I absolutely loved Dinosaur. The visuals are often breathtaking, but it is the story-telling that truly makes Dinosaur roam the screens with power and passion. From the very beginning tour-de-force opening that rocked my cynical foundations, the filmmakers brought visual story-telling back to the days when there was no dialogue to bail you out. When the characters finally do utter their first English words, it's almost a shock and it changes the course of Dinosaur. The first detour delivers a frolicking Disney jungle world but it's not long before another detour sends Dinosaur down another, very exciting road. Dinosaur becomes an epic tale of survival under more dire circumstances. It is told with blazing efficiency, moving through its sections with all the speed of charging bull dinosaur.
    As a caveat, I think there is lots of material that is far too intense for the younger viewers. i watched with my twelve year old daughter, and that was fine, but those under ten, even though they may have been steeled by far too much action movie violence, there is a ferocious nature to Dinosaur that makes it exciting for adults.

Aladar helps out a friend. ©Disney

      The dramatic ingredients of Dinosaur are trumps all the way. A budding dinosaur romance is kept within the story bounds and expanded on to add dramatic story  impact. There is a fair share of integral humor, but it  exists out of the nature of the characters, remarkable for an animation that could easily have gone Dino cute. The cast of characters includes, Aladar, the Iguanodon who destiny rocked in its cradle. The motherly and sanguine lemur Plio, who can really flash those yellow eyes. Yar and Zini are added lemur bonuses. I got a big kick out of Baylene the older, tired Brachiosaurus and Eema the Styracosaurus. The march to the promised land is thrilling and totally compelling. The character conflicts develop organically with short, quick, incisive strokes.
    The character voicing team do a fine job. D. B. Sweeney lends innocence and determination to Aladar. Alfre Woodard delivers Plio's lines with beautiful timbre. Joan Playwright's British accent is a good choice for Baylene and Della Reese brings charming individuality to Eema.
    The production team does a splendid job. The animation is superb, combining very real aspects of the dinosaurs with cartoon charm. Directors Eric Leighton and Ralph Zondag bring breathtaking spatial perspectives tot he visuals. There were times that I felt I was on a motion simulation thrill ride. James Newton Howard's score moves the action along with pulse-pounding excitement. Huzzahs to the Dinosaur team!
     Dinosaur is an amazing DVD. Created directly from the digital source material,  the transfer is meticulously crafted for instant installation in the video Pantheon. There are no harsh edges to the wonderful images. The temptation to push and pump the image, to milk the Dinosaur if you will, is resisted to grand effect. The world of Dinosaur, a seamless blend of CGI and real world shots comes to brilliant film life on this DVD.  The light output is outstanding in all circumstances, the image is as sharp as intended in every scene. Gray scale adheres to a consistent palette, creating it's own look for Dinosaur. The DTS sound track delivers on a par with the stunning visuals. Deep, accurate bass thwumps measure the footsteps of the larger dinosaurs without distortion  The ferocity of the more violent creatures sent shivers down my spine. The THX certified DVD also provides Dolby Digital 5:1 tracks.
    Disney delivers a dinosaur-sized special edition in Dinosaur. The 2-disc set is virtually encyclopedic in detailing the evolution of Dinosaur. Production development, character design, creating the prehistoric world, abandoned sequences, music and sound design and much more are given first class treatment. In addition to the featurettes, two audio commentaries run the length of the film, one from the director and effects team, and the other from the producer and the production team.

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