I wrote a full review of Pete’s Dragon is on Movie Pilot, which you can read here. Overall, I loved the movie and had a blast watching it, thinking about it, and of most of all, writing about it. I’ll be chatting about the film more in length for Monday’s podcast, along with even more thoughts on Sausage Party, which I also reviewed this week.
Here’s a quick excerpt from my review of Pete’s Dragon:
There are a lot of intelligent, aspirational elements at play within Pete’s Dragon, as it sets up the forest as an idyllic setting that needs to be cherished, but not ignored. Like the dragon himself, there’s something beautiful about man and nature coming together, but the obvious message about environmentalist values you might read into here is one thing the movie smartly downplays, instead accepting that man’s role in the world doesn’t have to be a passive one.
Pete’s Dragon revels in its simplicity and digestible themes, which is why it’s such an easy film to immerse yourself in, at just about any age (and not just because Robert Redford steals all of his scenes). For that reason, it’s the best family movie of the year and among the best films in 2016, overall.
Such a magical movie.
I loved the 70s version, so I’m guessing I’ll like this one too.
Finally, Hollywood has taken something that sucked and turned it into something good. Like what all remakes should be…
Really enjoyable review — I love how you delve into the balance Pete’s Dragon strikes between nostalgia and fresh storytelling. The way you describe the film ‘reinventing and recapturing’ feels spot on for Disney’s challenge when tackling a legacy property.
By the way, for anyone experimenting with apps or tools to streamline writing or media work, you might want to take a peek at https://iosmirrorr.cc
— it’s not directly about film critique, but exploring creative tools can help spark new ideas. Thanks for the thoughtful review.
The ’70s original was a favorite of mine, so I’m anticipating a similar reaction to this new iteration.
Retro Bowl
Pete’s Dragon successfully reimagines a Disney classic while preserving the heart, wonder, and emotional charm of the original. paint 3d