Critic Reviews
-
Derek Adams, Time Out
There's enough of a storyline here to keep younger space cadets moderately settled.
-
Nick Schager, Time Out New York
It's just an excuse for classic-cinema shout-outs and roller-coaster-like commotion.
-
Claudia Puig, USA Today
This has the directionless, recycled feel of a script by committee.
-
Gary Thompson, Philadelphia Inquirer
An uninspired computer-animated feature that may satisfy undiscriminating pipsqueaks and nearly no one else, Planet 51 is a low-IQ E.T. in reverse...
-
Ty Burr, Boston Globe
Young children and adults with high pain thresholds will enjoy the movie during its brief pause on the way to your On Demand menu.
-
A.O. Scott, At the Movies
The whole thing is just terrible.
-
Todd Gilchrist, SciFi.com
A poorly animated, poorly conceived, utterly predictable science fiction adventure without a single shred of originality.
-
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
"A poorly conceived comedy spotlighting a collection of anal-centric humor that's about as appealing as baseball bat to the face."
-
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
In terms of animation, Planet 51 is out of this world. Then there's the story and the characters, which are about as dull as a dirty penny.
-
William Goss, Cinematical
A short-sighted assembly of sci-fi references and scatalogical humor that should nonetheless placate undemanding tots ... for ninety minutes or so.
-
James O'Ehley, fantastiqueZINE
Nothing really gels and Planet 51 just comes across as shrill, rushed and unfunny.
-
Lynden Barber, sbs.com.au
While certainly diverting, its overly frantic attempts at humour, pointless homages to other films and lack of charm mean it falls some way short. It's not terrible but neither is it memorable.
-
Cosmo Landesman, Sunday Times (UK)
A charming spoof of cold-war alien paranoia, this is visually inventive and full of action, but could do with more humour.
-
Philip French, Observer [UK]
A thin joke becomes attenuated to breaking point.
-
Giles Hardie, smh.com.au
Well and truly aimed at kids, Planet 51 is a film they will thoroughly enjoy yet which any accompanying adult will have lots of laughs in too.
-
Jim Schembri, The Age (Australia)
Just how much of this will be appreciated by children is questionable, but the film is clearly intended to keep them happy with lashings of colour, movement and cheesy jokes while older, diehard geeks can enjoy all the reference spotting.
-
Colin Fraser, FILMINK (Australia)
Funny and well designed, but doesn't live up to potential due to uninspired dialogue and heavy hand of marketing.
-
Leigh Paatsch, Herald Sun (Australia)
The screenplay aims wide for every snappy, pop-culture joke that can possibly be cracked. But the viewer's funnybone remains an elusive target.
-
Michael Adams, Empire Magazine Australasia
Little kids who've never seen this story before might get a kick out of it and its bold colours. Parents will be yawning and looking at their watches. At least G-Force dared you to hate it; this just dares you to stay awake.
-
Anders Wotzke, Moviedex
I'm going to go out on a limb and say Planet 51 was written by a bunch of monkeys...who were trapped in a room with some typewriters. Surprisingly, the works of Shakespeare are the only texts they haven't blatantly ripped off.
Read all 20 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
-
A pretty generic film. My daughter loved it as soon as she saw Dwayne Johnson was in it lol. Not much to this film in the long run.
-
Its ok but there are a lot better animated movies out there. The star part is the alien type dog thing.
-
The writers think that relying on familiarity is enough for people to like something, the same way that sometimes people mistake liking a song because it is memorable when it is in fact repetitively annoying. I'm sure the makers think it was very clever to turn the 'Alien… More
The writers think that relying on familiarity is enough for people to like something, the same way that sometimes people mistake liking a song because it is memorable when it is in fact repetitively annoying. I'm sure the makers think it was very clever to turn the 'Alien visitor' EG the E.T. story on it's head but it isn't. It's pretty devoid of anything clever or funny. The decent animation doesn't go far enough to make up for its failures.
-
The whole storyline is something everyone will know they have seen before. Some jokes were funny, others were embarassing and it treads too much into E.T territory Resultingly, Planet 51 isn't good family entertainment. The animation is pretty good but the characters are either… More
The whole storyline is something everyone will know they have seen before. Some jokes were funny, others were embarassing and it treads too much into E.T territory Resultingly, Planet 51 isn't good family entertainment. The animation is pretty good but the characters are either cardboard cut out or borrowed from other better films.
-
Aside from some impressive animation and a few chuckles here and there...a mostly forgettable film.
For some reason the fact that the "aliens" looked like gummi sea monkeys, really bothered me. The animation was so good they could have really been more creative with them.… More
Aside from some impressive animation and a few chuckles here and there...a mostly forgettable film.
