Dinosaur

Disney's DINOSAUR is generally deemed as nothing more than either a tech demo or a cash grab to promote Walt Disney World Resort's ride attraction of the same name. But personally, I see it as a good example of filmmakers trying to push the envelope on every level, not just in the technical departments (from visual effects, to cinematography, to score, to sound design), but also in the storytelling department; only for studios to ditch the latter for a more conventional film. And even with all that studio interference, the filmmakers' ambition is still felt through and through. Despite the comedic and lighthearted moments, it's evident that the intent was to tell a more serious story that kids and adults could follow.

Even 22 years later, this is one of the most visually stunning films I've ever seen. The insane levels of detail on these dinosaurs is mind blowing. The characters feel huge and heavy, and you can see the great care put into the physics of the flesh and muscles shaking and wrinkling whenever they move. The facial animation is also really impressive. Notice how many shots are close ups. There's so much fluidity and character in their expressions. That level of detail in CG facial animation was quite unprecedented back in 2000. So yes, this film is still a technical milestone in my eyes. The cinematography is also spectacular, as it makes the scale feel so much larger than life. There're some great landscapes beautifully shot, with a few of them being combined into one. Not to mention, the camera work is very creative at times.

One thing I really appreciate about DINOSAUR is that even though the story is very simple and the plot very straightforward, the "united we stand, divided we fall" message feels sincere. Throughout the film, we see the importance of working together and the way it builds upon that idea flows naturally. We see it exemplified through Aladar, as those are the principles he was raised on by his lemur family. And during the entire section of the dinosaurs moving, we see him trying to help others, whether it's to get some water or get everyone safe. This genuine wholesomeness, along with a no nonsense attitude and proactivity, is what makes Aladar a likable character and easy to root for. His altruism and the white savior tropes might be on the nose to some, but I like that he's still humble enough to hear others' points of view.

Baylene and Eema are instantly likable for the simple reason that they're not the usual characters a hero becomes friends with in the middle of his journey. It's really interesting how the two elderly females complement Aladar and the lemurs as a team/family, and you quickly buy their bond with these newcomers. It is specially satisfying to see how Aladar's optimism inspires them to persevere, to the point that they repay him with that same optimism when he briefly loses all hope. Going back to the theme of working together, the movie does a good job addressing the fact that every living creature, no matter how big or small (and yes, that includes the lemurs), is capable of leaving an impact on others.

Other things that make the story not bland (at least for me) are the stakes being high and the theme of survival, which is tackled in a mature yet easy to follow way. Hence, the "only the strong survive" concept that Neera, Bruton and Kron represent being challenged by Aladar's belief that togetherness guarantees the survival and growth of the herd.

Bruton is probably the character with the most interesting arc, as he's someone, much like Kron, who has clearly been leading the herd for a while. So based on their long experience doing so, both he and Kron have a hard time getting into Aladar's way of thinking. But the reason why Bruton's redemption works is because early on we see his loyalty towards Kron and their own principles. Neither of them is necessarily evil. They just want the herd to survive and they feel that any distraction might slow them down from getting to the nesting grounds. It is only when he gets to the cave that he contemplates that even all wounded, he can still get there and also be helpful to others. But once the carnotaurs start attacking Aladar, Bruton realizes that the misfits will need this newcomer more than him. So he goes back to save Aladar, fights the carnotaurs and sacrifices himself in the process. Another thing I like about his redemption and death is that they take place way before the third act begins.

Going back to the stakes being high, that's also because the action is quite intense for a family friendly film. So many characters die in it. After Bruton gets brutally (no pun intended) attacked by the carnotaurs, the cinematography doesn't shy away from showing the fresh wounds. Also, notice how towards the end of the movie, Aladar's tail still sports the marks of the carnotaur's bite. The attention to these little details from the filmmakers is very much appreciated, as it shows that every action leaves consequences. All the predators have an imposing presence and are legitimately threatening. And the "monster cloud" that emerges after the meteor is one of the most heart-pumping action sequences Disney has ever produced.

I can't talk about DINOSAUR without mentioning the musical score. James Newton Howard's work in this film is still the best he's ever done (in my humble opinion), and that man has composed so many incredible scores. Such an absolute gem from the Disney Records.

And last but not least, there's the pay-off of the characters finally achieving their goal. After the monster cloud destroys the lemurs' island, a lot of the movie takes place in deserts and canyons. And this is one complaint I've seen many people make about DINOSAUR. After watching those beautiful landscapes in the opening sequence, they don't like that a big chunk of the film has very dry and drab sceneries. But honestly, that's why it's so rewarding when the characters finally arrive at the nesting grounds.

There's a few problems I have with the film. Some of the dialogue is too modern and too weird, it just doesn't fit at all because the filmmakers are prioritizing the animalistic nature of these creatures despite the small anthropomorphic licences. I can't stand the fact that Url is literally Eema's pet and acts literally like a dog. It just brings too many questions when compared to the rest of the dinosaurs that don't speak. This character is way more useless than Spike from The land before time (great movie with a couple of annoying characters). And while the few scenes that Aladar and Neera share are good, the movie needed a little more time between them in order to really hit home their romance. But all of these problems in DINOSAUR could've been easily solved by one simple yet major change:

DINOSAUR would've greatly benefited itself if there had been NO DIALOGUE AT ALL, which is what the crew behind it originally intended. They wanted it to be a silent film, but Michael Eisner demanded that the characters talked so that the project was more commercially accessible towards children. It definitely would've been an innovative style from a studio notably known for fancy characters and musicals. Heck, maybe it would've had an impact on Disney's way of telling stories. There's a reason the opening 7 minutes are what people remember the most about the film. In fact, the filmmakers made that 5 minute teaser trailer back in 1999, hoping that it would convince the heads at Disney to ditch the talking in the film. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. But nonetheless, I still think DINOSAUR is one of the most audacious projects the studio has ever made, with likable characters, a simple story and a lot more thought put into than people give it credit for.