The Good Dinosaur

Voices of: Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Maleah Nipay-Padilla, Ryan Teeple, Jack McGraw, Marcus Scribner, Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Steve Zahn, Anna Paquin, Sam Elliott
Directed by: Peter Sohn
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Rating: PG
2015

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A cowardly Apatosaurus makes a human friend after both are swept away from their families.

Review:

Tim: I've never been as infatuated with Pixar as others. They have certainly made some incredible movies, but they've made a lot of lackluster ones as well. In a year where Inside Out received such acclaim, The Good Dinosaur seemed like the black sheep, the forgotten film. That's for a good reason- this is certainly a lower tier Pixar movie. It's okay, but it certainly doesn't inspire much excitement.

I had a very hard time getting into the story and the characters. There was nothing to really draw us in or connect us to the characters. Pixar has created some of the most instantly recognizable characters- Woody, Buzz, Wall-E, Mike & Sully, Lightning McQueen. The characters here aren't even close to the same echelon. After watching the movie, I kept asking myself, "What was that little green dinosaur's name again?" (It's Arlo, I had to look it up). Also- "That little human boy had a name, too. Right? What was it?" This movie is missing that Pixar magic that draws you into the story. I watched the whole movie at a distance, always slightly engaged, but I had to fight to keep my attention.

I do want to say that the animation is gorgeous. The movie is so incredibly beautiful to look at. I give Pixar loads of credit for creating such a beautiful film. The colors were so vivid, the details were amazing. The story leaves a lot to be desired, but the movie looks stunning.

It felt like aspects of the film were both too on-the-nose and therefore, predictable. For example, there's a lot of focus on "making your mark" at the beginning of the film, which immediately sets up most of what will happen for the remainder of the movie. I understand the movie was trying to convey a message, but a little subtlety would have helped. The story is really about facing your fears and making a positive impact on the world. That's a worthwhile message and I really appreciate this film trying so hard to make it. The problem isn't the message, it's the packaging it comes in. It's crammed down our throats a bit, which was a turn off. It's fine, but the masterful touch we find in the best Pixar movies was missing here. That's a shame.

The Good Dinosaur is the 16th Pixar film, and I can easily count 11 movies that are better than it. Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University are very close, but may be better. This movie is destined to be one of the more forgotten Pixar films and that's appropriate because it's just not up to par. I'm sure undiscerning kids will eat it up and that's fine. There is enough here to entertain children. But, for viewers who have come to expect more from Pixar, this film would have to be a disappointment.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Wall-E, Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Brave, Inside Out