For some reason the fact that the "aliens" looked like gummi sea monkeys, really bothered me. The animation was so good they could have really been more creative with them. But I did love the (Giger inspired) ALIEN "dog".
-
I know this is a kid's movie but I ended up liking it.
-
Decent enough for a Popcorn movie that's about it. Not really funny it's just weird and curious to watch because it's kinda of a invert story. The voices weren't that great either, still good movie for kids to enjoy.
Lem is just an average teenager working on… More
Decent enough for a Popcorn movie that's about it. Not really funny it's just weird and curious to watch because it's kinda of a invert story. The voices weren't that great either, still good movie for kids to enjoy.
Lem is just an average teenager working on getting the girl and furthering his career at the local planetarium - except that he's an alien. At least to U.S. astronaut Captain Charles T. Baker who lands on Lem's planet hoping for a quick flag plant and a hasty return to earth and his millions of screaming fans. But on this alien planet the media has tagged spacemen as brain-eating, zombie-creating monsters, causing Baker to run for his life and into Lem's house. Now it's up to the green native to get the clumsy astronaut back to his spaceship before military dictator General Grawl and mad scientist Professor Kipple manage to exterminate the Earthly visitor.
-
Sort of funny how I came up to watching this film. I just had gotten the local digital cable and it was the second movie I watched since having it on my own. I saw that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was in it, but I knew I had to watch it cause I love his films. I didn't… More
Sort of funny how I came up to watching this film. I just had gotten the local digital cable and it was the second movie I watched since having it on my own. I saw that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was in it, but I knew I had to watch it cause I love his films. I didn't even know it was an animated film, but that I'd heard about it before. I watched it and rather enjoyed it. Not the best movie or even one of the best of the year, but it was enjoyable enough.
-
Saw bits of it and all I can say is that Planet 51 is a very mediocre animated film.
-
Cute... but misses the tongue in cheek adult humor in many other animated movies. This one is just for the kids.
-
This fails in the same way that many animated comedies do. Mostly because it sucks ass, bu also because it thinks that referencing other films and popular culture is enough for a comedy. So we have little puppies which are really the alien from Alien. This is cute, but hardly funny.… More
This fails in the same way that many animated comedies do. Mostly because it sucks ass, bu also because it thinks that referencing other films and popular culture is enough for a comedy. So we have little puppies which are really the alien from Alien. This is cute, but hardly funny. It then references hundreds of sci-fi and 50's nostalgia before playing a Macarena joke. Yes, the world of cinema is still carting out the Macarena when in need of a cheap gag. Perhaps the rights are cheap. Anyway, it's hard to see an interesting idea thrown away like this. It's even harder to hear a voice cast including Gary Oldman going to such waste.
-
so cute and funny. charming 50's look. heart warming and sweet.. totally for kids, but i loved every second of it.
-
Well and truly aimed at kids, Planet 51 is a film they will thoroughly enjoy yet which any accompanying adult will have lots of laughs in too.
-
Bottom tier of bad CGI kids movies.
-
Well, the first time I watch the trailer for this movie, I thought this movie would be hilarious... But the truth is, I just have a single laugh as I remember, maybe with a little smile, but overall I didn't enjoy this movie really much... Even I was fell asleep while watching… More
Well, the first time I watch the trailer for this movie, I thought this movie would be hilarious... But the truth is, I just have a single laugh as I remember, maybe with a little smile, but overall I didn't enjoy this movie really much... Even I was fell asleep while watching it, that's terrible...!!! And another thing that annoyed me is the Planet 51 creatures whose doesn't look like an alien, and the sound of this movie which makes the voice cast of this movie looks terrible, because in truth I thought they have a great cast like Dwayne Johnson, Justin Long, Jessica Biel, Gary Oldman, and Seann William Scott... But I don't know what technology they used in this movie for taking the cast's voice, but whatever it is, it do made the voice cast of this movie sounds ridiculous... Overall, not a recommended one, just watch it while you have some spare time and don't have another great film to be watch...
-
Planet 51 is a galactic-sized animated alien adventure comedy revolving around American astronaut Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker, who lands on Planet 51 thinking he's the first person to step foot on it. To his surprise, he finds that this planet is inhabited by little… More
Planet 51 is a galactic-sized animated alien adventure comedy revolving around American astronaut Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker, who lands on Planet 51 thinking he's the first person to step foot on it. To his surprise, he finds that this planet is inhabited by little green people who are happily living in a white picket fence world reminiscent of a cheerfully innocent 1950s America. The movie have some funny moments, not for little kids maybe, and they also make some reference to other sci-fi movies. The story is kinda original and the plot is good although it has some holes, maybe little kids won't understand all the situation about who's the alien. The animations is quite decent. I like the cast of voices with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the astronaut, Jessica biel as Neera, Justin Long as Lem, Gary Oldman as the General, Sean William Scott as Skiff and the wonderful John Cleese as the Professor.In conclusion, Planet 51 made an effort to be a good animation movie but I think it didn't reach where it wanted to go.
