Dinotopia (2002)

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Touches You

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

I found this to be absolutely enchanting. There is a richness to the cinematography reminiscent of the film Babe, making it super-real, and the special effects add a layer of beauty to the film, rather than being a distraction.There is a strong narrative thread, based around two half-brothers, washed up on the shores of the island. You have to make the leap into believing that somehow this island exists - almost undiscovered - as a haven where dinosaurs and humans co-exist.The drama is driven along by the fact that the brothers barely know each other, having been brought up by different mothers. As they search for their father, who was with them in a plane that crashed, their differences become exacerbated.With the exception of a lone tyrannosaurus attack, the story steers clear of the usual dinosaurs; instead it showcases some that appear less often in modern films, such as the enormous ankylosaurs, who act as acolytes and guards on the island.I found myself caught up in the magic as the brothers take a ride on a dinosaur bus to Waterfall City. One of the lovely conceits of the films is that dinosaurs and humans work with each other in a variety of different ways. It is through the interaction with dinosaurs that the brothers each go on a journey of self-discovery and development.There are some plot twists along the way, some love stories, and a complex villain, played very well by David Thewlis. The drama is divided up into rather lengthy sections. I find them enthralling and have watched them several times, but you really need to set a large chunk of an afternoon or an evening aside to enjoy each part.This is a very male-centred drama, the women tend to be brought on in supporting roles and sometimes the leading characters behave quite infuriatingly. However, even though you are, like the brothers, dropped in the deep end of the story, it all makes sense, all the important plot strands get resolved and you can come out of it wishing that the island was real.

As an avid Dinotopia fan, I was eagerly looking forward to the miniseries, but it didn't quite live up to expectations.The books are absolutely wonderful but Gurney didn't want to ruin peoples' preconceived notions about them, so a modern day storyline was created and the miniseries changed too much and made the society seem too rigid. In the books, there is no assigning of things, you choose your own path, maybe becoming an apprentice, maybe following in your parents' footsteps, maybe competing in the Dinosaur Olympics for a chance to choose, or something else. The sunstone towers are just message beacons; the carnivores stay in the basin of their own will. The hatcheries were way different too.I'd say it's worth watching but don't let it turn you off from the books as they're so much better.

I thought that this movie was fantastic! The graphics were wonderful and the scenery was beautiful. I watched this movie when it came out on TV, and i remember watching it and thinking "it looks so amazing and surreal". The ideas, such as the mail birds, and the sky bax riders made me want to go to dinotopia myself. In fact, my favourite part of the movie is when David joins the sky bax corp. the graphics are breathtaking. The most beautiful scene in the movie by far though is the image of waterfall city. that took my breath away. for people to live in a city like that made me think, wow. The only disappointment i had with this movie was Marion's acting. She didn't portray her character that well. She was always so uptight. even David mentioned it in the movie. she needs to loosen up, and so does the actress. Marion's character was crap and if i was Karl or David, i wouldn't fall in love with her. I thought the actors that played Karl and Sirus Crabbe were fantastic. Their acting was well done and hopefully they get more jobs in the future. I give this movie a 9/10 and i recommend that everyone should watch it.

*may contain potential spoilers*Dinotopia was slated to be a big budget and big hit movie. After its release on ABC in 2002, it became something of a failure in the sense that it was not a smash hit. Rather, it falls into history as a unique movie based off of a memorable childhood book. It has its strengths that make it overall worth watching. Running at over four hours, it has some good plot, acceptable acting, very rich settings, comical characters, and a different ending than one would expect.The main theme that is explored in the movie offers something to think about. The idea of utopia is not a new one; adding dinos into the mix definitely makes it unique. Although we all expect every movie about utopia to have the same conclusion that all utopias fail, this one does not have the same outcome. Perhaps it is the effect of the "scalies" that minimizes the human tendency of self destruction. Still, the gravity of the theme rapidly tappers off way before the movie actually ends. Really, very few people actually care by the end of the movie whether or not the dinotopians fail in their "perfectly" created society. Still, it is something of a childish "happy" ending that will probably please younger audiences who do not wish to see all the dinos and humans perish.Children will probably find the dinosaurs amusing and fun. Yet the animation of the dinosaurs leaves something to be desired for anyone over the age of 10. Still, the character "Zippo" is one of the best computer animated characters in any movie. Although sometimes borderline dumb, he is much more comical and interesting than "Ja ja" from you know what. Oh, and little kids will inevitably find "26" cute. Dinotopia offers a solid soundtrack. Its music is memorable but not very varied in flavor. The music does fit the movie well and adds an added element that makes it more watchable. What really makes Dinotopia unique is the grand nature of the movie itself: four hours of dino and human utopia exploration. Dino lovers and enthusiasts will probably have this DVD in their collection. It has enough pluses to outweigh the sometimes egregious minuses. One of the worst parts of the movie: The mayor's hat. What was anyone thinking when they decided on a pointy hat with several red fuzzy balls hanging off the top?One of the best parts of the movie: The messenger (mail) birds. Very good animation and very comical. Overall, a fun family movie. 6.5 out of 10.