Treasure Planet (2002)

Underappreciated

I know this was a box office bomb, but being the Treasure Island fanatic that I am I could not help but love it for its wildly creative retelling and the wonderful animation and spirit. I think that this film truly captured the emotional wonder of Robert Louis Stevenson's original story, if not the details (Then again, not too many movies exactly get the book correct). The soundtrack is incredible, perfectly piratey. The entire story is one of longing, angst, and change. So it may be a little moody, but it's a beautiful peace of art and Disney magic. September 27, 2008

Treasure Island as an animated space opera

Pirates and kids are always a hit.
This movies translates a children's classic tale
from the Atlantic Ocean to the space of the galaxy
in a Star Wars mix of technology, Robots and cute little aliens ( Morphy).
Mutiny comes at an unexpected time, but the captain, the astronomer and Jim
make it away alive. Getting back the ship and bringing back the treasure
is another story altogether and it brings young Jim to his
full abilities and courage.
The technology seems more like magic and space like a small ocean,
but the fantasy is pretty flawless?
It is a fun movie, but lacks that classic edge due to the Disney 'formula' approach? August 17, 2008

Wonderful film, should do theatrical re-release in 3D

I am probably one of the few who did see "Treasure Planet" in the theater. I found it thoroughly enjoyable. I think part of the problem with the poor showing at theaters, was that the movie, overall, was geared more towards teen males and adults (those who usually do not go to a theater to see a cartoon). The one liners in the film that reference other movies/shows like Star Trek and Star Wars are numerous, but you have to catch them. Casting was perfect. If possible, they should re-release the film in Disney 3D as was done with Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas". This would be a prime movie to do that with, unless, due that it is a cartoon, the characters come across as flat. Eventually, I think this will be a Disney Classic. July 20, 2008

Certainly an underrated Disney movie

This, along with "Atlantis: The Lost Empire", is surely being overshadowed by other more popular ones such as "Monsters Inc." and "Lilo & Stitch" and "The Incredibles" and so on. "Treasure Planet" really is something worth watching.

Some of the finest things that are in this film are the animation. I'm floored by the visuals of outer space (rendered in both 2D and 3D). The supernova/black hole sequence is a sight to see. And the scenes in which Long John Silver demonstrates his Cyborg skills by cooking some stew and tracking his enemies down should be considered classic.

The music is also something to look forward to. James Newton Howard mixes a Celtic folk style with a typical Hollywood classical sound. I know it doesn't seem like a good combination, but Howard executes it so well.

As for the characters, it's a mixed reaction. The non-human characters like Doppler and Morph are well-drawn, but their personalities are aimed slightly towards the little kids. Long John Silver is brilliantly created, although he's nowhere near as good as Robert Louis Stevenson's own version. Captain Amelia is an attention-grabber: she looks lovely. Jim Hawkins has certainly gained a cult following in the recent years, and it shows. He's attractive, he's anti-heroic, and he's one of the great protagonists of all things Disney. B.E.N. is sadly an irritant. I was hoping that he would be much more like the orginal Ben Gunn, but I was disappointed. His screaming and his constant reminding that he's "lost his mind" is not enjoyable.

So with all the flaws aside, "Treasure Planet" is one of the underrated classics of the new millennium. And while it bombed in the box office, its cult following makes a point: the film will never die (and I mean that in a good way).

B+ May 11, 2008

A New Take on an Old Classic

I'm generally wary when Hollywood makes movies of any book, especially a classic, and so I was a little worried about "Treasure Planet," and yet it turned out to be one of my all-time favorite Disney movies! I can't figure out why it wasn't as big a hit as Disney hoped, because a movie like this definitely deserves it. It's a great family film full of adventure, and I just love the idea of setting "Treasure Island" in space! Who could have come up with such a fun idea but Disney? Silver is even a cyborg! How perfect! Voices, special effects, everything seemed to be spot-on, including the music (which also included a specially-written son by The Goo Goo Dolls just for this movie). I fell in love with "Treasure Planet" the first time I saw it and watch it all the time! April 5, 2008

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