Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur asks a simple question: what if the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs missed Earth? In 2015, the studio answered with a story about a young Apatosaurus named Arlo who loses his father and finds a human boy named Spot. The result is a film that is visually stunning but narratively thin, a technical marvel wrapped in a story that struggles to justify its own existence.
Trailer, via Pixar.
The Premise
The film opens with a meteor passing over a prehistoric landscape, sparing Earth from extinction. Arlo lives on a farm with his family, but when his father dies protecting them, Arlo is left to fend for himself. He falls into a river and washes up in a strange forest, where he meets Spot, a curious and adventurous human child. Together, they set out across the wilderness to find Arlo’s home.
The premise is clever, and the idea of a dinosaur and a human boy bonding is genuinely touching. But the setup is rushed, and the emotional weight of Arlo’s loss is never fully explored. The film moves quickly from tragedy to adventure, skipping the grief that would make the journey feel earned.
Arlo and Spot
Arlo is a likable protagonist, a wide-eyed Apatosaurus with a gentle nature. His fear and vulnerability are easy to read, and his bond with Spot grows naturally over the course of the journey. Spot is also a strong character, a small human boy with a big heart and a curious mind. Their partnership feels genuine, and their scenes together are often the film’s highlights.
The voice acting is solid throughout. Raymond Ochoa voices Arlo with warmth and sincerity, while Jeffrey Wright brings a gruff, protective energy to the voice of Arlo’s father. Peter Sohn directs the film, and his background in animation shows in the fluid movement of the characters.
The World of The Good Dinosaur
The world of The Good Dinosaur is the film’s strongest asset. Pixar’s animators create a lush, vibrant prehistoric landscape filled with towering trees, rushing rivers, and dense forests. The lighting is beautiful, and the attention to detail is meticulous. Every leaf, every rock, and every drop of water looks alive.
The creatures are also wonderfully designed. The Apatosaurus family is tall and graceful, while the human boy remains small and fragile. The contrast between the two species is visually striking, and the film’s action sequences are thrilling. A chase through a stormy valley and a confrontation with a pack of vicious T-Rexes are tense and exciting.
Where The Good Dinosaur Falls Short
Despite its strengths, The Good Dinosaur suffers from a weak narrative. The film’s central conflict is Arlo’s struggle to return home, but the obstacles he faces feel arbitrary and disconnected. There is a storm, a chase, and a series of encounters, but none of them build toward a larger thematic arc. The film meanders through its runtime without a clear sense of purpose.
The film also leans heavily on its visual spectacle, sometimes at the expense of character development. Arlo and Spot’s relationship is sweet, but the other characters are largely absent from the story. Arlo’s mother and siblings are barely seen, and their absence leaves the family dynamic feeling hollow. The film’s attempt to explore the relationship between humans and dinosaurs is also underdeveloped, reduced to a few brief interactions that never cohere into a larger statement.
The Soundtrack
The music of The Good Dinosaur is forgettable. The score, composed by Michael Giacchino, is pleasant but unremarkable. It follows the film’s emotional cues without adding much depth. The songs are also minimal, with only a handful of tracks appearing throughout the runtime.
The sound design is better. The rustling of leaves, the crackle of fire, and the roar of a T-Rex all feel immersive. The film’s sound design helps sell its world, even when the story falters.
What Works
- The stunning visuals of the prehistoric world
- The genuine bond between Arlo and Spot
- The thrilling action sequences
- The attention to detail in character animation
What Doesn’t Work
- The weak narrative structure
- The underdeveloped supporting characters
- The lack of a clear thematic arc
- The forgettable music
The Verdict
The Good Dinosaur is a visually stunning film that fails to live up to its promise. Its premise is clever, its characters are likable, and its world is breathtaking. But the story never quite comes together, leaving the film feeling like a series of pretty images strung together rather than a cohesive whole.
The film is best enjoyed for its craft, not its storytelling. It is a technical achievement, but it is not a great film. It is a good-looking film with a good heart, but a good heart is not enough to carry a story this thin.
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