Pete's Dragon

I must confess that I enjoyed the remake of “Pete’s Dragon” when I first saw it but feel that I missed out nonetheless. I was feeling very ill that entire weekend and munching on popcorn did me no favors. While looking into other reviews, I heard other positive opinions. I felt that I needed to revisit this Disney film to get the full experience. Now here I am, back from the theater. I already liked this remake better than the original and now feel even more positively towards this remake than before.

After a car crash, a young boy named Pete (Oakes Fegley) is orphaned and left to fend for himself in the woods. Discovered six years later by a forest ranger named Grace Meacham (played by Bryce Dallas Howard), Pete reveals to her that he survived all these years in the wilderness thanks to his only friend, a dragon named Elliott. While Pete struggles to adjust to a life in the civilized world, a hunter (Karl Urban as Gavin) makes it his mission to capture the mythical beast.

This picture has heart. You like Pete and Elliot individually, but even more so together. They’re a family. Elliot doesn’t talk, but you can tell by the way these two look, play and interact with each other that they’re best friends. They’ve been through thick-and-thin. I have to give credit to the animators here. Elliot is an original-looking dragon. He’s big and somewhat intimidating, but friendly looking, and not in a goofy, cuddly manner. What he reminds me of is a giant, fire-breathing, flying dog. It’s a wonderfully expressive creation. I don’t know if they used motion capture for the facial emotions, but it sure looks like it. Elliot is not only rendered in a manner that makes him blend seamlessly with the live-action actors, he feels real thanks to the attention to detail present. It gives me high hopes for young Oakes Fegley’s career. If you an act against an imaginary dragon while the director tells you what it’ll look like in the future, you’ve got stars in your future.

I got distracted. What I was getting at is that this film has both moments of pure, unbridled joy as Elliot and Pete hang out in the woods playing, but there’s also nice drama present. You believe their friendship, making the conflict of the film much more interesting. Where does Pete belong? In the woods? No. Surely with human parents who will raise him… but where does that leave Elliot? The film does a good job keeping you wondering what’s going to happen to this relationship. Elliot and Pete have a special bond, but the human characters that discover the young boy are equally enticing. You can tell that Grace and Pete have an affinity for each other and Pete also finds a friend/sister early on in the form of Natalie (Oona Laurence, quite good here) The film is at its best when it explores the different relationships and presses the question: where will Pete ultimately end up?

First time around, there were a couple of things I criticized about the film. First, the villainous character of Gavin, whom I felt was too flat. Seeing the film again, I noticed moments where he is shown to be human, particularly during the climax. Actually, this conflict fits well in the film. It’s not just there to have a traditional 3-act story. Gavin is the brother of Jack (Wes Bently), who is Natalie’s father and Grace’s fiancé. If Pete and Elliot are a family that needs to figure out where it’s going and Pete, Grace, Jack and Natalie is one that is coming together, then Jack and Gavin are part of a family who risks being torn apart by strife. I’m still iffy about the motivation that Gavin has to be villainous and he could’ve used more scenes of fleshing out, but I did notice some touches here and there that develop his character more. Another objection I had involved the depiction of the logging industry, but it’s apparent to me now that during my illness I missed a line that clearly shows that most of the people involved in the film understand the important of responsibly cutting down trees. It’s also apparent to me now that I was too feverish to grasp the intensity of some key moments of strong emotion during the second half of the film. They up the ante significantly. I even liked the 3D better upon re-watching the film!

I have some small complaints about “Pete’s Dragon”. None of them are big deals. This is not merely a remake of the original. If you like the 1977 picture, this one will fit comfortably on your shelf with little overlap except for the pictures’ theme of “a boy and his dragon”. I personally think this is the superior picture between the two. In this 2016 fantasy, you’ll find terrific special effects, solid performances, and genuine emotion. It’s solid family entertainment and if you’re a grown in the mood for something sweet, you’ll be pleased with “Pete’s Dragon”. I found its conclusion particularly strong. (3D Theatrical version on the big screen, September 5, 2016)