Pete’s dragon: It’s cute and engaging

Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence, Robert Redford

Rated: 6/10

Pete’s Dragon, as you must have guessed, is a film for kids. It is cute, it is a story of Mowgli kid and his dragon friend, it is a story of many stories put together — and if you must, there is good old (very old and unkempt actually) Robert Redford in it!

First about the computer generated flying, mythical, Mr India kind of disappearing-at-will dragon. He is completely round faced and despite his below average looks, takes your heart. So, the VFX team needs a pat on the back for making an ordinary-faced dragon make impact.

Then there is this kid who gets abandoned on a deep forest road after an accident in which his parents die but he is left untouched and undiscovered for five long years. These five years he spends with this dragon who saves him from hyenas and wolves till he grows up to climb trees and jump of cliffs much like Tarzan.

And then comes this sugary sweet family — moma, daddy and their little girl with their environmentalist activism and dragon stories.

The film is cute, funny, engaging and brilliantly shot even though so soon after Steven Spielberg’s BFG, it might look smaller and a much less wow movie.

Take your kids to this one for this week. 

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 21 August, 2016