Treasure Planet 2002 Buena Vista Home Entertainment   Buy It Now

Pirates have been good to Disney.  The release of the studio's first live-action film, Treasure Island, in 1950 proved to be a huge success and paved the way for the next 50+ years of live-action filmmaking.  Directed by Byron Haskin, the film was a retelling of the long-loved classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, and began not only a new means of storytelling for Disney, but also made Haskin the go-to man for adventuresome tales: From The Earth To The Moon, The War Of The Worlds, and Robinson Crusoe On Mars to name a few.  He even directed a sequel for Disney a few years later entitled Long John Silver, which chronicled the warm-hearted rogue's return to Treasure Island.

But Walt Disney was not content to confine his pirates to the silver screen forever.  Walt was always a fan of bringing his screen creations to life, and Disneyland became the ultimate forum to do so.  There has been a pirate presence in the theme park since the opening in 1955.  First, a pirate ship restaurant and the dark ride, Peter Pan (which was remodeled and renamed Peter Pan's Flight in 1983).  Then the infamous Skull Rock from Peter Pan was built with a restaurant just underneath, but it was not until 1967 that Disney's pirate coup-de-tat began Yo-Ho'ing its way into the lives of millions.

 Pirates of the Caribbean was originally planned as a walkthrough attraction featuring the rather new animatronics capabilities introduced with Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.  But soon it was understood that to move enough visitors through, something had to change; and so it became a boat ride with some borrowed ideas from It's A Small World.  Regardless of design or origins, it became apparent that America and people of the world at large, had a love affair with pirates.

But as technology began to invade the imagination, and Skull Rock gave way to newer attractions; folks dreams turned to space (or Space Mountain as the case may be...).  Suddenly swords and treasure, just were not as "cool" as rocket boosters and laser guns.  Times have changed.  But never let it be said that the Disney enterprise doesn't have their finger on the pulse of current thoughts and trends, and at the risk of some lost classics, they always react (Tarzan's Treehouse?  What ever happened to the Swiss Family Robinson!?).  Most recently, in Lilo and Stitch, Disney brought outer space to our planet in the form of the ferociously cuddleable Stitch.  But now, it is time for us to go into space and visit a different planet altogether...Treasure Planet.

Again the idea is to retell the classic Robert Louis Stevenson tale, but with pirate film having had a shaky past recently (Cutthroat Island or Muppet Treasure Island, anyone?), the idea here is to bring the tale into the 21st Century, and far beyond.  And although I find it hard pressed to believe that anyone over 25 will accept this tweaked version, just remember that Disney is for the kids...and as a fan of pirate fare myself, anything that peaks a child's interest in the swashbucklers is at least a step in the right direction.

Jim Hawkins is definitely a contemporary youth.  He spends his days practicing the future's version of extreme sports, which seems to be a mix of every X-Game all rolled into one.  Unfortunately, he also spends much of this time getting into trouble and causing his single mom no end of worry, as she is too busy working to offer him any real discipline.  Not exactly the Disney of yore, but definitely a contemporary situation.  Things are coming to a head for Jim and if he doesn't get his life on track fast, he will get lost in the system of probations and criminal institutions.  But as fortune would have it, a change comes crashing into his life.

A salty ole' spacer (that's a sailor in space) gives Jim a map, just before passing into the afterlife.  The map, Jim recognizes, is to Treasure Planet where the lot of a thousand worlds is reportedly stashed.  Soon a plan is hatched to go in search of the treasure and in so doing, give Jim a chance to experience the world abroad and develop some life experiences.  But Jim and Dr. Doppler, the friend of his mother's who is assigned to watch over him (remember she is too busy working) are not the only ones seeking this treasure.  A band of nasty pirates looms over them as a race is on to reach Treasure Planet.

