Review of Fantastic Planet (1973) by Justin H — 02 Jan 2011

As much as I love surrealism, this one didn't quite work for me. It attempted to have a coherent plot, but in the end, I think that hurt "Fantastic Planet," due to some sizable plot holes. Why did the abandoned rocket factory still have power? How did shooting giant, dancing statues with a laser render the Traags blind? Your guess is as good as mine. I'm not saying it should have gone the same route as "Cat Soup," where very little is clear at all, but if the writer/director wanted a believable plot, then they should have tended to the holes.

Then there's the pseudo-science babbling that crops up occasionally. I appreciate the attempt to flesh out the world, but when you're doing it with entirely nonsensical terms, it means nothing. "Gaggfins emerge on the fejiner every twelve luopis, but lack the quintl to peif a skwerly emulsion" makes about as much sense as a lot of the attempts to expound upon the world in this film. True, there are often accompanying pictures, but they rarely help illuminate things all that much.

On that note however, I rather liked the animation in this film. Somewhat reminiscent of the style found in "Monty Python's Flying Circus," it is by turns simplistic and deceptively detailed, and always bizarre. "Fantastic Planet" is a visual feast, that won't disappoint, if you have a taste for the surreal, and if you can forgive the lax writing.