DRAGON'S TALE -

DISNEY CHANGES GEARS AND OFFERS A SMALL FAMILY FLICK TO BID SUMMER MOVIE SEASON FAREWELL

Director: David Lowery

Starring: Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Karl Urban, Wes Bentley, Oona Laurence and Robert Redford

Studio: Disney

Rated: Family

Running Time: 1 Hr., 43 Mins.

It’s been a summer of ups and downs for family flicks this year. From stratospheric highs (Finding Dory, Secret Life of Pets) to horrible lows (Ice Age 5: Collision Course, The BFG), there have been plenty of hits and misses. But the one thing they all had in common was that they swung for the fences. Pete’s Dragon, meanwhile, seems to be completely comfortable to settle somewhere in between this summer’s home runs and strikeouts. It’s a box office walk, if you will.

Orphaned deep in the woods by a tragic accident, Pete is befriended/adopted by a mysterious creature (who we later find out is an orphan of sorts itself) who he names Elliot. The two form a powerful bond and with the dragon’s help, the young toddler survives the wilderness, his presence a complete secret to the outside world. Six years later, the pair’s secrecy is threatened by aggressive logging and Pete is soon discovered by forest ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) and her soon to be stepdaughter Natalie (Oona Laurence). As Grace and Natalie struggle to earn Pete’s trust and unravel the mystery of his survival, brash logger and Grace’s future brother-in-law Gavin (Karl Urban) goes hunting for a legend in the woods. Worlds soon collide and the ties of both family and friendships are tested.

And amidst it all, one small corner of the world discovers that there may still be a little magic left in the world.

Director David Lowery does a good job of establishing the emotional bond between Pete and Elliot and how deep that connection runs. When Pete goes missing after his discovery, Elliot responds like a worried parent (although one that can fly and breathe fire). It’s obvious a lot of energy and time went into Elliot’s design (Lowery said that they gave him fur because they wanted him to look like a dragon you could hug). The animators deserve credit for how well Elliot emotes through his body language and facial expressions (the dragon had more personality and emoted better then half the human actors in this movie). The CGI was seamlessly woven into the real life scenes, making this was one of the few movies this summer where the 3D actually complimented the film instead of detracting from it.

There’s not much to say about the acting. Oakes Fegley impresses as Pete, especially since he’s often acting against an animated dragon. Having Robert Redford play Grace’s father and town folklorist Meacham was a nice touch, as Redford brings some sage gravitas to both the role and the movie. Karl Urban doesn’t really seem to sink his teeth into his role, although his part isn’t really a clear-cut one. He’s supposed to be the film’s de facto villain, but while he’s a bit of a jerk he isn’t really a bad guy (even performing an act of heroism during the film’s climax). Maybe it’s because he was a late replacement for Michael Hall that he didn’t feel invested in the role (remember, Urban is coming off a suitably crusty performance as Dr. McCoy in last month’s Star Trek Beyond). Bryce Dallas Howard meanwhile, looks like her maternal instincts were set on overdrive. Even members of the audience might feel a little smothered from time to time.

Pete’s Dragon does a good job of modernizing the 1977 original it’s based on. Making Pete an orphan living in the woods was a wise decision, making him more palatable and family friendly (in the original he had escaped an abusive foster family and lived in a town that didn’t like him). Adding some modern environmental concerns without a preachy tone was also a smart way to update the story. But the movie still could have benefited from a meaner antagonist (if there’s one thing both kids and adults understand, it’s bullies).

Pete’s Dragon is a summer movie anomaly. It is by no means a blockbuster, a fact that must have been obvious to Disney execs (people responsible for creating and marketing a dozen hits a year). Once more, it seems to be self aware, embracing it’s small stature instead of trying to be something it isn’t. Pete’s Dragon knows it’s small and it doesn’t pretend to be anything bigger or flashier or louder. It’s an unambitious but comfortable piece of family fare. It’s almost cozy.

In the end, the best way to look at Pete’s Dragon is as a nice, quiet farewell to summer. A cute little family movie you can take the kids to see during their final weeks of summer vacation. It’s harmless but entertaining, and not a bad way at all to spend a quiet summer evening with the kids before they strap the backpacks back on and hit the books in September.