-
the art is always better than the story anymore nowadays and here is no exception, but not for lack of trying this time. a reversal on the fifties-fear-of-being-invaded scare, here it's a modern day us (in the form of dwayne take-me-as-a-legit-actor-and-not-just "the… More
the art is always better than the story anymore nowadays and here is no exception, but not for lack of trying this time. a reversal on the fifties-fear-of-being-invaded scare, here it's a modern day us (in the form of dwayne take-me-as-a-legit-actor-and-not-just "the rock" johnson) that're the invaders, trespassing on our own truly forgotten and yet ever misrepresented "innocent", good old days, 195-say-3 or 4 (before the pelvis shook things up). it's an inventive concept, yet not fully utilized. still there's fun in these thar hills, yes indeedy.
-
Alan Marriott, Dwayne Johnson, Freddie Benedict, Gary Oldman, Jessica Biel, Justin Long
Planet 51 is a galactic-sized animated alien adventure comedy revolving around American astronaut Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker, who lands on Planet 51 thinking he's the first… More
Alan Marriott, Dwayne Johnson, Freddie Benedict, Gary Oldman, Jessica Biel, Justin Long
Planet 51 is a galactic-sized animated alien adventure comedy revolving around American astronaut Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker, who lands on Planet 51 thinking he's the first person to step foot on it. To his surprise, he finds that this planet is inhabited by little green people who are happily living in a white picket fence world reminiscent of a cheerfully innocent 1950s America, and whose only fear is that it will be overrun by alien invaders...like Chuck! With the help of his robot companion "Rover" and his new friend Lem, Chuck must navigate his way through the dazzling, but bewildering, landscape of Planet 51 in order to escape becoming a permanent part of the Planet 51 Alien Invaders Space Museum.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a cute movie. Not the best animated movie I have seen this year. Up! still in my opinion has been this best of 09. But it was funny. My nieces and nephew seemed to enjoy it. There was also some jokes in there for us adults. I wouldn't pay theater money to see this, I would recommend waiting for it to come out on DVD. But it was a fun watch, thought I would be bored through out it, but I wasn't. Kids will definitely enjoy this movie. Got some good oldie tunes in it as well. Not a bad watch at all.
-
With the proliferation of computer-animated fare becoming more incessant lately, it becomes more difficult with each release to pick-out the good ones, from the mediocre ones. Of course, Pixar seems to have a perceived lock on overall quality of animation and storytelling. But with a… More
With the proliferation of computer-animated fare becoming more incessant lately, it becomes more difficult with each release to pick-out the good ones, from the mediocre ones. Of course, Pixar seems to have a perceived lock on overall quality of animation and storytelling. But with a curve and standard set so high, it makes it a bit unfair for every other animated movie to be pit against the likes of the Disney mammoth.
So, along comes an independent-film-equivalent to a heftily-budgeted computer animated film: Planet 51. This movie, in now way, pretends to be on the same level as a Pixar show, or even a Dreamworks' Shrek feature (although their choice of making their own characters green and eerily similar to a certain ogre is purely coincidental). The film is filled with enough cleverness and pop culture referencing to make it stand-out as a moderately unique flick.
With voice talent like Dwayne Johnson, Justin Long and Jessica Biel, the movie already feels a little substandard. But its strengths aren't really related to the voice cast. Its primary strength lies in the story itself: a planet of aliens who live similarly like humans on Earth are invaded by an alien unto them: a human astronaut. It's a cute little role reversal that leaves lots of room for some wacky gags and inside jokes and lightly-veiled commentary about the human race for everyone to enjoy.
The fact that these aliens live like humans creates a genius parallel to our world (circa 1950s America) in which we can see ourselves portrayed. Along comes this man from space who poses a threat to the standard way of living. But, in the end, the movie teaches a lesson about the importance of being different and embracing it. And the importance of working alongside somebody who is different for the greater good.
Planet 51 may not be the glossy, cohesive behemoth of a movie that comes with months-worth of buzz or a cast of legendary actors. But it definitely provides a fun alternative to such fare with an original funny bone of its own.
-
I really liked this movie and i was pleasently shocked by the great names in this movie!
its funny and entertaining and is good as a childrens animated movie that is good for what it is, a chillds movie but it has some really adult jokes that are funny but children wouldnt understand… More
I really liked this movie and i was pleasently shocked by the great names in this movie!
its funny and entertaining and is good as a childrens animated movie that is good for what it is, a chillds movie but it has some really adult jokes that are funny but children wouldnt understand them!
Read all 20 featured audience ratings
Also available on
UltraViolet Retailers
Other Retailers
Subscription Services