Dinosaur ★★★

    "Dinosaur" is a computer animated film, released by Disney, that combines computer generated imaging and on location filming to provide a realistic experience for young children, who revel in the delight of seeing their favorite prehistoric animals on the silver screen. Although this film suffers from a straightforward plot and relatively bland characters, "Dinosaur" will surely entertain and excite the young at heart.

    What this picture lacks in story and complexity, it delivers in an atmosphere brimming with enticement. The beginning of the film sets the tone with sensational aerial views and panoramic shots, as we follow the journey of a small dinosaur egg that has gotten separated from its mother. Of course, this is the young protagonist of our story, Aladar. This fateful day will see Aladar lose his birth mother and gain a family of the unlikeliest proportions; a family of lemurs.

    Years pass and the young Iguanodon, Aladar, has embraced his mysterious past and unusual siblings as his own. On the cusp of a mating ritual among lemurs, an unforeseen asteroid strikes the island in which they call home and forces Aladar and his immediate family to swim to the mainland. This will lead to a meeting with numerous breeds of dinosaurs as they make their journey to the "Nesting Grounds," a lavish environment with a bountiful assortment of vegetation.

    Aladar has difficulty fitting in and bonds with some of the older dinosaurs that cannot keep up with the herd. His voice for change captures the attention of another young Iguanodon, Neera, and her brother, Kron, who is the leader of the pack. Complications are conjured and conquered, which ultimately leads to a banal climax that leaves little substance for the intellectual viewer.

    It is hard to imagine a film that features these prehistoric creatures in a factually accurate depiction and "Dinosaur" is no exception. However, for all the imperfections that encompass this picture, there are several aspects it does extraordinarily well. Although this is a children's film, it does not place too much emphasis on tawdry humor, which seems to be a staple in pictures intended for younger viewers.

    In addition, it accomplishes the strenuous task of blending real-time imaging with computer animation to make an aesthetically pleasing background for its characters. In a time when special effects were starting to become more innovative and progressive, Disney reached into its budget and released "Dinosaur" as the most expensive film of the year 2000. Considering the financial gain from a worldwide release, this film is a success despite the fact that it does not relish in the formula that many classic films created by Disney have done in the past.

    Overall, "Dinosaur" is a film that does not pretend to be what it isn't. Its structure is simple, but never tedious. It provides a similar story to that of the beloved animated classic "The Land Before Time" and is surely a more enjoyable experience for children and parents alike than the 2013 film entitled "Walking With Dinosaurs." Every child at one point and time in their adolescence, including myself, has admired dinosaurs simply because they are a symbol of Earth's enigmatic past. A time capsule of nature at its finest moment.