Planes: Fire

Planes: Fire & Rescue (also known as Planes 2: Fire & Rescue) is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Disneytoon Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.[4] Directed by Bobs Gannaway, written by Gannaway and Jeffrey M. Howard, and produced by Ferrell Barron, it is a sequel to the 2013 film Planes, a spin-off of Pixar's Cars franchise. Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Danny Mann, and Cedric the Entertainer reprised their roles with new additions to the cast including Hal Holbrook, Julie Bowen, Ed Harris, Regina King, Wes Studi, Patrick Warburton, and Dale Dye. In the film, Dusty Crophopper (Cook) is assigned to become a wildland firefighting plane after he learns that his engine's gearbox is damaged.

Planes: Fire

Unable to race and faced with the possibility of returning to his old job as a crop duster, Dusty goes on a defiant flight and tests his limits. In doing so, Dusty is forced to make landing at Propwash Junction airport, causing a fire. The residents put out the fire with some difficulty, but the accident leads government inspector Ryker to condemn the airport for inadequate firefighting protocols. Aggrieved at his actions, Dusty offers to undergo training to be certified as a firefighter for the airport's reopening.

The next day, Dusty travels to Piston Peak National Park, where he meets a fire and rescue crew under the command of a helicopter named Blade Ranger. The leader of an efficient unit, Blade is initially unimpressed by the small newcomer and Dusty's training proves to be a difficult challenge.

Maru, the team's mechanic, replaces Dusty's original undercarriage with two pontoons fitted with retractable undercarriage wheels for his new role as a single engine air tanker firefighter. From other crew members, Dusty learns that Blade was formerly an actor who played a police helicopter on the TV series CHoPs but left for unknown reasons. Later, Dusty is devastated by a call from his friends at Propwash Junction, telling him that they've failed to find a replacement gearbox, meaning that his racing career is over.

Lightning in a thunderstorm over a forest near Piston Peak starts several spot fires which unite into a serious forest fire. The team fights it and seems to have extinguished it; but later, during the grand reopening of the park's lodge, visiting VIPs fly too low and create air eddies that blow embers about. This creates a larger fire, forcing the need to evacuate the lodge.

A depressed Dusty's education in the midst of the large fire falters, much to Blade's frustration. Things come to a head when Dusty makes a forced landing in a river while trying to reload his tanks against orders and is swept through the rapids with Blade trying to extract him. Eventually, the pair make it to land, and Dusty confesses his physical disability. Blade advises Dusty not to simply give up. They shelter in an abandoned mine while the fire passes. Blade was severely damaged, airlifted and grounded for repairs. Maru tells Dusty that Blade's co-star Nick "Loopin' " Lopez from CHoPs was killed during a stunt gone wrong on set that Blade was helpless to stop. Blade became a firefighter to save lives for real.

When the wildfire threatens the lodge, the national park's superintendent Cad Spinner selfishly diverts the entire water supply to the roof sprinklers to prevent the lodge from burning, which prohibits the team from fire suppression. With only their pre-existing tank loads, the firefighters instead manage to help the evacuees escape the fire.

Dusty is alerted that two elderly campers named Harvey and Winnie that he met earlier are trapped on a burning bridge deep in the fire zone. He races to the scene and pushes his engine to the maximum to climb vertically up a waterfall for a refill, as the only other water source is simply inadequate. Simultaneously, Blade shows up and assists Harvey and Winnie by hooking up Winnie, preventing her from falling. Dusty successfully eliminates the bridge fire, allowing the campers to escape just before it collapses. Dusty's gearbox blows out, and he crashes.

Unconscious, Dusty is airlifted back to base where he wakes up five days later to find that park ranger Jammer has replaced Cad. Maru tells him that not only has his structure been fully repaired but he has built a superior, custom-refurbished gearbox for his engine that allows Dusty full performance once again. Impressed at Dusty's skill and heroism, Blade certifies him as a firefighter. Propwash Junction is reopened with Dusty assuming his duty as a firefighter, celebrated with an aerial show with his new colleagues from Piston Peak.

