Dinosauri

My Take: Terrific special effects make this film worth a million bucks.

Through their discovery of the magic of CGI, Disney has brought their own expensive big-budget CG spectacle called DINOSAUR in 2000. Although CGI has already brought to life dinosaurs before in JURASSIC PARK and its sequel THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK, sometimes DINOSAUR has certainly improved from which it started from. The special effects in DINOSAUR are truly spectacular. What's fantasy and what's reality is now indistinguishable.

In terms of plot and story, however, DINOSAUR is still not well developed. The story is nothing new and for Disney, that's quite a disappointment. Disney, a master in both animation and storytelling, is now lacking in a new story to show. Still, nonetheless, DINOSAUR is still a wonderfully good-looking fantasy that appeals to kids and adults.

The story is nothing original, as Disney simply owes from other animated movies, some of which is their own. The plot that dinosaurs, after a meteorite strike, creates a large famine leading to a search for a valley of fertility is recycled from both a segment in Disney's FANTASIA called "The Rite of Spring", as well as Don Bluth's animated THE LAND BEFORE TIME. The lead character, an Iguanadon named Aladar, is separated from his mother, who is supposedly dead, is like the character of BAMBI in Disney's own animated film of the same title. The rest of the characters aren't new with any zing.

Still, the film is an enjoyable showcase of fine special effects and excitement. It's still good as visual entertainment. A lot more fun to look at rather than to think about. I liked just looking at the very colorful effects, showing us numerous sights of dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes. The opening scenes were the most colorful, where we are taken to flight in the wings of a flying Pteranodon, switching from various scenery that is a breathtaking sight. There's a lot of imagination that went to the effects, and the heart is not forgotten.

Rating: **** out of 5.

This is a film that will delight viewers time and time again.

It's terrific family entertainment that isn't afraid to venture into darker territory. There are carnivorous dinosaurs chasing herbivores and a giant asteroid that crashes towards earth. As tense as these scenes can be, it's okay. This is a Disney film that shows us in the end we can get through things by sticking together. Ultimately I feel that is the moral of this film and it's a good one.

The music by James Newton Howard happens to be one of his best. It's beautiful and adventurous with themes that evoke a sense of wonder.

The look of the film is fantastic. The dinosaurs look quite real and the scenery is nothing short of breathtaking.

It's a film that contains all the right elements for a family masterpiece. Perhaps, my only wish is that it was a bit longer, but it is what it is and I am more than happy with it. It's a film that earns it's place along the great Disney classics such as The Lion King, Toy Story, Mary Poppins, and all the other classics.

Bravo Disney!

This was yet another example, when it came out in 2000, of the latest strides being made in animation, computer-or-otherwise. At the time, I thought to myself, "Man, this just gets better and better all the time." Six years later, I am still saying that but with newer animated efforts.

Some of the scenes in here look so real you wouldn't know they were drawings. The colors are particularly good in the opening minutes. They are just stunning at times.

The story is pretty interesting, too. It's not great, but not boring, either, and not too kid-oriented. Adults can enjoy this. In fact, I was surprised at the amount of violence. That, and some of the jokes actually make this more for adults than kids in many spots.

I recommend the movie for its story and innovative techniques.

This movie was shear pleasure to watch. The movie looks visually absolutely stunning and the animation is done nicely. It's true eye-candy and entertaining as well.

The movie has a typical adventurous story and feeling and is at times spectacular as well. Especially the beginning is impressively spectacular. There are some nicely done action sequences that are at times tense as well. My only true complaint of the movie are the characters. There isn't really any character development in the movie and we never really get to know the character or care much about them, this is probably mainly due to the short running time of the movie. Also of course the story itself is somewhat predictable but that doesn't take away any of the fun or entertainment value of the movie.

Dinosaur fans will enjoy this movie as well, unless you're one of those persons who complains about the accuracy of the movie. This movie is entertainment, not a documentary.

The musical score by James Newton Howard fits the movie like a glove and in my opinion he delivers one of his best and moving scores, in his career.

There is much hate for this movie but quite frankly I can't see why. If you simply take the movie for what it is, you'll have a good time watching it. It's beautiful, adventurous and at times truly spectacular.

8/10

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Finally Disney has created an animation that isn't sugar-sweet!

What usually bugs me about Disney's films is the constant bursting-into-song sequences that clog up the stories, and the comic side-kicks that keep making bad jokes. No such thing in Dinosaur! It's a serious movie that is very sad and partially cruel: a wonderful tale of courage and survival, told with respect for the audience, with unpresidented animations. The dionsaurs merge seemlessly into the real surroundings, and they move and look absolutely real. Finally, computer animations have reached the stage where it doesn't look animated anymore!

I was also very touched by Aladar's attempts to save the old dinos, and although I'm a grown-up, I jumped in my seat when the carnotaurs emerged. There was violence in this film: cruel battles between carnivores and herbivores. And surging through it all there is a feeling of sadness and loss, for a world that is about to fade away into the pages of history.

Thus, it's not for the smallest children, but it's a great story that treats it's audience with respect and pays homage to that great lost Earth that was buried in the dust millions of years ago.

9/10