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Disney is well-known for its magical fairy tales about beautiful princesses and the charming princes who love them. Every once in a while, though, the studio breaks out of its mold and tries something completely different—like 2002’s sci-fi pirate adventure, Treasure Planet.
Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Treasure Planet follows a troubled teen on an out-of-this world journey.
Ever since he was a little boy, troublemaking teen Jim Hawkins (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has been fascinated by the stories of Treasure Planet—the place where a notorious pirate is said to have hidden “the loot of a thousand planets.” So when a mysterious stranger arrives on Jim’s doorstep with a map that will show him the way to the fabled planet, he’s eager to head off on a life-changing journey.
Though Jim’s mother (Laurie Metcalf) is reluctant to let her son go, her friend, Dr. Delbert Doppler (David Hyde Pierce), is eager to join Jim on his adventure—so the two hire a crew and set sail for untold riches (and plenty of danger along the way).
Treasure Planet is definitely an unconventional Disney movie—one that just doesn’t fit the usual Disney-movie formulas. You won’t find a single princess in this outer space fantasy—just pirates and aliens and other creepy beings. And the animation (which features an eye-catching mix of CGI and hand-drawn art) has an almost anime-like look to it. But that’s exactly what makes it such a fascinating film: it’s completely unexpected.
This imaginative mash-up of swashbuckling and science-fiction lends itself to some pretty unusual settings—from colonial villages on a different planet to old-style ships that sail through the skies instead of the seas. The sailors are aliens and cyborgs (as well as strange, blob-like creatures that speak solely in fart noises), and the villains are absolutely terrifying creatures to behold.
As you might expect from an outer space pirate movie, though, the characters aren’t always cute and lovable. While Delbert is cute in a brainy, bumbling kind of way, Jim is the kind of moody, morose teenager who might fit well in a Twilight movie. He has his moments of greatness (and, of course, deep down, he’s got a good heart), but his bitterness and anger sometimes make him a difficult hero to love.
Treasure Planet certainly isn’t the same old classic Disney movie—and it isn’t the kind of charming fairy tale that will enchant little princesses. But adventure-loving little boys are sure to be thrilled by the outer space action of this unusual animated journey.
