 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Planet 51
- Review Date: November 9, 2009
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
Underwhelming alien comedy has some suggestive humor.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this animated alien comedy earns its PG rating with a fair bit of sexualized humor -- including jokes about anal probing and penises which may go over younger kids' head (though middle schoolers won't be duped -- in fact, they'll probably find it hilarious). There's also some mostly mild violence -- though weapons are involved -- as the alien army attempts to capture and subdue a human astronaut (voiced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), as well as references to a maniacal doctor's desire to suck out Chuck's brain for scientific reasons. The language is mostly tame ("moron" and "stupid"), if disrespectful; beyond the sometimes-crude jokes, the sexuality revolves around one character's infatuation with another, which culminates in a kiss. Despite taking place on another planet, there are a few brands featured in the movie, including Volkswagen, Twix, and iPods.
What's the story?
On a distant planet that's exactly like an idealized version of 1950s America but inhabited by green aliens, adolescent Lem (voiced by Justin Long) works at a planetarium and spends his time hanging out with his best friend Skiff (Seann William Scott) and pining over his pretty neighbor Neera (Jessica Biel). When NASA astronaut Chuck Baker (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) lands on the planet, he's astounded to realize that there's already life on Planet 51 -- and that all the "aliens" speak and understand English and enjoy the diners, muscle cars, drive-ins, and B-movies reminiscent of the '50s. Unfortunately for Chuck, the most popular movie is about a "humaniac alien" that turns everyone into brainwashed zombies, so the planet's military tries to hunt Chuck down. But Lem and his pals strike up a friendship with Chuck and agree to help him get back to Earth before he's captured, studied, and imprisoned.
Is it any good?
Even if you take Pixar's incredibly sophisticated, high-grossing movies out of the running as a comparison, PLANET 51 is uninspired and forgettable. The movie's animation (particularly the landscape backgrounds) is flat, the dialogue is overly cluttered with pop culture references (to everything from The Right Stuff and E.T. to The Terminator and the Macarena). Allusions and double entendres work when they're seamlessly woven into a family-friendly script (as in the Shrek movies), but the lame penis and anal probing jokes are just off-putting in Planet 51.
Young kids may be drawn to the alien characters, especially comic book-obsessed Skiff and the dog-like creature that has toxic pee and a penchant for terrorizing the local mail carrier. And adults may get a laugh or two out of Neera's suitor Glar (Alan Marriott), a VW-van-driving, guitar-playing hippie who protests the planet's violent reaction to Chuck. But Johnson, who has proven he's a surprisingly talented family movie star, isn't given much to work with as the cocky astronaut, and Lem and Neera's "romance" is only slightly amusing when Lem goes to Chuck for dating advice. Ultimately, if you're hankering for '50s nostalgia, check out Back to the Future -- and for animated alien comedies, stick with Monsters vs. Aliens.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how the movie plays on the media's standard jokes about and portrayal of aliens. Who is the "real" alien in Planet 51? How do the movies and comic books that characters read on Planet 51 affect the way its population reacts to Chuck?
What purpose do all of the pop culture references -- particularly to well-known movies -- serve? Is it funny? Is it original?
- To what kind of movies is Planet 51 an homage? How are the '50s portrayed?
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Kid, 10 years old
January 8, 2011
AGE
charcters are shot but not killed characters are slashed but not killed no one is ever killed only some suffer injuries
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AGE
If you like terrible movies...this is the one.
It's not that it's bad...but there's one scene where Grease Lightning is played(there's a lot of innuendos in that song) It's not even that good.
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Kid, 11 years old
July 1, 2010
AGE
Bad movie.
not funny at all
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Kid, 11 years old
December 20, 2010
AGE
Stupid
STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AGE
Nice try... but they fell flat
Oh... wow, this was B.A.D. I try to give Dwane Johnson some slack, but wow.. wow wow wow. I couldn't keep my head faced towrd the screen. All I liked was the fact they pointed out that humans can be aliens too...
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Kid, 12 years old
August 16, 2010
AGE
porely made.
Good idea but very pore made movie
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AGE
Funny when it's clean
I had been waiting to see this movie since I heard about it. Mom knew this and rented it for the family to watch together. I hit play thinking, "Boy, I can't wait to see a good clean PG-rated movie!" HA! I don't like the direction the media has been taking with, well, with everything! I'm sick and tired of putting in a PG or even G-rated movie and it being dirtier than a PG-13 movie I saw the night before. This movie had such potential. It was hilarious besides the adult jokes in a movie meant for 7-year-olds. I don't even think adults should hear those jokes. I don't really care so much whether or not a movie's original, as long as it's good. I'm easily amused anyway. I'm one of those people who can last a year on a piece of string. So rarely do I give anything 3 stars unless it just makes me upset. Hollywood, stop making dirty kid's movies! You're infesting and twisting the minds of every child, no, person on earth! It's even getting in MY head. I still count as a kid, you know. I don't know if I want the DVD or not anymore. Besides all that, this movie wasn't the best I've seen in a while, but it was still good. My advice, buy Veggietales movies. They're Christian, kid-safe comedy that's so funny, I'll watch them if I live to be 200 years old.
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AGE
won't be paying money to let my kiddos hear about anal probing and penises. should be rated pg-13 in my opinion.
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AGE
Crude, Dull, and Meaningless
Yet another "kid" movie-- Planet 51 is a good idea poorly laid out. Although it's targeted at a younger audience, it's filled with crude and often suggestive humor. Don't waste your time on this.
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AGE
Forgettable is a perfect adjective
We watched this movie on Netflix and I found that it was pretty tame. It was moderately entertaining but nothing that we would purchase to watch again. I watched it with my 12 year old who liked it a little better than me and my 3 year old who got bored and ran off after about 20 minutes.
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| Topics: | adventures, friendship, space and aliens |
| Studio: | Columbia Tristar |
| Director: | Jorge Blanco |
| Cast: | Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Gary Oldman, Jessica Biel, Justin Long |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | November 20, 2009 |
| DVD release date: | March 9, 2010 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | mild sci-fi action and some suggestive humor |
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