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PLANET 51

"Don’t Take Me to Your Leader"

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What You Need To Know:

PLANET 51 is a fun animated comedy about an American astronaut trapped on an alien planet stuck in a 1950s world. The story opens on the alien planet, where young Lem has just gotten a job at the local observatory. Lem’s friend Skiff works at the comic book store and is a fan of movies about alien invaders and monsters from outer space. In fact, their world is pretty paranoid about the entire subject, especially the secretive military. Of course, when an American astronaut lands on the planet, everybody except Lem panics and worries about alien invaders turning them into zombie slaves. The astronaut, Chuck, asks Lem to hide him from the military, which wants to dissect his brain. They have only 72 hours before Chuck’s orbiting command module starts the journey back to Earth.

PLANET 51 is funny and exciting, but the story and animation are not quite as amazing as recent animated efforts from Hollywood. Also, the movie has a light, politically correct Romantic worldview that pokes fun at the allegedly “paranoid” mood of the 1950s. MOVIEGUIDE® advises slight caution for young children for this problem and some scatological humor.

Content:

(Ro, BB, C, PC, AP, V, N, M) Light Romantic worldview poking fun at the 1950s for being too “repressed” and paranoid, with primary message not to fear the unknown, some strong moral elements, and light redemptive values of sacrifice and repentance, plus some light politically correct, anti-military content; no foul language but some references to “poop,” scared small landing rover spills oil under itself when frightened in one scene, alien dog urinates acid twice, and implied vomiting by child; light cartoon action violence such as two soldiers within an animated movie in the movie are melted, scary Cyclops aliens, soldiers chase and shoot at astronaut and aliens helping him, explosions, man locked in closet, and alien scientists wants to remove people’s brains; no sex; upper male nudity and double entendre joke about human astronaut’s male anatomy; no alcohol; no smoking; and, lying, paranoia rebuked, protagonists “borrow” cars by hot-wiring them.

More Detail:

PLANET 51 is a fun animated comedy about an American astronaut trapped on an alien planet stuck in a 1950s world, but it has some light worldview issues and scatological jokes that require caution for younger viewers. Also, the animation is not quite as good as recent efforts such as UP, ASTRO BOY, and CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS.

The story opens on the alien planet, where young Lem (voiced by Justin Long) has just gotten a job at the local observatory. Lem’s friend Skiff works at the comic book store and is a fan of movies about alien invaders and monsters from outer space. In fact, their world is pretty paranoid about the entire subject.

Of course, when an American astronaut lands on the planet, everybody except Lem panics and worries about alien invaders turning them into zombie slaves. The astronaut, Chuck (voiced by Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock), asks Lem to hide him from the military, which wants to dissect his brain. They have only 72 hours before Chuck’s orbiting command module starts the journey back to Earth.

PLANET 51 is funny and exciting, but the story and animation are not quite as amazing as recent animated efforts from Hollywood. Also, the movie has a light Romantic worldview that pokes fun at the allegedly “paranoid” mood of the 1950s. Just because you’re paranoid, however, doesn’t mean that nobody’s out to get you. Thus, as with today’s society, there was good reason in the 1950s to fear the Communists among us who want to “transform” the United States of America into a godless, socialist tyranny. The movie’s Romantic worldview also includes a debatable comment by the American astronaut that the 1960s were even more “fun” than the 1950s. Tell that to the Kennedy family, or the family of Martin Luther King, Jr. On the other hand, the movie does poke a little fun at the 1960s protest movements, though its Romantic worldview ultimately sides with the desire of those movements to “improve” society.

Be that as it may, PLANET 51 also contains some “poop” jokes. It also has an off-color joke about the American astronaut’s strange “antenna” when he takes off his clothes. Thus, MOVIEGUIDE® advises slight caution for young children.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.