Escape from Planet Earth: Movie Review

Escape from Planet Earth: Movie Review

Vocal cast: Rob Corddry, Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, William Shatner, Jessica Alba
Director: Cal Brunker

It must be time for some kind of school holidays, what with the release of animated fare, The Croods and now Escape From Planet Earth.

In the latest CGI outing, Brendan Fraser stars as little blue man, Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser). He's a brash, blue, bolshy big head Buzz Lightyear type and the hero of the Planet Baab. Much to the chagrin of his brother, Gary (Corddry) who runs the mission control and saves Scorch's bacon every time.

When Scorch heads to the "Dark Planet" aka Earth, he's caught by evil general Shanker Saunderson (William Shatner) after straying into Area 51 - and his brother Gary decides he must do all he can to try and save him, whatever the cost....

Escape From Planet Earth is disposably good fun which skews to the younger end of the spectrum.

With its hues of blues and occasional sci-fi nods, it's certainly fun despite being a little plot light.

There's a degree of lunacy here and there as well as a menagerie of creatures is revealed in Area 51 - but the 3D isn't used as well as it could be, which is a real surprise. While it helps build the backgrounds and the world up, moments which cry out for 3D use and a bit of fun (a scene which erupts into a food fight being the prime example) the tech is largely ignored and under-utilised. Which is a real shame given this is primarily kiddies' fodder.

Fraser gives good idiot as Scorch; Rob Corddry builds his growing reputation as the nerdier, brainier one of the pair - and Shatner seems to riff on his own personality / back catalogue with his portrayal of the General; but it has to be said Alba and Jessica Parker are hardly noticed in their time on screen.

Escape from Planet Earth passes by relatively quickly and with plenty of moments which will amuse here and there - with some adult nods to sci-fi to keep the older end of the spectrum amused as well as a very obvious poke at Pixar Animation, there's certainly a bit of depth here and there in this story of brawns vs brains.

As one character says at one point, "Turn off your brain and hang on", it's probably a fair analogy for anyone else along for the ride, which packs in colourful animation and a relatively lightweight throwaway story.

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