Treasure Planet is one of the most underrated Disney films of all time

Posted January 2021

By Natalie Hebert

Cub Reporter

Treasure Planet is one of the most underrated Disney films of all time. Most Disney fans don’t even know it exists. The 95 minute film, completely Computer Generated Imagery, is great for its time, but the film was made in 2002, and CGI has evolved since then.

Regardless, the scenes are like watching a comic book come to life. Treasure Planet, an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 adventure novel Treasure Island, is an American animated science fiction action adventure film. All the scenes are constructed to mimic real life, but give off the comic book feel. The depth of field is on point for a film made so long ago. In other words, the surroundings that are farther away are blurred just enough that it looks normal. Because of the film being completely CGI, there is no performance to consider talking about. The actors are confined to vocals, but the emotion expressed in all the actor’s voices is astonishing. They show and express their character’s emotions perfectly through the way they say the lines or use sound. Actors use their voice to make their character believable.

Treasure Planet's screenplay is far from simple. The language used in is more sophisticated compared to other Disney films. It's more for adults, but children don't care about what the characters are saying but rather what they’re doing. There are plenty of adult jokes, like many of Disney’s other works. For instance, the character Sarah Hawkins, voiced by Laurie Metcalf, says they're so adorable at that age, referring to a child. Doctor Doppler, voiced by David Hyde Pierce, says in response, "Oh yes, deplorable, ahh adorable." The screenplay offers the characters a complex background and behavior. The main character, Jim Hawkins, voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is reckless and irresponsible, but it is made clear in the beginning why. His mother talks to Doctor Doppler, an important character, telling him that Jim has acted differently ever since his father left them.

Treasure Planet's screenplay is by Ron Clements, John Musker, and Rob Edwards. There's even a few pop/rock songs to convey the emotion of the particular scene. IThe music is by James Newton Howard. In the beginning there are violins playing as the narrator, voiced by Tony Jay, begins to talk once the first scene begins. Drums and an orchestra are added to the violins once the narrator has finished his first set of lines. Later on, more band instruments and other unique instruments are heard in the background. There are many sounds used in the movie making the music exciting and magical.

Treasure Planet's action packed scenes are edited just right by Michael Kelly so that the audience's head doesn't spin. The dialogue and action is balanced just enough enough so that the audience isn't confused on what is happening or want to slow the pace down. The movie all together is a great piece, with great editing. Most action packed movies move too fast for the audience to understand what's happened—but Treasure Planet is just right.

The film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation by Walt Disney Pictures, is the 43rd Disney animated feature film. Treasure Planet was Directed by Clements and Musker. They also produced it as well as Roy Conli. It is at the least the second retelling of Stevenson’s story in outer space. Treasure Island in Outer Space is a 1987 science fiction Italian and German television mini-series, directed by Antonio Margheriti, set in space in the year 2300. The series was produced by RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana in co-production with West Germany and France.