Review of The Good Dinosaur (2015) by Mack_Fraser — 29 Feb 2016
Is this top tier Pixar? No, it's not. But is it bad? No, not really. The narrative is simple and overly episodic, the message is simple, the central conceit is odd and possibly of little value (why is featuring dinosaurs in a western any better than just doing a western?), the film doesn't make use of it's own ticking clock device very well and the design choices probably won't work for everyone.
However, the incredibly strong character work, especially the central relationship between Arlo and Spot, carry the film over these rough patches and make it all work on a visceral emotional level without ever tipping into manipulation.
It doesn't hurt that this is the most visually stunning work that Pixar has ever done. So, it won't live along side Toy Story, Up and Inside Out, but it's better than Cars. Take that for what it's worth.
This review of The Good Dinosaur (2015) was written by Mack_Fraser on 29 Feb 2016.
The Good Dinosaur has generally received positive reviews.
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