Escape from Planet Earth
Help, the Earthlings are coming!
While adult science fiction films often show aliens as dangerous beings such as Alien or Predator, children’s films present another vision, where the villain is Man itself. It is in this line that follows the delicious animation “Escape from Planet Earth” (USA/CAN, 2012).
Right away, we are introduced to one of the heroes of the film, astronaut and adventurer Scorch Supernova (voiced by Brendan Fraser). Scorch fulfills his missions, always dangerous, in the service of BASA, space agency of the planet Babum. Fearless, braggart and exhibitionist, he is a pop star, displaying even the brands of sponsors in his space jumpsuit, in the best Formula 1 style.
Quite different is Gary (Rob Corddry), the head of the mission, who commands all the support for Scorch’s adventures. Small, quiet, married and father of a boy, what Gary has in common with Scorch is the fact that they are brothers.
Dating the beautiful reporter Gabby Chatter (Sofia Vergara) and having nephew Kip (Jonathan Morgan Heit) as fan number one, Scorch fights with his brother over his stardom, and he decides to leave the team.
But Scorch receives orders from BASA Director Lena Thackleman (Jessica Alba) for a new mission to investigate a distress call in a forbidden place considered the most dangerous in the universe: planet Earth. Soon after landing, Scorch is imprisoned by the men of General Shanker (William Shatner), and is taken to a secret base where several other aliens are kept.
Upon learning what had happened to his brother, Gary decides to help him, and heads to Earth in a small ship, with the help of his wife, Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) and his dashing son Kip. When he himself is imprisoned by Shanker, Gary discovers that the general has malevolent intentions, which may imply the destruction of all life outside the Earth, including his beloved planet Babum.
“Escape from Planet Earth” is a product directed to children, but it is full of quotes and references that only adults will understand, so that it is a fun program for the whole family. Although disguised as a popsicle factory, the secret base has the number 51, and all the other clichés ever seen in the science fiction genre, even the little green men who look like Varginha’s ET. Well fun is also a short video that teaches aliens how to relate to Earthlings.
Movie lovers will have fun with details that pay homage to real and fictional characters in the industry. On a walk of fame are the names of HAL-9000, Leeloo, Ridick, WALL-E, and many other characters from science fiction movies. In some scenes are called some characters that refer to directors Peter Jackson, George Lucas, Christopher Nolan, and James Cameron.
One reading we can make of this film is that it is a powerful and humorous critique of the exaggerated need for people to be exposed in the media, and also to the increasingly aggressive xenophobia we observe in today’s world.
With a first-rate animation, the film has equivalent quality to major studios like Pixar and Dreamworks. The story is simple and quite predictable, without great deepening, but it is full of family values, such as Disney movies – but without the unbearable singing.
This film can be watched on streaming platforms Amazon Prime Video and HBOMAX.