Customer Reviews

Dinotopia (EP Version) [VHS]

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

This is a GREAT 4 hour fantasy miniseries, with beautiful sets and production artwork, terrific special effects, and a pretty decent story line. Having said this, I have to admit that the plot was targeted at adolescents and young teens, and for an adult to fully enjoy the story requires that you slip your mind out of `critical gear' for a few hours.

Every time I watch Dinotopia, I am blown away by the unexpectedly high production values in this relatively unknown miniseries. Some of the reviews posted here lean in the direction that Dinotopia's effects are `almost as good' as movies like "Jurassic Park", and "Walking with Dinosaurs" but I actually think, in fairness, I would have to say that the effects in Dinotopia are better, or at least, at a minimum, more ambitious. The reason I say this is that Dinotopia takes on the MUCH more difficult challenge of turning some of the dinosaurs into full time, walking, talking, supporting characters, (and pulls this off remarkably well). Also, in this miniseries, a much higher percentage of the scenes are special effects shots involving a dinosaur character, and under these circumstances, you would think that there are bound to be a few shots that just don't quite hold up, but I'll be darned if I can pick out a single scene to cite as an example.

Given the fact that we are talking about maybe ten times the number of effects shots involving dinosaurs as there were in the first "Jurassic Park" movie, and given that the dinosaurs are interacting with the human characters in much more complex ways (in one scene, a man sized dinosaur named `Zippo' plays ping-pong with one of the human characters), I think they did an absolutely remarkable job on the effects in this miniseries.

Even minor characters like the `postal bird' are executed beautifully, and aside from the dinosaur effects, the quality of the sets and production artwork in many of the scenes is absolutely stunning, making this miniseries a real visual treat.

As far as the story line goes, I have to admit that I had to chuckle at times over the `psycho-babble', `granola-flake' perfection of the Dinotopian society, but this is, after all, a fantasy. Given the quantity and quality of the material, and the low cost of this DVD set, I think this miniseries was quite a bargain, and I can't think of another recent DVD purchase that has pleased me more.

I am 10 years old. I loved this movie SO MUCH! It was so exciting and I imagined myself riding a Skybax. Even though the movie is long, I watched over and over. Wouldn't it be so cool to live with the dinosaurs!

This is a very entertaining movie, full of wonderful special effects and a consistent narrative, with many sub-plots (explored in the series version, with 13 episodes, although with different artists)going on. This "forgotten land theme", with humans and dinossaurs co-existing, can be explored and interpreted as archaic psychic archetypes: this exercise is more entertaining when done with several people watching the movie. If you only want to watch this movie "just for the fun", and you appreciate "dinossaurs on the flick", you won't be dissapointed. This unique movie has many layers of meaning expected to be explored, just like our multi-dimensional Self.

The TV miniseries "Dinotopia" is a wonderful show but there's a serious problem trying to get the right DVD from Amazon. And, it isn't Amazon's fault. I've ordered and had to return the DVD twice this month because I've received the following discs in the sealed package - Disc #1 Dinotopia- The Series (2004) and Disc #2 Dinotopia - TV Miniseries (2002). The packaging and labeling on the discs is correct for the TV miniseries (2002) which is what I've ordered but there's Disc #1 with the TV series that ran briefly in 2004. It's clear the mistake comes directly from the manufacturer or distributor. In frustration, I've just ordered a used version of the DVD from one of Amazon's secondary sellers, and hopefully, that copy will be correct.

My son (now 10) and our family fell in love with this original Emmy award winning Dinotopia mini-series with it's 'all star' cast. It's a two DVD set edited into a superb long film (running over to the second DVD). Personally I prefer serials like these kept to their original episodes and credits to maintain pace and the episode cliff hanger, particularly for the kids at bedtime, but this film works quite well. The DVD set includes an actually interesting 'making of' featurette. Initially my son absolutely couldn't tolerate the spin off Dinotopia full series than came later when they changed all the actors, and has taken a few years to get round to watching his multi-DVD `series' set despite viewing this original Dinotopia film many times. The spin-off series has a more jocular mood with the charactor's presented in a more likeable way than the moody, angry and pious (bordering on pompous in the Mayor's case) tone of this original.

All the family preferred this film's darker style, with classy Brit's Katie Carr and Jim Carter as the Dinotopians and American's Wentworth Miller and David Thewlis as the believable in-fighting step-brother's coping with their sudden change of lifestyle and recent loss of their father. I also really, really loved Lee Evans as dinosaur Zippo's voice, Terry Jone's as the messenger's birds voice and Canadian Tyron Leitso as hustler Cyrus Crabb. None of these actors carried over to the spin-off series - but of course any Dinotopia is better than nothing so check out the series as well - it's particularly cheap via Amozon resellers in NTSC. The darker nature of this DVD set is well suited to older pre-teens and teenagers (probably boys mainly), as many of the rampaging carnivore dinosaur scenes are a bit scary (but definitely not as much as Jurassic Park - although in heavily populated Dinotopia the body count does pile up more).

