So here's a sequel to a spin-off that Disney presumably rolled out as a means of generating a bit of extra pocket money: a follow-up to the super mediocre animated flick Planes, which in itself was contrived as a means of extending the Cars franchise. Planes: Fire & Rescue is, in essence, a pretty inoffensive film, and to lambaste it too harshly wouldn't make a whole lot of sense: we all know why this movie exists, of course; it's just a shame that Disney settled in making such obvious, generic fare. It's true that this is a kids' movie, but even children will probably find themselves feeling ambivalent to what's going on here for the length of the runtime. Planes: Fire & Rescue is the kind of picture that, once consumed, you never think about it again. There is one notable aspect that deserves to be complimented, however: the animation itself, which is surprisingly beautiful for a flick that you assume was churned out as quickly as possible. It might be a tad better than Planes, but - really - only a tad.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