During the voyage, Jim befriends a cyborg named Long John Silver, who takes Jim under his wing and becomes the father figure that Jim has been missing.  But what secret motives lie buried beneath Long John's cool exterior?  Why the greedy nature of a true pirate; a nature towards mutiny!  But will Long John's care of the fledgling Jim be enough to turn him straight, or will Jim be betrayed yet again by someone whom he looks up to?  A true enough tale to the original literature, but can it survive yet another retelling; especially one so foreign to the original?

Retelling is not something that Disney is unfamiliar with, in fact they are practically based on it.  Snow White and The Seven Dwarves?  Peter Pan?  Cinderella?  Sleeping Beauty?  None of these are original ideas, in fact nearly everything from Disney is "borrowed" from a previous source, including most recently, The Lion King and Atlantis (Kimba The White Lion and Nadia: The Secret Of Blue Water respectively: both previous Japanese animated material).  But with all of these aforementioned works, the heart of the story was still intact, as was the ability to care for the characters and identify with their struggles.  This time I think they missed the mark.  

Jim is supposed to be "carefree" but comes off more than a little as just a kid with a bad attitude.  Long John is supposed to give off the vibe of a hardened man who is going soft because he finds someone who accepts him, but here we are never sure if his caring is simply an act or not.  Even the sacrifice of his treasure seems forced, and more for self-preservation.  Dr. Doppler is just Goofy in disguise; comic relief if you will.  Although he is supposed to go through a change of character from the bespectacled scientist nerd to the valuable and brave member of a crew, we still only see him as a guy with a bit of luck.  All of this combined with the fact that "the Disney family" ideals, so profoundly displayed in the recent Lilo and Stitch (the best Disney film in a long time), are missing here, detracts much from the feel of the film.  Seeing Jim make it on his own, without the help of the one who should be providing (his mother) was a little bittersweet, but I suppose, more like the current times.  I guess I have always just looked to Disney as an escape from the times we live in...

The pirate ships in space is a little odd as well, but became the part of the film I liked the most.  I always hate it when I talk with someone a few years younger than I and they don't understand anything I am talking about, blaming it all on the fact that I am "just too old", when what it really is, is that they are "just too ignorant" and were raised by their televisions.  Because of this, I am glad that the animators chose not to alter the staples of pirate lore: the unfurled sails of a pirate ship, the black powder pistol look of the weapons, and even the costuming was all kept strictly in line with history.  Perhaps as young viewers watch and enjoy this film, it will spark in them a trip to the library or at the very least, the internet, to look further into one of the most exciting, yet short, periods of history; the time of the pirates.

Despite a familiar look and some amazing visuals created through Disney's now-standard blending of CG and traditional hand-drawn elements, I just don't see that this tale captured the magic of any of its previous tellings.  And the inclusion of voices that will be familiar only with adult audiences is something that the kids would never notice, but alienates older viewers.  Every time Dr. Dobbler (voiced by David Hyde Pierce) spoke, all I could think of was Frasier's brother.  Every time Emma Thompson's character, Captain Amelia, barks an order I can think only of Much Ado About Nothing.  And each time that Martin Short frantically throws himself into B.E.N., the marooned robot, all I can think of is...well, that I hate Martin Short.  Therein lies the problem with casting such familiar vocal talents...it pulls people OUT of the movie, no matter how much studios think it brings people in to theatres.  

Altogether, Treasure Planet could have been much worse.  What we are talking about is a remake that didn't need to be done anyway, but considering that it was, I at least enjoyed the time I spent watching it.  Perhaps if I hadn't already been such a fan of the work, then I wouldn't have been so unsure of this version, but that just wasn't the case.  I guess it was bound to happen eventually, as event he director of the original Disney version of Treasure Island went on to direct Robinson Crusoe On Mars.

Young lads an' lasses who be not familiar with this story's long an' varied history may be findin' it just the sort of sword swingin' action that they love 'n yearn for, but if ye already be a fan of the Treasure Island yarn, ye best steer clear of these waters, lest yer hopes be dashed on the rocks of "modernization".

-aaron-