So overall, highly recommended, particularly as no more promised Dinotopia seems to have materialised. Picture & sound quality is superb, and the special effects are quite dazzling (particularly Waterfall City). This miniseries looks like it cost a million dollars. Well actually it cost 86 million dollars - with the single dino-hatchling animatronic character costing $100,000 alone. We got this DVD set very cheaply via Amazon resellers as the NTSC set, and our fuzzy VHS copies are now in the bin. Dinotopia (technically translated as 'terrible place') is a fictitious utopian island created from the imagination of author and illustrator James Gurney - his beautiful picture laden book 'Dinotopia, A land apart' is a good read as well.

This is a top class, imaginative, well-made adventure story. It's very long, but it held my interest all the way through. The target audience is younger teenagers, but adults will fully enjoy it as well. It has good characters (except for the mayor), and the character development is believable. The plot is clear and consistent. Katie Carr is stunning as Marion. It's not too Disneyfied and sugary, though there is just a touch of that. There is also something you seldom find in movies - a good villain. By that I mean a villain who is not a comic-book bad-guy, but a fully believable and real person who is devious, selfish, ruthless, and always distorting the truth, yet manages to be almost likeable in his own way. The production is beautifully detailed, but characters and plot always take precedence over the computer graphics - the way it should be. Highly recommended.

Along with my kids (ranging in age from 5-17), I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The graphics are excellent and the storyline kept us all glued to the television. Violence is at a minimum and there is no swearing or nudity. Clean family enjoyment.

Children would love this movie. It's full of action, magic, and enough dinosaurs to satisfy a young enthusiast for life. Karl, David, and Marion are fun to watch, and the brothers' struggles to adapt to Dinotopian life are amusing and delightful. The colorful sets, graphics, and local traditions draw you into the world and leave you wanting more.
Adults would feel differently. Even if they were able to suspend their disbelief after the plane crash (they couldn't see the storm before they were in it?), they would find it difficult to stay engaged with the story after the confusing behavior of several of the characters (Karl and David blindly trust Crabb's suggestions although they state he is untrustworthy?). The complete disregard for logic becomes even more apparent as the story continues. The dialogue is stale and forced, but Leitso and Miller do the best that can be expected with lines such as, "What is this place?" and, "Dinosaurs died out millions of years ago!". If the viewer manages to make it to the T-Rex scene (why did they abandon the "busses"?), they are given the treat of seeing the beautiful female trip and fall while running away, and then looking terrified as two T-Rexes approach for a snack. Several sub-plots are abandoned before resolution (Crabb is not punished for his crimes to Zippo, the relationship between David and his female co-cadet is never developed, and the reason that the T-Rexes traveled in a pack is never revealed), and some major plotlines are never settled, the most noteworthy example being the love triangle. The characters are capricious, changing their attitudes and personalities with each new scene. The animosity between the brothers is all talk (and one wussy fight). You never get the feeling that they really don't get along, besides when they say they don't. All of this comes together for an abrupt ending that leaves you wanting more-explanation, that is.
There is one thing that saves it for the adults-Crabb. Rather than being the stereotypical black-hearted villian, he is an odd mixture of good and bad that keeps you guessing whose side he's on. Or maybe he's just capricious, too.
I gave the movie two stars for the sense of child-like wonder I felt as David learned to fly. I shouldn't have given it that much, with all the plot discrepancies, but I truly felt as if I were there, and that's a difficult sense to invoke.

I never read the Dinotopia books as a child so watching this movie was a real treat! I did not have any book storylines to make comparison while watching it so I just went along for the ride and watched all three series on Sci Fi channel one night. The two brothers, David & Tyron, (Wentworth Miller and Carl Scott in real life) had a love & hate or typical rivalry many brothers go through, especially "half-brothers" and it could teach some lessons to kids that "love defeats everything". When their father's plane crashed and they ended in an uncharted island, the adventure begins. Naturally, the two were in awe of the place where dinosaurs and humans live in harmony. Humans are descendants of those who also ended up in the island but could not go back to their former homes. The brothers became infatuated with the same girl, Marion (Katie Carr, the Waterfall City's daughter who studied Dinasaurs since her childhood. She loves nature and animals so Tyron and David learned many things from her about Dinotopia. There is also an intelligent/professor dinosaur named Zippo who helped the two brothers save the island. Of course, there is a villain who's main goal is to get out of the island so just watch for him.

As the movie progress, David, an introvert, became a pilot flying on skybacks in a place that resembled The Grand Canyon while the extrovert David had to learn patience through nursing a baby dinasaur. I puchased the DVD set so my toddler can watch it and enjoy the story when he's old enough to understand the plots... This is a great family movie despite the negative reviews others have posted. Don't let that deter from watching it because it is a treat for those who appreciate good movies other than sex and violence which you won't find here! The graphics especially of Waterfall City was just fab! Need not to mention Prison Break star Wentworth Miller starred here as one of his first major roles.

Dinotopia is a 1st class movie and series. A delight to watch. Such a terrible shame the ABC USA decided to scrap them. There is no "blood and guts splatter" in these movies, just good family entertainment. Great animation, the characters really do look like they are interacting with the Dinosaurs. The Dinotopia series continues the high quality viewing, and by buying the series too you will see episodes that never went to air because the plug was pulled half way through. Absolutely Fabulous.