Pete’s Dragon (2016)

Review

102min

Genre:      Family, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

Director:   David Lowery

Cast:        Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford…more

Writers:    David Lowery, Toby Halbrooks, Malcolm Marmorstein…more

-Synopsis-

Disney’s 21st century re-imagining of its own classic family film recounting the story of “Pete”; a young orphan boy who’s thrown back into civilisation after living wild in a North American forest for six years, surviving and thriving with the help of his best friend who happens to be an elusive magical dragon named “Elliot”.

If you grew up with or remember watching the original 1977 wacky animation/live-action hybrid family comedy ‘Pete’s Dragon’, apart from the central theme of an orphan and his big mythical friend, this film will barely seem like a remake at all. Indeed by hiring relatively inexperienced “Indie” director David Lowery, who has cited Studio Ghibli films as inspiration for this movie, Disney have clearly stated their intent to create a darker and more reflectively emotional re-imagining.

But if this ‘Pete’s Dragon’ seems particularly familiar, it’s because of the obvious “home-phoning” elephant in the forest. It’s possible that Melissa Mathison was inspired by the original 1977 version of this film for her timeless masterwork; but if so Disney have returned the favour in spades by essentially taking ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’, substituting Alien with Dragon, throwing in ‘The Jungle Book’ and plenty of sentimentality and bam!… you have a slick and sweet tearjerker for the family.

That’s certainly not to say that ‘Pete’s Dragon’ isn’t a solid, well-made children’s film; Disney is on a roll with animated features, live-action films and a combination of both. You can bet that any film that comes out of their many studios and subsidiaries will be a meticulously crafted picture of a certain quality, and this is no exception.

A solid cast is led by young Oakes Fegley in a noteworthy performance starring as “Pete”, a young boy dealt a tragic blow in the deep forests of the Pacific Northwest, only to be saved by a big-hearted Dragon with whom he builds a symbiotic life in the wilds.

While Bryce Dallas Howard stars the forest ranger who makes “first-contact” with Pete and brings him back to civilisation, with serious unintended consequences for both Dragon and boy; helped by her dad and spreader of the local town’s dragon “myths”, played by the legendary Robert Redford in his Disney debut.

But “Elliot” the Dragon will be the star of the show for many, Disney animators have gone with a wolf-like cartoon aesthetic which pays tribute to the original and stops it from being too scary, and retains a humanity through  deeply expressive eyes. The furry green beast somehow both contrasts and blends with the real and photo-realistic environments around it, much credit goes to the cinematographer for capturing the beauty of the New Zealand wilderness where this was filmed.

The strength of the film however is its tone and emotional core, one of a family drama for children which manages to be slightly melancholy as well as touching and tender. Lowery takes his time to map out the close co-dependent relationship between Pete and Elliot, expertly tugging at heartstrings until there’s not a dry eye in the house.

Like in any decent modern family drama, and certainly a requisite for a Disney film, ‘Pete’s Dragon’ has clear moral and social themes; touching on the importance of conservation and open-mindedness, as well as themes of abandonment, friendship and unconditional love, but it’s all highly sentimental as expected and not quite as “magical” as it keeps banging on about.

‘Pete’s Dragon’ is a tricky one for us to rate; on the one hand this is a beautifully shot and tender family adventure/drama with real heart, but then is only really that because it’s essentially a modified and less memorable clone of one of our favourite Spielberg masterpieces.

The Bottom Line…

An expertly-crafted family adventure and touching tear-jerker, ‘Pete’s Dragon’ is a sweet and captivating children’s movie remake which reminds us of its “inspirations” with every scene; but if you’re looking for the profound impact it’s clearly trying to make, go and watch ‘E.T.’ again.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

A young teenager finds solace form the strains of his parent’s divorce and suburban American living in the arms of a stranded Alien with whom he forms the deepest of connections; in the quest to protect “E.T.” and return him to his kind, they learn the true meaning of love & friendship in this masterful tear-jerker from the great Steven Spielberg.

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore and Dee Wallace among others.

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