Treasure Planet parents guide

Treasure Planet Parent Guide

Overall B+

Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, this futuristic tale follows the adventures of a rebellious teen named Jim Hawkins (voice of Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who inherits a pirate map and travel the universe in the quest to find the treasure.

Release date November 26, 2002

Violence B-
Sexual Content B+
Profanity A-
Substance Use B+

Why is Treasure Planet rated PG? The MPAA rated Treasure Planet PG for adventure action and peril.

Run Time: 95 minutes

Parent Movie Review

With nearly 50 film versions of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island already made, you would have to go out of this world to come up with a new version - and Disney did.

As the unmanageable son of a struggling spaceport innkeeper, Jim Hawkins (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) would rather go boarding than sweep floors or clear tables. One stormy night after the police bring the errant teenager home, a strange character bangs at the door of the humble establishment. Before dying on their floor, the aged and injured pirate gives Jim a mysterious golden ball and a stern warning to watch out for cyborgs.

Within minutes, the tavern is under attack and the boy and his mother only narrowly escape the fire that engulfs the building. At the home of a friend, Dr. Doppler (David Hyde Pierce), Jim discovers that the sphere contains a map leading to Captain Flint’s hidden treasure on a far off globe.

Hiring the services of Captain Amelia (Emma Thompson) and her first mate Arrow (Roscoe Lee Browne), Jim and the doctor set out to recover the buried riches. Aboard the ship, the young adventurer is assigned to work with the ship’s cyborg cook, Long John Silver (Brian Murray), a chef who serves floating eyeballs in his soup. In time, the two mates develop a type of father-son friendship that betters both men but leaves Jim unsuspecting of the pirate’s plans.

Creatively melding antiquated, seafaring ships with a futuristic setting, this interplanetary coming-of-age adventure depicts the moral dilemmas faced by Jim and Long John when they surface on opposite sides of a mutiny. As well, the cook’s helper must face the disillusionment of being betrayed by someone he considers a friend.

Besides a crewmember that communicates in flatulent-type noises, the only rough waters in this voyage are recurring battle scenes, moments of peril and a teenager who appears to grow in wisdom even though he faces limited consequences for his actions.

Opening in IMAX in larger cities, Treasure Planet looks even better on the bigger screen and is a unique twist on Stevenson’s old classic which should appeal to space sailors of all ages and give parents little reason to pull up anchor.

Directed by John Musker, Ron Clements. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brian Murray, Emma Thompson. Running time: 95 minutes. Theatrical release November 26, 2002. Updated

Treasure Planet Parents' Guide

Jim’s father deserted him and his mother when he was very young. How did this lack of a father figure affect Jim’s life? What kind of role model was John Silver? What attributes would you choose in a role model for your life?

Jim felt a certain loyalty even after he discovered Long John’s betrayal. What is the difference between befriending someone and being drawn into their lifestyle?

How did Jim respond when he overheard Silver talking with the other pirates about their plan to take over the ship? What can you do when you feel betrayed by a friend?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Treasure Planet movie is July 2, 2012. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: Treasure Plant - 10 Anniversary Edition

Release Date: 3 July 2012

Treasure Planet releases on to home video in a 10th Anniversary Edition.The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack offers:

- Deleted Scenes

- Visual Commentary

- RLS Legacy: Virtual 3D Tour & Treasure Hunt

- DisneyPedia: The Life of a Pirate Revealed

Related home video titles:

The Muppet characters made their own comedy version of this story in Muppet Treasure Island starring Tim Curry as the nasty John Silver. Titan AE features the space-aged adventure of another fatherless youth.

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