Planes: Fire & Rescue - DisneyToon Outdoes Pixar

Cars might be the most profitable franchise Pixar has when it comes to merchandising, but it's also the one least liked by its more adult audiences, holding primarily the attention of the younger viewers who would love a Lightning McQueen bedspread or Tow Mater toothbrush. Last year Disney decided to expand it even further, giving DisneyToon Studios the go-ahead to produce a direct-to-video film set in the same universe. It would end up being called "Planes".

It was a kind of laughingstock from early on. Especially the title "Planes" became a joke, leading some to wonder whether the next film would be "Boats", "Trains", or "Submarines". Disney, however, had faith. "Planes" was always meant to get a theatrical release in Europe, but some of the first completed sequences from the film impressed them enough to push for it to be released in theatres in North America as well. It went on to gross nearly $220 million on a budget of "just" $50 million, needless to say a sequel was soon announced, released not even a year after the first film.

"Planes" was in my opinion a completely okay film. In some aspects I liked it better than both "Cars" and "Cars 2", and in other parts it was less good. Overall I enjoyed it more, I felt they had learned what Pixar had done right and what they had done wrong with their own films, and DisneyToon managed to cherry pick to the best of their ability while still making the film not feel completely the same. The film was about racing as "Cars" and most of "Cars 2" were about, but it wasn't the tale of a superstar car who'd already won his fair share of prices, this was a just a simple crop duster who dreamed bigger. Not a revolutionary concept, but still a tad more interesting and exciting than watching McQueen learn about the simple life in "Cars".

"Planes: Fire & Rescue" takes the concept even further, even further than Pixar managed with their installments of the franchise. "Planes 2" starts of kind of like the first "Cars" did. You have the superstar hotshot who's participated in several races, but he's still the same plane as he was before. He never abandoned his friends, or moved away. Instead what he does is try to help them even more. He finds out that he can no longer race because of a faulty gearbox that there haven't been produced in years. He then decides to help out the town the only way he thinks he can, he goes to get a fire fighting certificate so that he can join the town's local fire station, keeping the town open and safe for the upcoming corn festival. Again, this isn't something revolutionary, but it's not bad either. The execution is great. You like the characters, you believe what they're going through, they're funny, they're emotional, it's a much more solid sequel than "Cars 2" was to "Cars". "Cars 2" tried too hard, but yet too little, to be completely different from "Cars". Changing the main character and the main concept of the film. "Planes 2" just elevates and brings forth better quality to "Planes". It's the same basic theme, a struggling plane wants to be something he's not, but it works.

It helps that the supporting characters are fun and interesting as well. I was worried we'd get too much of the "look at how outrageously hilarious this character is" like we get with many lower-budget animated films. Hell, with all animated films. But they managed to keep it just right throughout the picture. "Planes 2" might not deserve any awards, but it just might deserve a watch. At least if you've found yourself only somewhat entertained by the previous installments of the "Cars" franchise.