Pete's Dragon, adapted for the screen and directed by David Lowery, travels into the forest home of a mystical creature, and the lost young boy he has been protecting, as construction and demolition looms on the horizon. The Disney Picture release features performances from Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Karl Urban, Wes Bentley, Oona Laurence, and Oakes Fegley.
The Review:
Disney is right in them middle of a very successful run of live action adaptations of their classic animated hit films. While the original film from 1977 which starred Helen Reddy, Mickey Rooney, and Shelley Winters, featured a mix of live action and animation, I would still throw it into the same category of remakes. While this film is about as family friendly as it gets, it also features a very watered down and bland take on the material that was clearly intended to be very safe and kid friendly.
I have always been a big fan of Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World) and she continues to prove with this film why she has been able to have such a successful career that shows no signs of slowing down. Karl Urban sort of plays the bad guy although he's probably the most harmless and likable villain you will ever see in any movie so there isn't much in the way of any real danger. The young and highly talented Oona Laurence does a great job in a fairly small roll and, with Oakes Fegley, Disney continues to roll out a steady stream of likable, young talent.
The Verdict:
Pete's Dragon is a really nice movie that is meant for safe, family viewing. It tugs at the heart strings here and there but is ultimately a bland retelling of a story that has a lot more potential than what we get to see here.
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