For a film about reimagining the world if dinosaurs had survived, Pixar and Disney’s repeatedly delayed The Good Dinosaur long seemed in danger of becoming extinct itself. Slated for release long before this summer’s near-perfect Inside Out, it thus feels unfair to view The Good Dinosaur as an evolutionary regression from that superior being. For while far less original than its predecessor, The Good Dinosaur is a beautifully rendered if conventional tale of interspecies friendship.
Debut director Peter Sohn and Inside Out screenwriter Meg Le Fauve team up on this sweet tale of Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoa), a brontosaurus runt who can’t keep up with the tough farming lifestyle of his family. When a violent rainstorm washes him ashore miles from home, he must muster up all his bravery for the long trek back – but he’s not alone. Along the way, Arlo meets Spot, a mute and feral human boy who becomes Arlo’s pet, protector, charge and best friend.
Echoes of Disney’s classic stories reverberate through The Good Dinosaur, from Arlo’s Mufasa-like Poppa, to Spot’s relational resemblance to Mowgli, to the lush Brave-esque landscapes and flora. The wildly imaginative zoological creations are a delight, from the enchanting prehistoric glowbugs to belegged snakes that remind us of the natural world’s infinite potential.
While the humour and supporting menagerie of characters feel slightly stale, Arlo and Spot’s relationship is a remarkable feat of emotional evolution. The nonverbal nature of their relationship feels both primal and essential, and is achingly poignant. While Spot is often hilarious, all huge grins and mischievous biting, the way his slumping body and shining eyes convey a shared loneliness and empathy with his new friend is heartwrenching. Meanwhile, Arlo’s journey is viscerally felt. Bruised, scratched and stung, he bears the physical and emotional scars of his journey, and the question becomes whether these wounds will leave him weaker or stronger.