A live-action reboot of the original 1977 film(also by Disney), the film revolves around an orphaned boy Pete(Oakes Fegley), and his fascinating friendship with the gigantic green dragon, who he names Elliot.
Elliot finds little Pete stranded in the woods, after he survives a car crash that kills his parents. On encountering the mammoth green creature, Pete innocently asks him, "Are you gonna eat me?" Elliot doesn’t. He(literally) takes the boy under his wing. The two strike up an unlikely friendship and stay inseparable for six years, until forest rangers and loggers stumble upon their whereabouts. While the dragon can go invisible, Pete cannot. Do they manage to stay together in the deep forest, in the world of their own; they had so fondly created, away from the human menace?
Watching Pete’s Dragon is like hearing your mom read out a bedtime story for you. It makes you want to believe in magic and even friendly dragons. The director’s simple and old-school storytelling is refreshing. It transports you to the quiet and serene world of the protagonists instantly. The human encroachment irks you as much as it irks them, who bond on their common tale of’survival’.
The stunning 3D visuals, animation is equally enthralling if not class-apart. However, it’s the actors and the story that overshadow the technology. The young and super talented kid Oakes Fegley is the reason you fall in love with this film. It’s baffling to see kids his age, acting like a pro — understated and real. Robert Redford’s magical presence elevates the well-told story even further.
What also stands out is the film’s blissful silence. You can hear the wind blowing, streams making their way through the woods and nights bringing out the sounds of the forest. If you don’t have the time to get away from the chaos of the city, watching this film will give you those precious tranquil moments you seek. The languid pace doesn’t bother you as a result.
While the theme or the emotional story may not offer anything new, Lowery’s therapeutic execution deserves a watch for sure.