Today’s quick review: Treasure Planet. When Jim Hawkins (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a restless young man with dreams of adventure, chances upon a map to the fabled Treasure Planet, home to Captain Flint’s pirate treasure, his friend Doctor Doppler (David Hyde Pierce) hires Captain Amelia (Emma Thompson) and a crew of sailors to find the treasure. But Long John Silver (Brian Murray), the ship’s cook, has plans for the treasure himself.
Treasure Planet is an animated science fiction adventure from Disney. Based on the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Planet offers a sci-fi twist on the classic pirate story. Treasure Planet has a colorful setting to go with its unique premise, as well as decent production values, the various comedic trappings of a Disney family film, and a combination of traditional and CGI animation to bring its sci-fi world to life.
Treasure Planet is packed with imaginative but implausible science fiction. The sci-fi setting is just a thin but stylish veneer over the original Age of Exploration setting: classically-designed ship cruise the Ethereum on solar sails, journeying from planet to planet and braving the dangers of space. The sci-fi elements have little in the way of speculative value or depth, but they do make for a gorgeous and creative backdrop for the story.
How much you enjoy Treasure Planet will depend heavily on how much you like its art style. The art is not Disney’s best work, with peculiar faces and weak alien designs, but the space visuals are suitably impressive and the action is strong. Beyond its art, Treasure Planet has serviceable writing, mixed comedic elements, and just enough plot to complete its character arcs, without stopping for much world-building along the way.
These factors combine to make Treasure Planet a decent, family-oriented watch that falls a little short of its potential. If the art style happens to catch you the right way, Treasure Planet can be a unique, enjoyable experience. But temper your expectations accordingly: the film’s creative sci-fi setting is only a backdrop, not the full-fledged world it might have been. For a more comedy-oriented adaptation of Treasure Island, check out Muppet Treasure Island.
7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for an imaginative science fiction setting and otherwise decent execution.