Planes: Fire and Rescue (2014): Dir: Roberts "Bobs" Gannaway / Voices: Dane Cook, Julie Bowen, Ed Harris, Stacy Keach, Teri Hatcher: Sequel to Planes where it examines new talents and the extremes one could go to exercise potential. Hero race plane Dusty Crophopper is troubled when he has a engine trouble where in the replacement is near impossible. When a fire breaks out they are under threat when containing it caused so much damage. Dusty decides to assist the ageing fire engine by going off to be trained to be a fire fighting plane. This plot is similar to Cars both in story and character yet it still manages detail. What is most alarming is the amount of fires that seem to pop up constantly keeping these vehicles with minds of their own busy. The outcome is easily predictable but the screenplay is surprisingly sturdy. Dane Cook voices Dusty and unfortunately he is the only character of interest in this scrap heap. Dusty is hindered of his passion yet finds opportunity elsewhere where new abilities are harnessed. Other characters are not so colourful. Julie Bowen voices a creepy female plane who seems to enter Dusty's space a tad too much. Ed Harris voices an ever familiar personality of a helicopter with a past that he tries to forget. Stacy Keach voices Dusty's mentor, and Teri Hatcher voices a forklift. Despite themes of courage and ability this film only exists to cash in on the first film, which in itself, was just a cash in on Cars. The animated characters are colourful but many of their personalities die like an engine that is long overdue to be replaced with something far more interesting than this. Score: 5 ½ / 10
Review of Planes: Fire & Rescue
