MANILA, Philippines ? The new animated feature, ?Planet 51,? is set on a planet in outer space that looks very similar to Earth, except for the fact that its inhabitants? skin color is green. There are other facial variations, but they are relatively minor. More striking is the fact that the planet?s citizens speak in English and dress and behave like humans in the 1950s. No wonder their world is called Planet 51, the movie?s title.

What?s the point to these striking similarities between their world and ours? It?s the movie?s way of making viewers realize that humans and extraterrestrials may appear to be different, but they?re basically the same at heart.

Terrified populace

That point is more clearly made by initially depicting the planet?s green inhabitants as being leery and even fearful of humans, who they think are out to subjugate them?and even eat their brains! That?s why, when a human astronaut?s spaceship lands on Planet 51, its terrified populace runs away from him, even as its armed forces lose no time trying to capture him.

The movie?s thematic point is valid and useful, but it?s less than creatively developed, and soon feels heavy and repetitious in execution. Some droll scenes enliven and lighten the proceedings, but not enough to make the production an unequivocal viewing treat.

To add to the movie?s charm offensive, the astronaut is given a ?pet? in the form of a cute lunar rover, but the device is too similar to R2D2, Wall-E and other robot characters in past hit movies, so the rover?s antics end up feeling a bit derivative.

More instructive comic mileage is gained by the film?s attempts to show that Planet 51 is Earth?s mirror image, with a decidedly small-town, ?50s flavor. All too soon, however, the insight overstays its welcome, and we look for fresher and more diverting plot developments.

They are forthcoming, as the movie links the terrified astronaut with a young inhabitant of the planet who, against his ?better? judgment, finds himself helping the human ?invader? escape and head for home.

Differences

Thus does the callow youth learn that differences are superficial and even the ?enemy? can become a friend. The astronaut learns valuable lessons as well, as he saves his dreaded foe from a potentially lethal blaze.

All of these plot twists are instructive and welcome, but fall short of being consistently diverting, so hedge your viewing bets.

?Planet 51? is instructive in yet another way: Its credits list a lot of Spanish-sounding names, which could mean that it was initially worked on or farmed out elsewhere before it was picked up for mainstream release in Hollywood.

If so, the production could give Filipino animators ideas on how to similarly penetrate the global market with their own homegrown animated features?provided, of course, that they measure up to international standards of animation and storytelling.