Pete's Dragon (2016) Reviews

• Packs some emotional heft

  jezfernandez2016-11-14

  This updated version wasn't quite what I was expecting, though surprisingly good. The dominant theme is friendship and family and they explore this through a rather subtle tension. Pete loves Elliot, but he also needs a family (which he finds in surrogate form through Bryce Dallas-Howard, her fiancé and his young daughter). The threat feels shoehorned in, as Karl Urban's inexplicably vengeful logger decides to hunt down the dragon and do...well, he hasn't really thought that one through. It's a weak plot device that sells the story a little short, but is ultimately forgivable. I had a sizeable lump in my throat at several points in the film, and I'm not one for sentimentality. Director Lowery handles the emotion well, particularly through an inspired folksy soundtrack. There are distinct shades of ET here, as a boy comes to terms with the impossibility of a critical friendship. Not a lot really happens in this movie, but what you get is well paced and thoughtful. Well worth a watch.

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• Kid again

  bp96-137-6797772016-11-18

  Liked this a lot. I was 4 when I first saw Pete's dragon way back in '83 or whatever back in England. I remember how much I loved the idea of Pete's dragon. I watched the original a few years back and realized that it was a fairly average musical with an animated dragon. But still!!!! I remember how great the story or idea of a personal dragon was. The modern spin is very sentimental, but never cheesy. Everything was great; from casting to special effects. I really enjoyed this movie. If you remember the old Pete's dragon from back when you were a skid, you'll love this movie. To be completely honest, there were several tear jerker moments. I guess they really nailed down the aspects of a child becoming suddenly orphaned. They also did a really good job if propelling the story so that it never sat idle. Robert Redford played the integral old timer part, but played it exceptionally well as to be expected. It is also relevant to mention that I typically do not review movies I have just seen immediately after I have seen them. This film made an exception for me.

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• Magical

  peterlewyspreston2016-12-20

  I thoroughly enjoyed 'Pete's Dragon' because it made me remember that there is magic if you dare to believe! To be fair, there were a few things that were not too great (like some of the actors), but for some reason I could see beyond that. Thanks to the beautiful story itself, the magnificent cinematography, the lifelike CGI animation of Elliot (the dragon) and the superb acting of Oakes Fegley as Pete. David Lowery did a good job directing the movie, and casting Robert Redford as Meacham was a smart choice. I can only recommend this movie - and not only to families and kids, but to everybody who's open to fairy tales and magic.

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• For a re-imagining, 'Pete's Dragon' impressed much more than expected

  TheLittleSongbird2017-01-10

  The 1977 'Pete's Dragon' was a favourite as a child. As far as by today's standards, while not a great film and not as good through adult eyes (plus there are better live-action Disney films, especially the timeless 'Mary Poppins'), it's still well worth watching. Despite having some really talented names on board, expectations were both of great interest but feeling dubious. It did have potential to be better than the 1977 film, and still stand very well on its own, or it could have been a lazy and pointless cash-grab. While it is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it proved to be a better film than anticipated. Not one of the best live-action Disney re-imaginings like 'Cinderella' and 'The Jungle Book' (much better than 'Maleficent' though), but still for a re-imagining 'Pete's Dragon' was a good one. It is let down by the final act, where the darker and more action-packed tone jars with what was happening before in the film and at this point the film starts to feel rushed. The villain just felt very shoehorned in and out of place, for the sake of "needing" an "obligatory" villain for conflict (that to me wasn't necessary), not helped by the hammy performance of Karl Urban that just feels out of kilter with the rest of the cast. Where 'Pete's Dragon' especially soars is in the very charming and touching friendship chemistry between Pete and Elliot, essentially the heart of the film. Speaking of Elliot, he is a very lovingly crafted creature with not just beautiful details to him but also with a personality that wins one over in how endearing he is. 'Pete's Dragon', apart from some overly grim lighting in places, looks great visually, the splendid scenery being especially good complemented beautifully by cinematography that's atmospheric and picturesque. The music is lovingly whimsical and fits the film well when it could easily have not done. Scripting serves its purpose well and doesn't hurt the atmosphere or the central friendship at all, weakening only with the villain and when the film gets darker. David Lowery directs very capably and balances the various elements well. Although it won't work, and hasn't worked, for some (with criticisms of it being thin narratively, slow-moving and either too sentimental or cold), for me the story (radically altered with a more sombre tone for example) was immensely charming and appreciated the calmer, straightforward, more gentle and deliberate nature of the story which allowed the friendship to resonate. Never found it mawkish and thought that there was enough emotion without it overshadowing things, though admittedly there is not much that is particularly new. Urban aside, the acting is good. Oakes Fegley and Oona Laurence are very appealing, while Bryce Dallas Howard is luminous and compassionate and, while not being on screen for long, Robert Redford achieves the right balance of the grizzled and the sympathetic. But essentially it is Elliot and the friendship between him and Pete that carry the film, and, as they should, captivate most strongly. In summary, while with its foibles 'Pete's Dragon' was a much more impressive re-imagining than expected after mixed expectations. 8/10 Bethany Cox

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• It may not have much in common with the original, but it's a joy of a movie for people of all ages

  bloodnguts292016-08-10

  Aah, where to begin. I was five years old when the original came out and it was the first ever film I saw on the big screen. For that experience alone I'll treasure the "old" 'Pete's Dragon' forever. Now to the "new" film. I'm not normally into family movies, but because I hold such a deep love for the original, I just couldn't resist to go to a pre-screening of this remake. If they didn't honor the original, at the very least I could voice my opinion afterwards on the internet. I needn't have worried - although it may come as a shock to some viewers that the film doesn't have much in common with the original at all. But this new 'Pete's Dragon' is about as far away from a cheap cash grab as it could be. Unlike the original, the new film starts on a somber note (think the beginning of The Jungle Book, Tarzan or Bambi) in that a little boy is orphaned by an accident and left alone in the woods. But just like the best fairy tales, I feel a good story often needs some darker themes: for without those, the joyous moments wouldn't feel as intense and rewarding. And this is very true here, for what follows is a tale of friendship, adventure, magic and wonder like I hadn't seen since those wonderful Spielberg films in the eighties. The story is sentimental - but never cheesy - and that is one of its greatest strengths: it dares to have a heart but it's not the kind of over-sugary tripe we so often get from big studios. The film's biggest asset, though, is easily Elliot. I had feared (because I had seen a trailer) that Elliot would be a cringe-worthy CGI creature of the worst kind, but the trailers really did the special effects wizards a bad service: the dragon design is perhaps the most beautiful (and I'm not ashamed to say it: cute) I've ever seen. It blends perfectly with the natural surroundings (gorgeous New Zealand forests) and while this particular dragon has more traits of a playful, over-sized dog than of a dinosaur, it looks so realistic you believe you can touch and feel Elliot's fur (the 3-d works great for this film), and his face is so expressive you forget you're watching a CGI character. All in all, this really is a film I can whole heartedly recommend to people of all ages, but if you have kids, watch it as soon as possible, you won't regret it. Despite going down a very different route than the original, it's still a throwback to a different era when Disney made the best quality family films (which were so good they are still immensely popular today), utterly devoid of the now so common cynicism, and full of heart, joy and wonder. 9 stars out of 10.

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