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When astronaut Chuck Baker lands on a far-flung planet in the name of adventure and photo-opportunities, he doesn't expect to find it full of little aliens. Naturally the planet's green inhabitants, living lives of picket fence harmony, are none too excited about the gruesome invader. So begins a cheery yarn about identity, perception and anal probes. From the writer of Shrek 2, Planet 51 is an ethical reminder bolted to a big idea. Such a pity it doesn't live up to its promise.
Teenage Lem is a youngster whose life is falling into place the same day a rocket ship inconveniently lands in his back yard. Circumstance forces him to protect the occupant (NASA's media-savvy pin-up boy), and puts him on a course of conflict with the press, the military, his girlfriend and a robot dog called Rover.
Good ideas abound as Planet 51 seeks to subvert 1950's sci-fi and McCarthy era paranoia. Design is the most striking feature that fills every frame with a joyous creation of circles and saucers – a synthetic confection that recalls The Jetsons and Dr Seuss in equal measure. Peppered with circumstantial comedy, often funny, it is almost always let down by uninspired dialogue that draws on cartoon cliché. There's not much happening that you haven't heard before. The voice cast is adequate though John Cleese as the faintly nutty professor underlines the obviousness with which these maters were settled. Similarly the choice of Shrek-green colour palate suggests the dominant hand of marketing.
Which is disappointing for Planet 51 has more to offer a wider audience than the tweens it has set its sights on. It eventually boils down to an unimaginative run that denies the considerably more provocative idea on which it was born.
// COLIN FRASER
moviereview colin fraser film movie australia review critic flicks