By Paul Hall
Dragons are the things that fairy tales are made of, mythical creatures as large as you can imagine with wings and breathing fire. There is a legend that very few believe in, that the woods of the Pacific Northwest hide a mysterious dragon. Pete (Oakes Fegley) is about to change all of that in the new Disney version of the cherished family classic Pete’s Dragon.
Pete is found wandering the woods. Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the park ranger who discovers the boy seemingly on his own in the unforgiving land. At first, Pete will not open up to Grace. Scared and seemingly alone for a long time, he does not understand the kindness Grace and her soon-to-be stepdaughter Natalie (Oona Laurence) are trying to show him. But soon enough Pete draws a picture of his friend who protected him for years. That picture of Elliot, as he’s known, seems to resemble one thing: a dragon.
Grace chooses to believe the fantastic story she hears: that a dragon helped this young boy survive for years on his own. And she isn’t the only one. Grace’s father (Robert Redford) has long told the tale of the Millhaven dragon and she will need his help to preserve Elliot’s habitat and ensure his ultimate survival.
This imagining of the tale of Pete’s dragon is simply magical. Disney, along with cowriter/director David Lowery, has taken the classic tale and kept it simple and beautiful. Although the film employed an obvious package of effects to bring Elliot to life, it never diminished the extremely large heart of this story.
Howard flows effortlessly in her role as part park ranger, part mother, but all role model. Redford, a legend, oozes with confidence and definitely rubs off on the rest of the cast.
While the casting of great actors like Howard and Redford brings instant credibility to the film, the delightful child actors make the beating heart of the film. Fegley shows an uncanny ability to be equally scared and adventurous. Laurence’s Natalie just wants to be part of Pete’s awakening to life. As a child herself, she views Pete as a friend exploring the world for the first time.
One word of caution on the film — while it is a Disney title and rated PG, some of the action sequences are fairly violent and had the younger kids sitting behind me in tears. If your youngest kids are easily frightened, you will want to be cautious.
It’s easy to gush over a film like this; I think I’ve done that quite well to this point. Share the magic of Pete’s Dragon with your family today — you’ll be glad you did. Now where can I find my own dragon?
Pete’s Dragon
Rated:PG
Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley
Director: David Lowery
Grade: B+
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