'Planes' doesn't reach the creative heights of a Pixar movie
“Planes” is an animated 3-D feature from Disney, but it’s not produced by Pixar, and therein lies the rub. Although Pixar itself has been on a creative slide as of late, you could always count on them for a fairly high level of wit and vroom and sometimes for a lot more than that.
“Planes,” directed by Klay Hall, is a modest little squiggle about Dusty, a crop-duster who yearns to be a high-flying air racer. He finds the courage to succeed, which should surprise no one – not even the toddlers in the audience (most of whom, at the screening I attended, were pretty stone-faced throughout). Maybe Disney, and Pixar, too, for that matter – remember “Cars 2”? – should stay away from vehicular vehicles on all future projects. Grade: C+ (Rated PG for some mild action and rude humor.)
