If it feels like Disney just released the first Planes animated film, you're right, it's only been a year.
It's a quick turnaround for an industry that normally takes years to complete a follow-up - it will be 2017 before we see the next Lego movie. This alone gives a good indication of the quality of animation and story to expect, but although the first Planes was Cars' poor cousin, Planes: Fire & Rescue is a tad better.
The hero, plucky Dusty Crophopper, is now a world-famous aerial racer but, with a gearbox under pressure and without spare parts available, he's being forced into retirement. Grandparents cajoled into taking their grandkids to the movies might understand how poor old Dusty feels, but for the most part, this sequel is aimed at the littlies with kid-friendly simple messages about working as a team and helping those around you, colourful animation and daredevil aerobatics.
The story kicks into gear when Propwash Junction's airport is shut down because of a lack of emergency services. Dusty volunteers to become a firefighter, and joins a forest fire and rescue unit to qualify. This brings in a whole new raft of characters and, just like Planes, there's a mixed bag of everything from the wise Blade Ranger (voiced by Ed Harris) to the downright loopy Dipper (voiced by Julie Bowen).
Although Planes is a better movie this time, it still doesn't reach the top tier of family animations. But then it probably didn't intend to be more than a pleasant, harmless story filled with familiar characters. In that sense it's on the money - my 5 and 7-year-olds were more than entertained.
