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Pete's Dragon Flies High Over the Faults of the Original


I remember seeing the original Pete's Dragon as a child, and I've got to say it's one of the weaker live-action Disney movies. The characters were dull, the plot rather boring, and the music irritating.

 I am glad to say these issues are not present in the 2016 remake.


This version, while still working within the story of a boy trying to find a place to call home, really develops the relationship between Elliot and Pete. The film opens with an explanation of why Pete is in the woods, as well as establishes the reason the dragon is ultimately named Elliot. This immensely improves the viewer's connection with the dragon, and really makes one feel for the moments of conflict for our main characters.

 The hillbillies of the old film, who open the movie with a song about killing Pete are replaced, in essence and purpose to the plot, by a logging company in the woods where Pete and Elliot reside. These characters actually care about the world they are in, and have an effective connection to the residents of the town. The hillbillies are alluded to, in a way, by the idea of placing Pete in foster care, where he may have ended up in the timeline of the original film, seeing as the hillbillies adopted him in that version.

 I must admit the dragon is remarkable. The design team who created Elliot deserve a pat on the back. The design looks like an accurate update to the design from the 1977 film, but with more realistic features. I initially wasn't a fan of the fur when I saw the trailers, but after viewing the film, I like it. It provides a contrast from the hard-scaled bodies of dragons like Smaug and Maleficent, and establishes the friendly, playful nature of Elliot. The face gives a fantastic variety of expressions to the dragon, in many ways humanizing it. This also greatly helps relay what Elliot is saying, in a similar way to Hodor and Groot from their respecitve franchises. This was a major improvement, as I could feel the emotions of Elliot, which made me care and be invested in the story as a whole.
Further improving the experience was the acting and directing. David Lowery knew exactly what he wanted to create with this film, and it shows. The two child actors actually feel believable in this film, and are completely immersed in the world. While there may be a throwaway line here or there, for a film with that many lines for young children, it is an impressive accomplishment. Lowery also efficiently coached the cast as to where the CGI dragon would appear in the final cut, allowing for the cast to genuinely look as though Elliot was in the room.

 The film pulls some fantastic elements from older films like E.T., The Iron Giant, and even a splash of Jungle Book to create a fantastically immersive story. These elements again further the emotional and visual connection to the film.

 I will say that I wasn't a total fan of the sub-level message of environmental conservation in this picture. While it helped establish characters in the beginning, there was a splash too much in the film for my taste, and it detracted from the film in this way.

 I will say this is one of the more intense live-action Disney films I have seen, so make sure you know your children before playing this film, as some tense and eerie moments may be overpowering for children under the age of 4 or 5.

 Overall, Pete's Dragon is a delightful film for family movie night, and reminds everybody to look forward with an open mind, as something may be out there that we cannot see.

 This review was suggested by Annette.
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