by Niamh Brown

Created on: January 24, 2010   Last Updated: January 25, 2010

Planet 51 Review (2009)

Starring: John Cleese, Gary Oldman, Seann William Scott, Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel

Writer: Joe Stillman

Planet 51is Ilion Animation Studios’ first animated movie, and what a debut it is!

THE STORY (Contains spoilers)

"Something strange is coming to their planet...Us!" Planet 51 opens by presenting us with a view of an alien, yet strangely familiar, world. Life in Glipforg is idyllic. White picket fences frame well tended lawns.

The local drive-in movie is showing the latest Bug-eyed Monsters feature, “Humaniacs”, and the kids are down at the Soda Shop rocking to the latest hits on the juke box. If Beaver Cleaver had antenna, no nose, and green skin he would feel right at home there. Everyone seems happy and friendly, and their only concern is a fear that aliens will invade any time and turn them into zombies.

We are introduced to Lem, who works at the local Planetarium, Neera, the girl next door and Lem’s love interest, and Skiff, Lem’s comic book reading, alien mad best friend. They are typical 1950’s teenagers, worried about work, love, and the future.

Enter Captain Charles T. Baker, Astronaut. Landing on a planet thought to be uninhabited he instead finds himself in the middle of an alien city, surrounded by aliens who speak English and who are as scared of him as he is of them.

After his ship is taken to the super-secret Area 9 he is befriended by Lem, Neera, and Skiff. Baker must evade capture by the Glipforian military, commanded by the paranoid General Grawl, avoid having his brain removed for study by the mad Professor Kipple, and regain his ship or be marooned forever....

THE VERDICT (Contains spoilers)

With most films, there is usually an interval necessary between my viewing and reviewing a film. I like to use this time to consider just how I feel about the myriad details that go into my decision of just how good a film really is. Occasionally though, it is just blatantly obvious. I watched this movie and immediately sat down to write this review. Planet 51, quite simply, is one of the best.

I don’t give out a perfect rating easily.  A work has to impress me across the board and be free of any flaw or defect which would jar me out of the world the film is describing to me. That I am giving this to a wholly CGI animated film, with all the immersion breaking potential inherent to the medium, is a significant statement indeed.

IAS has produced a visually stunning family film

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