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Movie Review by Donna Schwartz Mills: "Treasure Planet" Reviewed December, 2002 Studio: Walt Disney Pictures MPAA Rating: PG - for some adventure action peril Mom Rating: 4 out of 5 Kid Rating: 4 out of 5 Cast: Voices of: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brian Murray, David Hyde Pierce, Martin Short, Emma Thompson, Patrick McGoohan Writer(s): Ron Clements, Rob Edwards, John Musker Director(s): Ron Clements, John Musker They don't call them classics for nothing. Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate adventure, "Treasure Island" had been filmed five times prior to this animated update (including two other Disney versions -- a 1950 live-action release and 1999's Muppet outing!). And the story continues to resonate through this weird futuristic adaptation. This is a classic coming of age tale wrought with adventure, whose hero receives some valuable life lessons from a man who is both a villian and a lovable rogue. Yes, it is a bit disconcerting at first to see adventurers sailing through space on ships that look more like 18th-century galleons than the Starship Enterprise. They make reference to the absence of gravity in space, but not to that of an atmosphere. Still, the animation (a combination of computer and traditional imaging) is so dazzling that it's easy to get over this hurdle and enjoy the ride. As we've come to expect with Disney's big money releases, the voice talent is awesome. Joseph Gordon-Levitt infuses just the right mix of rebelliousness and sincerity into young Jim Hawkins, as do Brian Murray and Emma Thompson as the ship's cook and captain, respectively. David Hyde-Pierce is excellent, as always, although with such a recognizable voice, it is hard to divorce the character he plays in the movie from Niles Crane. Unfortunately, attendance for this film has proven to be a major disappointment to the Disney Studio... that's too bad, because this one is great entertainment for children and parents alike. | Back to List | Donna Schwartz Mills is the webmaster Mommy of SocalMoms.com, a new resource for moms in Southern California. She is also the work-at-home expert behind the ParentPreneur Club and editor/owner of Family-Content.com. Reprinted with permission.