Film

Treasure Planet (2002)

Director: John Musker, Ron Clements

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

While Pixar can do no wrong with its cutting edge CGI originals, Disney is falling back on old formulas, remaking favourites from 50 years ago and rejigging the classics for 21st century kids. This doesn't mess with Treasure Island too much, give or take a billion light years. Fifteen-year-old Jim Hawkins inherits a map to pirate loot when Billy Bones expires on his doorstep, then sets sail across the galaxies in a solar-powered galleon with a band of gentleman adventurers and a mutinous crew. John Silver is a cyborg chef, half-man, half-machine; his parrot a mischievous pink blob with buggy eyes, 'Morph' by name and nature. Eighteenth century futurism takes getting used to, but this is quite watchable. Stevenson's yarn is strong enough to survive this half-baked reconceptualising. What works worst are the standard Disney elements: ersatz power ballads; duff comic relief. What works best is pure RLS: Jim's love-hate relationship with Silver, a father substitute who has his own growing up to do.

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