INTO THE WOODS
Pete’s Dragon
Review by Paul Preston
Filmmaking in 2016 has its own style. Movies really seem to be in a rush to get somewhere. Compare the look and feel of Star Trek Beyond with the previous efforts of the rebooted franchise directed by J.J. Abrams. Beyond director Justin Lin must’ve been prompted by someone to move things along (“take the air out” is another unfortunate phrase given to editors to kill potentially thought-provoking moments in a movie). Moments to breathe in 2016 films are few and far between. Pete’s Dragon, a solid, unassuming Disney family adventure, flies in the face of all that.
Catching anyone up who might be behind, Pete’s Dragon is a remake of a 1977 Disney film about Pete, a young boy who lives in the woods, and his dragon friend named Elliot. That’s about where the similarities end with the original (no musical numbers or mustache-twirling bad guys here). Pete is stranded in the woods by an early-life auto accident and rescued and raised in the forest by Elliot. Eventually, a park ranger pulls Pete from his situation, trying to civilize him, and that’s when angry adults who hate what they don’t understand realize there’s a dragon in them there woods, and he should be captured.
The other 2016 filmmaking negatives include making things jokey (Suicide Squad and Rogue One both have been in the news for re-shoots which were prompted to make the films more amusing and funny (regardless of whether or not those elements were necessary). But much like Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice before it, DC films can’t be righted without re-thinking the entire movie. Re-shooting won’t help, and it didn’t help the meandering, bloated Suicide Squad from being lame. Oh, yeah, and “bloated” is another bad movie trait in 2016. This summer’s Ghostbusters is an overall pleasing movie, once you get past the fact that the film has to hit certain benchmarks that you know are coming. It’s considered a flop, however, because it didn’t make its money back. I don’t think anyone would tell you the special effects are the best part of that movie and you could have cut them in half to make a better, more streamlined film that actually jump-started a franchise (I’ll rant more on out-of-control film budgets in a later article).
To recap – rushing, being unnecessarily “jokey” and bloated. Sidestep these and you should be OK. This is the success model of Pete’s Dragon director David Lowery. It’s not that he brings ground-breaking vision to this classic fantasy trope of a child and his magical friend, but by merely not falling victim to modern obnoxious movie clichés, the film ends up being quality entertainment. Let me go a little further into it:
– Action scene ensues – does it end with a comedy one-liner? No, and the scene is better for it.
– The dragon has adventures in the woods with Pete – does he make goofy faces and engage in slapstick shenanigans? Most all-CGI characters overact. Not Elliot, and the film is better for it.
– Is it dreary as hell (refer again to DC Comics)? No. I thought it might be, based on the trailer, knowing that the 1977 version was downright goofy. I hoped it would maintain that movie’s whimsical nature at least. It doesn’t, but the 2016 version lands somewhere in “folksy”, to the film’s benefit.
Director Lowery employs a lot to buoy the sentiment, going for an unapologetically romantic take on boyhood fantasy. There’s acoustic music, songs employed a LOT and a general humanity that sits well in this E.T.-like story of childhood love and friendship.
Good performances abound, from Oakes Fegley (great name), who plays Pete (doing great work acting opposite tennis balls, no doubt) and Robert Redford as the old man who spins stories about the dragon myth to scare the town’s kids, but gets Pete’s back when Elliot rears his head. There’s also a Wes Bentley sighting…who I like. I like him, but don’t see him enough. The effects that bring Elliot to life are predictably top notch in this day and age and once again, they don’t employ them to have Elliot overact, which is another bump found in most roads, avoided here.
Directed by: David Lowery
Release Date: August 12, 2016
Run Time: 103 Minutes
Country: USA
Rated: PG
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
