My Pet Dinosaur, with its “kids on bikes racing government officials” familiar patterns, definitely wears its influences upon its sleeves. It wants so much to be up there with the classics, but the imitation – and the shoddy production – just keeps this predictable and yawning tale from making and sustaining any strides forward.
In fact, only for a couple of scenes does the movie actually roll up its sleeves and work to break free from the formula. When it does, this kid-friendly adventure flick from Australia definitely spreads its wings. . .
. . . before crashing back to earth.
Starring Jordan Dulieu, Annabel Wolfe, and Tom Rooney, the film begins with a moody midnight situation as hazmat-suited government officials walk through a dense forest immediately after some alien aircraft have flown about. The scene is one of two scenes in which the film succeeds in expanding beyond your typical kid-centered suspense.
While brief, this spooky situation and a later one involving the discovery of a mysterious creature in a kid’s room indicate that there is intelligence at work behind the camera and in the editing room. However, the film comes together in a very clumsy and borderline unprofessional manner. And it begins with the poor acting. {googleads}
From E.T. to The Goonies and beyond, writer/director Matt Drummond’s movie aims for the stars. Literally. This good-nature alien-themed kids adventure wants so much to please the kid in you that, up until the “acting” takes root in the negative column, you too give in to its mimicry. Lonely boy. Daddy issues. Older brother. Always in trouble. Okay, you had me at mysterious objects from space, so where is the dinosaur already?!
The dinosaur, which looks really decent in the CGI department UNTIL it gets bigger, is lurking about, but in a town where cancer is king thanks to some weird experiments by the government, the EPA has even started arming themselves. . . against the army. Something weird is going on.
And it is not just the horrible acting from Rowland Holmes as Colonel Roderick. From the Russian machine guns to the clumsy execution of the "captures" as the kids team up to free their pet dinosaur, the film becomes a comedy due to its execution.
But there are moments that win. Especially when the local fishermen start catching weird creatures – that grow and shrink in size right in front of them – and other people notice puddles of goo that become dinosaurs. There is something going on that can’t be contained for very much longer. The film has merit.
Co-starring Jordan Dulieu, Annabel Wolfe, Christopher Gabardi (The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years) and Tiriel Mora (Farscape), there are moments in My Pet Dinosaur, complete with a serenading soundtrack written by Chris Wright, where this adventure feels oh so very Amblin in its march forward that you might suffer flashbacks to older and, unfortunately, much better films.
For the brave, My Pet Dinosaur is now available on Demand from Uncork'd Entertainment.
Film Details
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 98 mins
Director: Matt Drummond
Writer: Matt Drummond
Cast: Jordan Dulieu, Annabel Wolfe, Scott Irwin
Genre: Adventure | Family
Tagline: Making friends is easy, keeping them is impossible...
Memorable Movie Quote: "We caught something."
Theatrical Distributor: Uncork'd Entertainment
Official Site: www.facebook.com/mypetdinosaurmovie
Release Date: April 22, 2017 (Australia)
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A troubled town is plunged into chaos when a boy accidentally makes a new friend.
Blu-ray Review
Blu-ray Details:
No details available.
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