Treasure Planet (November 27, 2002)

This is one of the most underrated Disney film. It is a science fiction adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 adventure novel, Treasure Island. It employs the novel technique of placing hand-drawn 2D animation set atop 3D computer animation and, with a budget of $140 million it is the most expensive traditionally animated film ever made (and one of the last produced by Disney). And that money was well spent! It seamless integrates the two mediums creating a wonderful sci-fi world filed with futuristic technology and aliens of every sort of bodily shape (though there are only two humans in the entire film). The Space Port and pirate ship are two examples of how this movie creates a world that feels so vast yet grounded (and one that I would visit in a heartbeat). The main characters are equally as interesting and colorful. There is our principle protagonist, Jim Hawkins, a young outcast, and delinquent who is a drift with no direction. He lives with his mother at a house that doubles as a diner. One day a pirate, named Bones, with a map to the location of a legendary treasure crashes near their home and he brings with him a gang of pirates hot on his trails. Bones dies and the pirates destroy Jim’s home, causing him to flee to the home of a family friend, Dr. Delbert Doppler, an anthropomorphic dog. There, Delbert decides to round up a crew and set off on a journey to find the treasure and Jim decides to join him in this endeavor. On this ship we are introduced to three more principle characters: John Silver, a cyborg who works as a cook abord the ship, Captain Amelia, an anthropomorphic cat who command their ship, the RLS Legacy, and Scroop, a vicious spider-crab like crewman. Two more characters of note are B.E.N., a robot who lost his mind and was abandoned on the Treasure Planet and Morph, a lovable creature who can shapeshift into any form (they both serve as comic relief). The main focus is the intergalactic journey but the relationship between Jim and John Silver is the film’s heart. Silver takes Jim under his wing (and runs him ragged) becoming a father figure for the boy, whose real father was a deadbeat, abandoning him and his mother when he was young. Their growing relationship is highlighted during the montage sequence set to the fantastic song, “I’m Still Here” which is interspliced with scenes of Jim’s childhood. John Silver is a complex character, as he is both a villain who starts a mutiny to steal the treasure for himself, but also a mentor who genuinely cares for Jim. I appreciate that he has moral ambiguity instead of being your standard cut and dry antagonist. Additionally, Amelia and Delbert develop an adorable relationship and they complement each other wonderfully. Amelia is a feisty, strong woman while Delbert is an awkward but brilliant astronomer. They prove that opposites attract! This is not to discount the adventure which essentially is a treasure hunt- but told through the lens of a space odyssey which gives it a unique spin and provides the opportunity for awesome visuals; this is one of the most visually beautiful films from this century and I wish Disney had continued with the format. As it stands the film only made about $110 million and was another nail in the coffin for Disney’s usage of 2D animation, which is a genuine shame. Treasure Planet is one of my favorite movies and I think it deserved a larger audience at the time and a bigger fanbase now.

Final Rating: 9/10