by Jon Partridge
Since it unleashed Toy Story on the world, Pixar has not only released hit after hit, but redefined the animated feature landscape. Finding Nemo, Up, and The Incredibles now stand alongside classics from the golden age of Walt Disney, cherished by children and adults alike. Their latest release went through something of a troubled development, and after a lukewarm theatrical release now arrives on Blu-ray.
The film posits the idea that 65 million years ago a certain asteroid missed the Earth, leaving dinosaurs to continue to dominate the Earth. Millions of years later, their rudimentary society encounters a new type of creature, critters treated as pests: humans. Arlo is a young apatosaurus, the runt of his litter, who struggles to handle his responsibilities. One day, while trying to drive away a human child from their crops, the pair of them fall into a river and are swept far away. He sets out, determined to return home, and along the way not only finds his inner strength but forms an unlikely bond with his traveling companion, a boy named Spot.
The tale begins as a familiar one: a child born, unable to live up to expectations placed upon him. While his siblings thrive and pull their weight, he just can’t seem to contribute in a similar way. Despite reassurances and nurturing from his parents, it weighs upon him. It is this burden that leads Arlo to two major moments in his life, one which adds a heavy layer of guilt and the second which leads to his separation from his family and the journey home, which forms the central thread of the film. The journey provides the opportunity to meet a host of situations and characters who help give Arlo lessons in responsibility, friendship, sacrifice, life, and death.
It’s a hard thing to put upon Pixar that it’s not up to their usual standard, but no other film production company has had such an impressive run nor impact in recent memory. You can’t help but hold them to a higher standard. Within that context, The Good Dinosaur lacks the originality and insight they so often deliver. Often their films are brimming with creativity and have an underlying message,their conception stemming from an idea the filmmakers want to explore. The Good Dinosaur feels like it lacks a reason to be, coming across as something more predictable, taking thematic cues from The Land Before Time, The Jungle Book, Homeward Bound, and notably, with it’s father/son dynamic, The Lion King. The humor is there — this odd-couple pairing provides some entertainment — but as usual the supporting characters make their mark (“Dreamcrusher” and “Debbie” spring to mind). But for the most part it is more of a heartfelt tale than hilarious.
From a simple point of view, The Good Dinosaur tells an interesting story and weaves in plenty of heart and humor. It’s smarter than most animated tales that are released these days and without doubt is the most stunning film Pixar has ever created. No hyperbole, the landscape is hyper detailed, verging on photo-realistic at times. It is a vibrant and colorful feast for the eyes, and this alone is reason to take a look. With a resonating message, flashes of Pixar spirit, and a rousing soundtrack, it’s hard to not appreciate Pixar’s craft.
THE PACKAGEThe Good Dinosaur is quite simply one of the most stunning films I have seen released on Blu-ray. The animation ad rendering of landscapes by Pixar is stunningly represented. Colors pop without looking artificial, and details and textures are brilliantly rendered.
In addition to the Blu-ray, there is also a DVD and digital copy included. The release is absolutely stuffed with extras. True Lies About Dinosaurs clears up some misconceptions about dinosaurs and how they incorporated more truthful elements into the film. and is complemented by Every Part of the Dinosaur, which shows how these characters were crafted. Recyclosaurus shows the hi-jinks of Pixar workers building dinosaurs of their own, and two short videos, Dino Bites and Hide and Seek,,allow the animators a little fun with the digital creations. Following the T-Rex Trail has the crew visit a ranch to find inspiration for a portion of the film involving some longhorn-rearing T-Rexes.
The Filmmakers’ Journey largely focuses on Peter Sohn and his experiences as a first time director but also touches on the script, locations, and crew interactions. There are also three Deleted Scenes which are prefaced by a director introduction, an appreciated touch as it gives added context. The included audio commentary has contributions from director Peter Sohn; story supervisor Kelsey Mann; animation supervisor Mike Venturini; director of photography, Sharon Calahan; and supervising technical director Sanjay Bakshi. There’s a lot of interesting information, but with so many people involved it can get a little overly stuffed at times. Finally, there is a new Pixar short film included, Sanjay’s Super Team.
THE BOTTOM LINEThe Good Dinosaur suffers a little in comparison to Pixar’s past releases; it’s good, just not great. It doesn’t lodge itself in your mind or pull at the heartstrings the way their greatest hits do, but nonetheless is an enjoyable and polished piece of filmmaking. Stunning visuals and a impressive array of extras make for a compelling release that is sure to satisfy fans of the film and is well worth checking out for anyone who missed out on the theatrical release.
The Good Dinosaur is available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere from February 23rd.