A deserved flop…
What Works: Even though the animation is realistic, so what? Other dinosaur-based films haven’t looked like The Land Before Time…
What Doesn’t Work: This film is very slow and I had a hard time staying awake. The plot is extremely hokey and relies on too many eye-rollingly cheesy moments instead of genuine, taut action. It also meanders like an indie film for too much of it, and I think kids will get pretty restless when Frozen is right down the cineplex hallway.
What I Would Have Done Differently: I think some will embrace this film’s slower style over more exaggerated, hyped-up animation, and I wish I could too but we’re not talking about a soulful exploration of nature here. This film wants to be entertainment and just doesn’t deliver.