User reviews

Yes, I know. It's a miniseries for kids, but some grownups seem to enjoy it. I have loved dinosaur movies ever since I saw Jurassic Park (1993) as a kid, so I decided to give it a try.

The overarching story is an exciting tale of adventure. Two half-brothers survive a plane crash. After this brush with death they discover an island where humans and dinosaurs live together. The brothers have different personalities and deal with this discovery in different ways. There are dangers ahead for the brothers and the inhabitants of the island, but I won't reveal any more about that now.

The story itself is great, but of course, it also matters how a story is told. About the script, certain things are just not explained. Maybe it has to do with limitations on the running time. An example early on is when the brothers take a bus. To get on they need a ticket. Presumably, if you need a ticket you need to buy it. They just get them from a man in a booth with no explanation. Would it had been so hard to just have someone lend them some coins in the local currency? No spoilers, but the ending was even worse to the point of being sloppy. I could see the screenwriter in front of me going: "Ops, I only have three more pages to finish this!" He would have needed half an episode.

Another important aspect in a series about dinosaurs is of course the practical and digital effects. For scenes in broad daylight, the CGI is not that impressive. It didn't look much better than a video game at the time. However, there were a few suspenseful scenes, in the dark, that mixed CGI with animatronics, and these worked much better. It's clear that great care had been taken to make the most of what they had in order to make these scenes as thrilling as possible. Of course, if you're mainly interested in realistic-looking creatures, you might as well re-watch Jurassic Park. Even if the industry had nine years to improve the technologies, you have to consider that Dinotopia is made for TV and Jurassic Park was a blockbuster, and had groundbreaking effects.

The acting wasn't always great, but wasn't what bothered me the most. Maybe it was because I half-expected it from a TV production.

I'm sorry I didn't watch Dinotopia at age ten, as I probably wouldn't have noticed the flaws as much. It's not terrible, but I suspect that the grownups who give it the most praise might be watching through a nostalgic filter.

I would recommend this if the following is true: You want something to watch with your kids. Your kids like adventure and/or dinosaurs. They can handle some scary sequences, but aren't yet ready for Jurassic Park. If you are looking for something to watch on your own, there are better options, even if you like dinosaurs.

I found this to be absolutely enchanting. There is a richness to the cinematography reminiscent of the film Babe, making it super-real, and the special effects add a layer of beauty to the film, rather than being a distraction.

There is a strong narrative thread, based around two half-brothers, washed up on the shores of the island. You have to make the leap into believing that somehow this island exists - almost undiscovered - as a haven where dinosaurs and humans co-exist.

The drama is driven along by the fact that the brothers barely know each other, having been brought up by different mothers. As they search for their father, who was with them in a plane that crashed, their differences become exacerbated.

With the exception of a lone tyrannosaurus attack, the story steers clear of the usual dinosaurs; instead it showcases some that appear less often in modern films, such as the enormous ankylosaurs, who act as acolytes and guards on the island.

I found myself caught up in the magic as the brothers take a ride on a dinosaur bus to Waterfall City. One of the lovely conceits of the films is that dinosaurs and humans work with each other in a variety of different ways. It is through the interaction with dinosaurs that the brothers each go on a journey of self-discovery and development.

There are some plot twists along the way, some love stories, and a complex villain, played very well by David Thewlis. The drama is divided up into rather lengthy sections. I find them enthralling and have watched them several times, but you really need to set a large chunk of an afternoon or an evening aside to enjoy each part.

This is a very male-centred drama, the women tend to be brought on in supporting roles and sometimes the leading characters behave quite infuriatingly. However, even though you are, like the brothers, dropped in the deep end of the story, it all makes sense, all the important plot strands get resolved and you can come out of it wishing that the island was real.

The dinosaurs look pretty good, and the sets and costumes accurately reflect the Mucha-meets-Robin Hood/fairy tale renfaire look of the original James Gurney books. The writing is pedestrian and often predictable to the point that adults will be rolling their eyes and groaning. Don't let the kids know you're bored, though; they'll be completely enthralled.

Disney is threatening to make this into a series for fall 2002. If so, I hope they keep Katie Carr as Marion and Jim Carter as her father, Mayor Waldo. They were both lively, interesting and convincing.

