It’s something of a shame, because the concept for this film was very clever.  It spins the “Area 51” conspiracy on its ear, and takes place on an alien planet called “Planet 51” - where biped aliens very similar to aliens (who are, of course, green) grill out, go parking as teenagers, and flock to see action films about alien invasions.  When a human astronaut arrives to explore the planet, he is assumed to be a violent alien invader who’s come with the intent of taking over the world and eating everyone’s brains.

Despite its good intentions, and the efforts it makes to help kids see things from the other side of a situation, it falls sadly short.  Something about the sense of humor just didn’t work; it was at odds with itself.  None of the intended jokes garnered laughs from the audience I was in.  The only giggles I heard through the whole film were for the dog-like robot explorer and his dramatic foil - an alien domesticated dog that resembles H.R. Giger’s design for Ridley Scott’s Alien films.  They are both adorable.

The animation, of course, is the centerpiece of the film - and that perhaps is its greatest error.  It’s all content and beautiful animation, with a weak script and characters we’ve all seen before.  Dwayne Johnson’s Captain Baker (the astronaut) is incredibly dull and unoriginal, as are Jessica Biel’s Neera (the love interest) and the hippy alien who sings annoyingly throughout the film.

Skip this one, even if you have kids; all the best jokes are in the trailer.