Review: 'Pete's Dragon' is a worthy update to a Disney classic

Posted Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 4:38 PM Central

by John Couture

It's funny how time changes things. Nostalgia has a way of warming our hearts and blinding us to the fact that we could be wrong.

For instance, when they announced a remake of Pete's Dragon, I was optimistic but skeptical. I mean, the original film was a classic, right? Why would they risk tarnishing its legacy by creating a remake of a film that I'm pretty sure that no one wanted?

Then, I went back and watched the original film with my kids both to share the experience with them and compare it to the new version. Well, long story short, my kids are now convinced that my taste in movies is questionable at best and that drugs were more readily available 40 years ago.

I have to say, I started to wonder the same thing.

I mean how could a film that I cherished from my childhood be so horribly bad? Well, the answer is probably two-fold. Tastes change and that whole nostalgia thing I talked about earlier probably clouded my judgment over the years.

It's safe to say, that I was no longer concerned about the new version having any negative effect on the original and sat down to watch the new Pete's Dragon with a clean slate. My kids joined me, but it soon became apparent that this new version wasn't meant for children under 10.

Don't get me wrong, they did enjoy the scenes of Elliot, but the opening sequence started things off on such a dark tone that it took the film a long time to recover in their eyes. By the end of the film, they had given up, but perhaps surprisingly, I had totally bought in.

Pete's Dragon is the film that I always thought the original film was, or rather it is the film that the original film transformed into thanks to the passage of time. Where the original film was a campy musical, this one was more of an adventure film with a not so buried message about the dangers of deforestation and the encroachment of humans onto mother nature.

While I don't think the message is delivered in any sort of heavy-handed manner, it adds another layer to the film that I think will only add to its longevity over time. While the original film is dated and borderline cruel in its depiction of child abuse, this film is more uplifting and a positive blip on an otherwise dour radar of what we typically see in films these days.

The cast, led by Robert Redford and Bryce Dallas Howard, really elevates the story and gives it an aura of respectability that really makes their message resonate. The real star of the film, however, is the incredible CGI that is responsible for bringing Elliot to life.

While the original film's Elliot is distracting and hoky, this version is believable and gives the film more credence as it tries to sell the unlikely story of a boy being raised by a dragon. Of course, Disney is known for telling stories in a myriad of unlikely ways, so this one is no different.

If you are looking for some wholesome entertainment for the whole family (over the age of 10 or so), then Pete's Dragon is a worthy addition to movie night. I hope to revisit this film in a few year with my own children and I'm confident that when I do, they will love it as much as I do.