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Spot, voiced by Jack Bright, left, and Arlo, voiced by Raymond Ochoa, in a scene from ‘The Good Dinosaur.’
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Originality all but extinct in 'Good Dinosaur'

Disney

Originality all but extinct in 'Good Dinosaur'

The Good Dinosaur, as it turns out, is merely adequate by the great standards of Pixar’s family-friendly library: a stunning piece of artistry — blades of tall grass that buckle in the breeze, inviting ripples in an arcadian lagoon — let down by a familiar story of a journey against all odds that fails to inspire and connect.

The animation studio is known for its almost inexhaustible imagination to take audiences on a grand adventure almost anywhere: under the sea, to the sky, outer space, and most recently, in the mind. The Good Dinosaur offers a conceit as promising as any of them: What if the asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs 65 million years ago missed?

The answer, the film suggests, is that millions of years later dinosaurs have evolved to the level of early man, and are now farming crops, herding mammals, and building primitive homes and roaring camp fires.

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It’s into this post-prehistoric Earth — and the loving embrace of Poppa (Jeffrey Wright) and Momma (Frances McDormand) — that scrawny apatosaurus Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) is hatched.

Arlo is much smaller than brother Buck (Marcus Scribner), and not nearly as smart as sister Libby (Maleah Nipay-Padilla). Arlo’s main attribute is the less desirable trait of wide-eyed fear of anything that creeps, flies, or gets too close. This includes but is not limited to insects, prehistoric domesticated chickens, and a human boy Arlo later names Spot (Jack Bright), who grunts, growls, and crawls on all fours.

Imagined as a child’s crayon drawing of an apatosaurus — stubby legs, sinking belly, and cartoonish, expressive eyes — Arlo is gawkish, pliable, and lovable, while faithful companion Spot is a dog in caveboy form — playful, courageous, and fond of fetching sticks and scratching behind the ears. Their coming adventures, however, aren’t nearly so colorful, as Arlo and Spot struggle to return home after being washed miles and miles away by a raging river.

THE GOOD DINOSAUR

Directed by Peter Sohn. Screenplay by Sohn, Erik Benson, Meg LeFauve, Kelsey Mann, and Bob Peterson. A Disney/Pixar release, playing at Franklin Park, Fallen Timbers, Levis Commons, Woodland Mall, and Mall of Monroe. Rated PG for peril, action, and thematic elements. Running time: 100 minutes.

Critic’s rating: ★★½

Cast: Voices of Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Sam Elliott, Anna Paquin, A.J. Buckley.

★★★★★ Outstanding; ★★★★ Very Good; ★★★ Good; ★★ Fair; ★ Poor

Almost by necessity stories of personal growth involve loss and separation, though The Good Dinosaur fumbles its first heartfelt moment with what can best be described as an uninspired twist familiar to any fans of 1990s-era Disney.

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What follows is a repetitive journey of pratfalls, mishaps, and lessons — as well as one bewildering, and thankfully brief, encounter with a styracosaurs mystic named Forest Woodbush (Peter Sohn, co-director and co-writer) — which constitute the remaining two-thirds of the film.

Along the way Arlo and Spot meet outlaw pterodactyls, rancher T-rexes, and rustler velociraptors with names like Bubbha and Lurleane in this Wild West meets the Cretaceous scenario. Even the prehistoric land is made to resemble John Ford’s cinematic Western territories of Wyoming, Montana, and southern Utah.

But these characters, with the exception of Sam Elliott as the tough-but-wise T-rex Butch, never stand out, including Steve Zahn as the predatory pterodactyl Thunderclap.

None of this goes anywhere meaningful — truly Pixar meaningful — itself a testament to The Good Dinosaur’s story issues the studio never resolved, even after the departure of original director and co-writer Bob Peterson, the voice recasting of all but one actor, McDormand, extensive rewrites, and a two-year delay in the film’s release.

The Good Dinosaur is a beautiful film about two likable characters on a journey you never care about — until the contrived emotional finale, which is far too late in the process.

And while the movie’s biggest strength is an impressive demonstration of the state of computer animation — in 3-D The Good Dinosaur is quite spectacular — audiences don’t flock to a Pixar movie to stare at scenery. They want to be moved. They want to be thrilled. They want to be hugged.

Alas, The Good Dinosaur is a friendly handshake when what you really want is a great big dino hug.

Contact Kirk Baird at kbaird@theblade.com or 419-724-6734.

First Published November 25, 2015, 5:00 a.m.

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Spot, voiced by Jack Bright, left, and Arlo, voiced by Raymond Ochoa, in a scene from ‘The Good Dinosaur.’  (Disney)
A family of T-Rex ranchers and Arlo the Apatosaurus with his ‘pet’ boy, Spot.  (Pixar-Disney photos)
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