The era of Disney animated musicals appears to be at an end. In a move that seems designed to attract more boys than girls into theaters, the beleaguered studio's animated division has shifted its focus towards action/adventure stories. Treasure Planet is Disney's science fiction-style re-imagining of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island". Purists crying "foul!" should remember, however, that Disney has a long history of drastically altering source material when developing animated projects. One needs to look no further than Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame for ample evidence.

　　 Disney's most recent animated effort, Lilo and Stitch, was reportedly made cheaply, and, if that's the case, the extra money probably went to Treasure Planet, which is a joy to behold. The film uses a fair amount of computer-generated imagery to enhance the hand-drawn visuals and, to a layman like myself, the result is stunning. Treasure Planet is rich and colorful, with vivid foregrounds and richly detailed backgrounds. There are a number of standout action scenes and one bravura sequence in which the camera zooms in on a spaceport, starting from far away, then gradually moving closer, until we're in the midst of the bustling streets.

　　 Needless to say, the story is a variation on "Treasure Island," using many of the same characters and situations. When teenager Jim Hawkins (voice of Joseph Gordon-Levitt) comes into possession of a map that purports to show the location of the legendary "Treasure Planet", where the dreaded pirate Flint hid his stash, his mother's friend, Dr. Doppler (David Hyde Pierce), 英文影评 to fund an expedition. Doppler hires a stern captain, Amelia (Emma Thompson), to guide the ship, and a crew that seems comprised primarily of cutthroats ?especially the Master of the Galley, John Silver (Brian Murray). Amelia is distrustful of the men on the ship, calling them "a ludicrous parcel of galloping galoots." Her concerns are not without merit, since Silver is planning a mutiny as soon as the ship reaches Treasure Planet.

　　 With the exception of Jim and his mother, none of the characters in Treasure Planet are human. Silver is a cyborg, Dr. Doppler has canine features, Amelia appears to be descended from cats that walk upright, and the crew is comprised of all manner of beasts. There's even an arachnid. In the sidekick category, Jim ends up accompanied by a small creature called Morph that can change its shape at will and the robot ., whose missing memory chips have resulted in a bad case of cybernetic dementia.

　　 Co-directors Ron Clements and John Musker, the duo who revitalized animation 13 years ago with The Little Mermaid, have enlivened the proceedings in this motion picture with a number of standout action sequences, including one that has Jim Hawkins doing some extreme sports moves on a jet-propelled skateboard while a planet explodes around him. (It has been a while since I read "Treasure Island", but I'm pretty sure that scene wasn't in there.) Unlike most recent animated films, this one lacks a primary love story, although there is something going on between Doppler and Amelia, proving that, at least in the future, dogs and cats can get along.

　　 With John Silver as Treasure Planet's villain, Disney goes against its long-standing tradition of having bad-to-the-bone antagonists. Silver is a rogue, but, although he may not have a heart of gold, it's not all black, either. For an animated bad guy, he's a surprisingly complex and conflicted character. He's greedy and unprincipled, but he develops a genuine affection for Jim, and there are moments in which the two share a sense of camaraderie. In the end, Silver finds himself torn between farthings and friendship. Those looking for an unredeemable blackguard will find one in the spider-like supporting character of Skroopf (Michael Wincott), who has no redeeming characteristics.

　　 Treasure Planet is perfectly pleasing animated action/adventure movie that seems better designed and better motivated than many of the Magic Kingdom's recent forays into hand-drawn motion pictures. It doesn't top Spirited Away for the title of Best Animated Picture of 2002 (Disney released, but did not produce, the Miyazaki film), but it's guaranteed to have a larger audience. And, as family films go, this one offers an engaging and exciting 90 minutes.