John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls wrote the theme, “I’m Still Here (Jim’s Theme).” Listen to the lyrics: “I am a question to the world / Not an answer to be heard.” That is the anthem for every kid who felt lost and misunderstood in the early 2000s. It’s raw, angsty, and acoustic. It doesn't sound like a Disney song, and that’s why it works.
The tragedy of Silver is that he genuinely loves the boy, but he loves the treasure more—until the very end. The climax, where Silver takes a blast to save Jim, only to realize the treasure is literally a planet-destroying weapon, is a masterclass in anti-capitalist storytelling. He chooses the kid over the gold. And in the final shot, when he sends Jim off with a salute, you will cry. I don’t make the rules. Forget “I’ll Make a Man Out of You.” The Treasure Planet soundtrack is the most 2000s thing ever produced, and it slaps. Planeta del tesoro de Disney
The score, by James Newton Howard, mixes sweeping orchestral adventure with synth-heavy electronic beats. It sounds like a Hans Zimmer pirate movie playing inside a TRON video game. We have to address the elephant in the room. Treasure Planet was a box office bomb. It cost $140 million to make and only pulled in $109 million worldwide. John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls wrote
You get Treasure Planet .
The scene where Silver tells Jim, “You give up a few things... chasing a dream,” hits differently when you realize Silver sees his own lost youth in Jim. And when Silver betrays Jim? That moment on the deck of the Legacy isn't a villain gloating; it’s a broken man realizing he’s about to break a kid's heart. Long John Silver has been played as a charming rogue, a ruthless killer, and a schemer. But Treasure Planet gives us the definitive version: The Cyborg Dad. The tragedy of Silver is that he genuinely
This Silver is a hulking, steam-punk monstrosity of metal and meat. He has a cannon for an arm, a telescopic eye, and a knife that flips out of his fingertips. He should be terrifying. But he feeds Morph (the pink blob pet) crackers. He cooks Jim eggs in the morning. He teaches Jim how to rig a sail.