Disney Planes Fire and Rescue flew into theaters yesterday. We had been promising Bubbles for weeks that we would go to see it the day it opened. There was a 2:30 p.m. non-3D matinee, and so we packed up some snacks and headed to the theater.
The very moment the movie started, Bubbles exclaimed “That’s the song from the first Planes movie!”. She was right; the instrumental intro was music shared from Disney Planes. I liked how they tied them together right from the start.
Disney Planes Fire and Rescue Review
Kicking off the start of the movie our pal Dusty Crophopper (again voiced by Dane Cook) was still winning race after race with the support of his Propwash Junction friends, Chug, Skipper, Sparky, Dottie, and Leadbottom. Dusty and Skipper took a break from preparing their town for the Corn Festival to get in some flying practice. Dusty was preparing for the next big race, and Skipper was helping to put him through his paces.
Practice was cut short when Dusty nearly fell from the sky. Dottie ran some tests and shared the bad news with Dusty: his gearbox was busted, and pushing his torque into the red again would cause him to crash. Even worse was that his gearbox was no longer being manufactured.
After an accident and fire, Propwash Junction is shut down as an air strip. The only way to be reopened is to upgrade Mayday the fire engine and to add another emergency vehicle to the town’s roster. Feeling guilty, and needing a new focus anyway, Dusty volunteers to become certified as a SEAT.
Dusty goes to Piston Peak National Park to learn how to fight fires from Blade Ranger (voice of Ed Harris). He also meets the rest of the fire fighting crew: Windlifter, Cabbie, Dipper, and the Smokejumpers. Dipper (voice of Julie Bowen) immediately expresses a crush on Dusty that lasts throughout the entire movie.
When racing, Dusty needs to be the fastest and to be number one. As a fire and rescue vehicle, he needs to learn to be a team player, a lesson that doesn’t come easily. It’s not until Blade Runner is badly injured protecting Dusty after he failed to follow instructions that it really starts to set in.
There were a few fire scenes in the middle and end of the movie and a couple of times Bubbles chose to cover her eyes for a minute, especially when Dusty crashed. She was never actually scared, but I’m still glad we chose to see it in 2D instead of 3D, as the more intense animation style may have been a little much. Just keep it in mind when you debate whether or not your 3- or 4-year-old is ready to see it, and how.
For those that don’t want complete spoilers, I won’t give away the very ending of the movie. I really think that you’ll love it, though. I know this will be one that we’ll be adding to our library as soon as the Blu-ray comes out! Be sure to grab the free printables below, too.
What did you think of Planes Fire and Rescue?
About Liza
Liza is a mom (5-year-old daughter, 20-year-old stepson, and 24-year-old stepdaughter) and wife living in Louisville. She loves spending time with her family, visiting the local zoo and parks, as well as planning travel adventures. Cooking and baking, DIY projects and crafts, and coffee - lots and lots of coffee - round out some of her other hobbies.