The best thing that can be said about "Planes" is that it's better than 2011's embarrassing, hypocritical "Cars 2," a rotten-to-the-core sequel that tossed in a violent spy plot while turning its back on the messages of slowing down and enjoying life found in 2006's lovely "Cars." A Disney spinoff that not even Pixar chose to have anything to do with—though original director John Lasseter still executive produces—"Planes" is a strictly pedestrian, mostly disposable kid flick targeting single-digit audience members with little to none of the writing or storytelling sophistication found in most of today's animated releases. The director is Klay Hall, previously of 2009's direct-to-video "Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure," and the script was penned by Jeffrey M. Howard, who also cut his teeth on the "Tinker Bell" franchise; is it any surprise this film was initially meant to bypass theaters before Disney decided they could pluck a few extra bucks from consumers by putting it in multiplexes?
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