A pre-release screening of the film was conducted at the 2014 National Native Media Conference, where screenwriter Jeffrey M. Howard and art director Toby Wilson joined actor Wes Studi in Q & A to discuss the Native American themes in the film. They noted that the character of Windlifter, and the folkloric story he tells of how Coyote was renewed by fire, was developed in consultation with Dr. Paul Apodaca, an expert on Native American myths and folklore.[18]

Planes: Fire & Rescue was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray on November 4, 2014. Blu-ray bonus features include the exclusive six-minute animated short film Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular, directed by Roberts Gannaway,[21] in which Dusty and Chug participate in an air show disguised as absent stunt planes Air Devil Jones and Vandenomium.[22] Additional material includes a mockumentary called Welcome to Piston Peak!, a CHoPs TV promo, a featurette called Air Attack: Firefighters From The Sky; a behind-the-scenes look at real smokejumpers and firefighters plus making of the film with director Roberts Gannaway and producer Ferrell Barron, a music video of "Still I Fly" by Spencer Lee, two deleted scenes with filmmaker intros, and two animated shorts introducing Dipper and the Smokejumpers.[23][24]

Joe Williams of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch gave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying "Without the kindling of character development, Planes: Fire and Rescue is no smoldering success, but if Disney's flight plan is to share Pixar's airspace, it's getting warmer."[38] Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle gave the film two out of four stars, saying "It's not a poor movie. But it's definitely a better movie for the kids."[39] Claudia Puig of USA Today gave the film two out of four stars, saying "With the lackluster quality of its characters - aircraft, a smattering of trucks, RVs and motorcycles - the movie makes Pixar's Cars and its sequel look like masterpieces."[40] Colin Covert of the Star Tribune gave the film three out of four stars, saying "There are a scattering of inside gags, asides and blink-and-you-missed-it details for the parents. The film's focus, though, is pleasing the milk-and-cookies crowd."[41] Mark Feeney of The Boston Globe gave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying "Most DisneyToons releases are direct-to-video. That lowly status shows here in the pokey storytelling, dreadful score, and generally tired comedy."[42] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a positive review, saying "What this Disney feature lacks in the title department it makes up for with fluid visuals and fast-moving action of the, yes, firefighting variety."[43] Linda Barnard of the Toronto Star gave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying "For the most part, Planes: Fire & Rescue is more about chuckles than big guffaws, coupled with thrilling 3-D flight and firefighting action scenes and lessons about friendship, respect and loyalty."[44] Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times gave the film a mixed review, saying "In 3-D, the firefighting scenes are visually striking - with plumes of smoke and chemical dust - though the backgrounds, like other aspects of the film, lack dimension."[45]

Parents need to know that Planes: Fire and Rescue is the superior 3D sequel to Planes. There are several perilous firefighting/rescue scenes (including one in which the heroes are boxed in by a fire and fear they might suffocate) that could upset younger children, especially when viewed in 3D. The firefighters routinely put their lives at risk as they swoop into the raging wildfires, and there's mention that some don't make it back (late in the movie, one specific sad death is referred to). There are a few stereotypes, including a boy-crazy female firefighter plane who borders on stalking Dusty (and makes some mildly suggestive comments -- i.e. "they're real" in reference to some of her parts) and a wise, strong Native American helicopter, but cultural stereotypes aren't as prevalent as they were in the original Planes. Essentially, the movie is a beautifully animated tribute to the men and women who put their lives at risk to keep the national parks safe.

Racing champion and former crop duster Dusy Crophopper (voiced by Dane Cook) is training for his next race when he discovers that his gearbox is damaged. The replacement part is out of production, which means he might not be able to race anymore. In a fit of self-pity, Dusty accidentally starts a fire that closes down the Propwash Junction airport. In order to fix his mess, he must go to firefighter training at Piston Peak National Park. There he's trained by the reluctant Blade Ranger (Ed Harris), a helicopter who isn't impressed by the racing champ. Blade's crew includes smokejumpers, an air tanker, a cargo plane, and a military helicopter. Dusty works hard, and when a wildfire rages through the park, he and the crew must come together to save Piston Peak and its tourists.

The story is also better, and the characters are more compelling (with fewer stereotypes) than in the first movie. The planes are out there to do good work, not just win a race. There are cute pop culture references, too: like the show that Blade Ranger used to star in, called CHoPs, and the use of a classic AC/DC song during a firefighting scene. 041b061a72