of outer space. Model student and aspiring astronomer, Lem (Justin Long) was the single brave soul to approach Chuck to discover he doesn’t bring harm but peace. Together with his pals Skiff (Seann William Scott) and Neera (Jessica Biel), they team up to protect their foreign friend from the clutches of General Grawl (Gary Oldman) and crazy Professor Kipple (John Cleese) desperate to extract his brain for experiments.
The film highly resembles a compilation movie of famous alien films in earlier times. Director Jorge Blanco refers to unforgettable striking scenes from “E.T.” and “Close Encounters”. Musical scores incorporated in the film such as “Singin in the Rain” takes audience back to the realm of the all-time hit “Star Wars”.
Despite the film’s great potential in animation, it comes off as an underdog unable to match this year’s animation films vying for an Academy award such as “Coraline”, “Up”, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “A Town Called Panic”. These films edge, which “Planet 51” fails to deliver, are a storyline and production suitable to please the entire family.
