Review of The Good Dinosaur (2015) by Kevin P — 17 Oct 2018

Strengths: It's Pixar. There are certain things they always get right, even if it's not one of their best efforts. The animation style of this movie is as great as you've come to expect from this studio. The voice cast doesn't feature a bunch of major names, yet they still deliver strong performances. Raymond Ochoa (Arlo) is great as the lead, while Sam Elliott (Butch), Anna Paquin (Ramsey), and he great Frances McDormand (Momma Ida) stand out. The emotional scenes throughout are mostly solid and there's a good message. Arlo grows as a character from start to finish and it rightfully feels like he earns his place by the end of the film. There's also an undeniable sense of charm throughout.

Weaknesses: It's Pixar. They've created lofty expectations. The Good Dinosaur is a good movie, but one that never even comes close to the level Pixar is known for. The story is tame and doesn't allow for much in the way of complexity. It's too straightforward. This seems like the kind of movie you'd find from a studio without the imagination that Pixar is known for. A lot more could've been done with the world building efforts. In a world where dinosaurs were never extinct, we should've gotten more on how they survived all this time. All we get is a scene or two of them farming.

Overall: The Good Dinosaur does enough to succeed as a solid movie, but not enough to become a great one. It's ultimately forgettable, yet still a perfectly fine way to spend an hour and a half.