Pete's Dragon is like a breeze that blows in the hot sun. Although released by Disney in the summer (in America), the movie feels different from most of the summer blockbusters of big studio production. The film is calm and not bombastic (though it involves a dragon!). He not only made to entertain but also touched. There is a sense of sincerity in it.
Pete's Dragon has a fascination that reminds me of the emotional impact of watching Steven Spielberg's ET first, and the reason I love Disney classic movies so much when I was a kid. This movie is a true family film. He is not fooled to be easily digested by the under-ten-year-old child and not be sweetened to make adults drunk saccharin. The simplicity of storytelling is not due to simplification but because the story is simple and straight. The plot is minimal, the emotional weight is not.
What is more amazing is how David Lowery with Toby Halbrooks created from the original concept that is arguably ludicrous. The 1977 Pete's Dragon is a 2D live / action hybrid of a kid's silly adventure with a disappearing dragon, punctuated by musical accompaniment. Lowery only takes the basic concept. The song was replaced with mellow folk music and the dragon is now made with CGI technology. He does not simply update, instead of completely reinventing, highlighting specifically the theme of friendship and family.
Lowery also acts as a director. He began to glance since Is not Them Bodies Saints made his debut at the Cannes Film Festival three years ago. Just like the film, Lowery uses beautiful visuals melanolis melanolis Terrence Malick. There is a moment where images focus solely on the silence of a virgin forest or clouds floating on the clear horizon. Not only to appreciate the beauty of nature, this film also has a subplot about nature itself; how excessive exploitation destroys the ecosystem. The sensibility presented by Lowery is unique to Disney's conventional movie size.
The movie begins when Pete is 5 years old sitting in the passenger seat while reading a book called "Elliot Get Lost". His plan would be a picnic to the forest, but his car suddenly had an accident. Both his parents died and miraculously, Pete survived without any hurt. Now he was alone in the woods. Just as Pete was going to be lunch for the hungry wolves, a giant green creature came to his rescue.
Almost the same as Mowgli, six years later Pete (Oakes Fegley) grew up in the jungle with the dragon he gave Elliot's name. In the nearest village, Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) often tells the children that he once fought against a dragon in the mountains, a story considered to be nonsense by his own daughter who is a forest cop, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard). When illegal logging threatens his home, Pete meets Grace, but sets him apart from Elliot. Grace and husband (Wes Bentley) and her son (Oona Laurence) initially suspect they saved Pete, but what about Elliot's fate?
Plot is quite simple, without complicated conflicts. Even the slightly antagonistic character of Karl Urban trying to hunt Elliot is not a pure evil character. This movie is a matter of belief in a miracle or cynicism against it. Without the use of spice drama or excessive tension that could provoke the audience ringers, we get involved into the story because Lowery makes us late and cares about the friendship between Pete and Elliot. Personally, this movie revived my memory of my first pet. Damn, ninjas cutting onions.
Lowery said that he decided to give Elliot "feathers" to make the dragon more hug-able. Elliot was created by Weta Digital studio. This may not be as complicated as their project in The Lord of the Rings, but the rendering of Elliot's physical form is no less detailed and, most importantly, it feels alive and united with the real world. Fegley gave a performance equivalent to Neel Sethi in The Jungle Book. This little actor mostly had to compete acting with computer creature creatures and he gave a plain, convincing appearance. Not a bit I doubt the interaction of both.
Pete's Dragon is a quality family movie that is perfect for kids and remains relatable for adults. In the midst of the frenzy of hollow films that rely on special effects, this film is Elliot; a rare creature that has a "heart". One of the messages is how miracles defeat cynicism. We just need to believe.
