Nature movies
begin with photography, and a script is formed from the images that are
gathered on that expedition. The narration only comes after capturing the wild
on film, working in a kind of story arc where there really is none. Though Walking with Dinosaurs is primarily
created with computer generated animation, nearly all of the dialogue and
voice-over narration feels as though it is desperately trying to fit in with
images that existed long before any words were written.
If I were one of
the animators that had spent countless hours creating the remarkable images
seen in this film, I would be irritated by the sloppiness with which
screenwriter John Colee constructed the dialogue to go over them. It makes for
such unbalanced entertainment that I longed for the volume to be turned down
more than once during viewing. This is as much a compliment to the animators as
it is a criticism of the voiceover dialogue, because as much as I longed for
Justin Long to stop talking over the images, I never had the urge to stop
watching the film.
Very loosely
book-ended with a live-action storyline about an archeologist uncle taking his
young niece and teenage nephew on a mission to discover a fossil missing a
tooth, much of Walking with Dinosaurs
is the flashback told from the view of an ancient bird inexplicably remaining
alive after millions of years for the primary purpose of storytelling. Voiced
by John Leguizamo (most recognizable to the younger audience members as the voice
of Sid from the Ice Age franchise),
this bird is narrator and a supporting character in the story of a brave
Pachyrhinosaurus named Patchi.
Patchi is the
runt of his litter, immediately making him the likeable underdog to his
bullying older brother. Being that he is also an herbivore in the deadly world
of dinosaurs only adds to this off-balance struggle, giving Patchi endless
opportunities for unexpected bravery. There is a love interest, attacks from
every omnivore and carnivore that Patchi and his herd come into contact with,
and all of this is shoehorned into the narrative with obtrusive voiceover
dialogue that never feels cohesive with the images that were created first. The
story is bound to be of little concern to anyone over the age of eight, which is unfortunate considering how
universally impressive the film’s visuals are.
The Blu-ray
combo pack release of Walking with
Dinosaurs the Movie comes with a DVD and digital copy of the film, as well
as a handful of special features directed at educating and entertaining the
target audience. There is a trivia track as well as a guide to the dinosaurs in
the film, and a game with dinosaur calls just to keep it all interactive. There
is also an interactive map, and footage from the Nickelodeon sponsored red
carpet.
Entertainment Value:
5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 4/10
Historical
Significance: 2/10
Special Features: 4/10
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