Dinosaure

I am quite surprised at so many negative comments people have made. It's just a movie and one that is sheer entertainment. People seem to have a problem with the way violence is portrayed but I liked how the directors portrayed the brutally and the honest way death was portrayed. Thankfully, it's not excessively sugar-coated and there are some very sad scenes but it beautifully ends on the note of hope. I liked the way Leighton and Zondag told Enriquez's written story but I thought that some of the situations weren't developed. For example, how does Aladar adjust to the lifestyle of the dinosaurs considering that he was raised by lemurs. Most likely it may have been due to time constraint but nonetheless the current adventurous story of migration and survival is engaging and moving. Aladar's selfless attempts to save the dinosaur's are touching to watch as it reflects how the kind-hearted Plio raised him. The characters are enjoyable and the voice cast, that includes talents like Alfre Woodard, Joan Plowright and Ossie Davis do a fine job. D.B. Sweeney too does a very good job voicing Aladar. The animation is very detailed, giving the characters and setting a very authentic look. Even though the slight stop motion takes away from the realism, this is only a minor quibble. Newton Howard's score flows well with the story. 'Dinosaur' is sheer beauty and a pleasure to look at. It's a dinosaur classic and it's become one of my favourite dinosaur films.

I mean, I don't understand why lots of people hated this movie. Sure, it isn't a masterpiece due to it's flaws that I will point out in a moment, but before I can get to those flaws, I would like to point out the redeeming qualities. I like the premise: An iguanadon named Aladar and his adopted family of monkeys walk to find a new home after their's was destroyed by a meteorite to find themselves in a conflict by joining the other dinosaurs led by Kron and Neera while being chased by Carnotaurs and velociraptors. It was very interesting, but Disney, being a master of storytelling, didn't bring anything new to the story and it's character development was lacking.

The characters, while undeveloped, are at least likable and the voice acting suited them really well. The script has some nice moments including the romance between Aladar and Neera which makes them a very cute couple to watch. The music from James Newton Howard is amazing and has been stuck to my head since I was a little child when I watched this a few more times. The strongest aspect goes to the computer animation. The prehistoric environments are amazing and are some of the best visuals I've ever seen in an animated film from my childhood.

Overall, Dinosaur may not be a masterpiece, but I still love it today and I think this would always be recommended to those who like computer animation and traditional animation.

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.

I honestly don't see why people are so upset whit this movie. Yes, there is talking dinosaurs, but how are you supposed to understand them otherwise. Mute dinosaurs walking around wouldn't be interesting at all and remember, this is a kid's movie. And yes, the animation might not be as good as in Jurassic Park, but this is a fully animated movie, JP used a mix of animatronics and CGI inside an otherwise live action movie, and in a interview I saw, Spielberg (or if it was a special effects guy, I don't remember) said that they would use the animatronics when ever possible and only cover up rigs and refine movement with the computer 'cause the CGI models looked like crap in comparison the robots. And yes, the story has been used before, but so has the story in most films we're watching today, only in varying degree and in different mixes and it's not like Disney is known for their originality story wise. As good as everyone of their Classics are based or inspired by other works.

Personally I love this movie. The CGI is still good, and at times more realistic than many rushed animations we see today, the characters are fun to follow, unlike Land before Time were they were unbearable and made me hate the movie (even as a kid the first one was never my favorite) despite a similar story to Dinosaurs', which I by the way like, and the moral of it is a really good one.

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.