Dinotopia

Yes, I know. It's a miniseries for kids, but some grownups seem to enjoy it. I have loved dinosaur movies ever since I saw Jurassic Park (1993) as a kid, so I decided to give it a try.

The overarching story is an exciting tale of adventure. Two half-brothers survive a plane crash. After this brush with death they discover an island where humans and dinosaurs live together. The brothers have different personalities and deal with this discovery in different ways. There are dangers ahead for the brothers and the inhabitants of the island, but I won't reveal any more about that now.

The story itself is great, but of course, it also matters how a story is told. About the script, certain things are just not explained. Maybe it has to do with limitations on the running time. An example early on is when the brothers take a bus. To get on they need a ticket. Presumably, if you need a ticket you need to buy it. They just get them from a man in a booth with no explanation. Would it had been so hard to just have someone lend them some coins in the local currency? No spoilers, but the ending was even worse to the point of being sloppy. I could see the screenwriter in front of me going: "Ops, I only have three more pages to finish this!" He would have needed half an episode.

Another important aspect in a series about dinosaurs is of course the practical and digital effects. For scenes in broad daylight, the CGI is not that impressive. It didn't look much better than a video game at the time. However, there were a few suspenseful scenes, in the dark, that mixed CGI with animatronics, and these worked much better. It's clear that great care had been taken to make the most of what they had in order to make these scenes as thrilling as possible. Of course, if you're mainly interested in realistic-looking creatures, you might as well re-watch Jurassic Park. Even if the industry had nine years to improve the technologies, you have to consider that Dinotopia is made for TV and Jurassic Park was a blockbuster, and had groundbreaking effects.

The acting wasn't always great, but wasn't what bothered me the most. Maybe it was because I half-expected it from a TV production.

I'm sorry I didn't watch Dinotopia at age ten, as I probably wouldn't have noticed the flaws as much. It's not terrible, but I suspect that the grownups who give it the most praise might be watching through a nostalgic filter.

I would recommend this if the following is true: You want something to watch with your kids. Your kids like adventure and/or dinosaurs. They can handle some scary sequences, but aren't yet ready for Jurassic Park. If you are looking for something to watch on your own, there are better options, even if you like dinosaurs.

Dinotopia is a fantastical adventure story that the whole family can sit down and watch together. Although it isn't mind-blowing fantastic, it is very watchable and mostly enjoyable. The main cast is made up of newcomers or not-so-easily recognizable actors and some very interesting CGI and Animatronic dinosaurs ("Zippo" and "26" really stick as as super-great). The pace is a little slow and the plot is a little predictable, but that doesn't make this mini-series any harder to get into. It is an interesting story, with some stunning visual sequences, that has most definitely gotten me addicted to it. All the same, you can still feel the story's morals being forcefully instilled on you as you watch the story unfold. All in all I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

I have read the comments of others who have seen this movie or say they have. It sounds to me that people are looking for the acting, graphics, etc., rather than what the purpose of the movie is really for and the lessons it can teach if you pay close attention. Sometimes the comments of others sound as if they didn't even watch it or try to understand it. It's too bad we can't all see eye-to-eye on this, but then again i'm sure this movie wasn't made for everyone. It was probably made for those with a strong imagination and who believe in the impossible.

Now of course the acting, script, graphics, and all could be better, but I didn't judge the movie on those things, but rather the story it told, and I found it to be a fantastic story. It reminded me of when I was young and tried to imagine what it would be like if dinosaurs did not become extinct and lived in the present day. Dinotopia shows one possibility, a possibility that I always imagined and more. I of course love dinosaurs. Zippo was awesome in my opinion. I think he is what got me interested in the movie in the first place because of the fact that he is an intelligent, friendly, and a talking dinosaur. I think it interested me because it is something that I do not get to see very often (visually anyways), but only in my imagination. This movie nearly brought it to life to me. I think Lee Evans did a great job as the voice of Zippo. He really put the emotion and personality in the character of Zippo. Have you ever imagined a city built on top of a large waterfall? I know I haven't and when I saw it, I thought it was breathtaking. Is it possible? Who cares? In this movie it is possible. I believe that it is possible if you can imagine it. I am a big fan of James Gurney (who is the creator of Dinotopia) and Dinotopia. This movie is what made me a fan of Dinotopia. Before I saw this I had never heard of Dinotopia. This movie in fact, is probably my all time favorite. This movie has even changed my life in every way that I can think of for the better. I am glad I saw it. I recommend that you read the books. They will tell all there is to know about Dinotopia better than the movies. Dinotopia is said to be fictional in reality. That may be true, but it has felt more real to me than anything else i've ever seen in reality. "It is possible if you can imagine it." That's probably why it seems so real to me. I have been able to imagine it. Dinotopia has it all and everything about Dinotopia is explained so well that the question I ask is: How can it not be real? Whether it is real or not depends on you. Does everything have to be determined on whether it is real or not by seeing it with your eyes or touching it with your hands? How about the feeling that it gives deep down inside of you. Isn't that proof enough? I give the movie an 8, but for the whole idea of Dinotopia I give it a 10.

Recently becoming a Wentworth Miller fan, I found myself drawn to his earlier works and came upon this charming miniseries. It's definitely worth a look. If your into seeing cutesy fantasy films, than this a movie for you. Not only was the acting, and choices for actors/actresses great, but the special effects were phenomenal. After a while I had to remind myself that the dinosaurs were actually fake, because it's easily forgotten. The story is entertaining and moves along nicely. Also, the music and storyline overall really gave it a truly classic and magical feel. It really was a treat to see. I'd recommend it, without question.

Considering the number of ideas incorporated in making of prehistoric movies with cavemen, dinosaurs, and travel back in time, Dinotopia brings on a refreshing new twist.

My thoughts on this movie can only see it as a vehicle to good family fun. It has reasonably good acting, graphics are great, and special effects are above average. I would recommend this movie to anyone having a desire to enjoy a simply fun movie with enjoyable twists.

Nothing about the film is boring and borders on hysterical. It is a good movie for all ages and the lack of sexual undertones and violence gives the movie a refreshing alternative to otherwise destructive mediums.

I believe it is worth the time to see and let the good times roll. It may not be the best movie in the world, but is most certainly is not the worst, and I would recommend it any and all to watch.