Wentworth Miller (David), OTOH, should seriously consider another career. His total range of expression seems to consist of only a puzzled frown and "What's that smell?" This series would have been so much better if he hadn't been so wooden and unconvincing. I felt impatient and annoyed every time he was on screen.

Some aspects of this show just scream "Disney"- the good guys are either saccharine paragons of virtue or "troubled but kind" while the bad guys are scheming caricatures. And then there's the obligatory oochie-koochie, cloyingly cutesy baby dinosaur. Still, I give it a 6 out of 10. The kid in me was captivated by the excellent blend of live actors and computer-generated creatures. With better writers and a couple different actors it could be a good TV series.

I've always been a fan of the mini-series genre. I have not been a fan of the Hallmark mini-series. With the exception of Merlin and the 10th Kingdom, they are normally an exercise in overblown dramatics (see Noah's Ark and for example). However, after watching the first two nights of Dinotopia, I can see a marked change in the mini-series.

Mini-series are usually characterized by large casts with big name stars. One can see the trend going as far back as Roots, North and South, and The Winds of War. While not exactly the "mega-series" that it is advertised to be (running only six hours), Dinotopia is different. With a cast of telented but little known stars (with the possible exception of David Thewlis), Dinotopia shined as an example of entertainment that appeals to both the family unit and the individual watcher. Children will love the images and soft colors that paint the screen. Adults will love the intelligent script and complex world that is created. Indeed, the world is so complex, that one watches just to see what ingenious concept will come next.

Dinotopia, while based on a series of books going by the same name, does borrow concepts from other sources. It's spiritual ideas are eastern. It' s architectural design is largly ancient. There are examples of Egyptian gods in the references of the underworld. And, of course, (in the relationship between the dinosaurs and humans), there are references to the Flintstones. Unlike the Flintstones, the citizens of Dinotopia live in harmony with the dinosaurs, rather that have the dinosaurs work for them. It would bode well for the humans of our age to see that lesson as one that should span time.

I never read the books, so I cannot say whether or not the miniseries follows them accurately. However, I can say that I thought it was pretty fun, and enjoyed the way the dinosaurs were done - surprisingly not cheesy. Also, I admire David Thewlis' ability to simply disappear into a role, so that you fully believe he is his character. It was fun, and I was disappointed that the tv show didn't seem as creative.

maybe it's the original book, but this is so stupid. They live in freaking Waterfall City, and they spend all their time looking for sun stones as a source of power. use the damn waterfalls! create electricity!!! The leading actors are also horrible, especially Wentworth Miller as David, he's acting like he's the director's con who got his first chance in front of a camera. Katie Carr is also laconic and amateur, and only Tyron Leitso does a fair job.

The special effects are nice and the CGI character of Zipeau (or Zippo?) is quite lovable. The story is a predictable Disney-esquire adventure for kids, very kitsch, very American and very simplistic.

But Dinotopia still keeps some level of interest. It's watchable, if you have 4 extra hours and you can sleep. It will get you to slumber-land, that's for sure.

Dinotopia is a Visual Spectacular!

Though the mini-series is corny in areas, it the good type of corny...not that crappy 'we're the best' Hollywood corny. It's a movie that's not afraid to admit that it's corny or that some of it's acting isn't the greatest at times. On the upside the visual effects are amazing. If you watch the mini-series and think that you are looking at a painting/drawing style it's really quite breathtaking. Another thing thing I must say for this movie is that it is entertaining, fun ride, action packed. I was neve bored watching this film. Overall it was just a good 4.5 hours to spend. Light hearted...good family fun...but not one of those typical family movies.

Recommendation: Read the books by James Guerny as well "Dinotopia" and the "World Beneath" =)

I saw the first part of Dinotopia on television. In advance, I knew nothing about it, and I thought it would be just another cheap movie with horrible effects and only a few dinosaur scenes. I have never been that wrong! Dinotopia is a gripping story with splendid animation, I have immediately bought it on video! The movie contains marvellous landscapes, introduces some new ideas about dinosaurs (the ability to speak, intelligence, the way they survived extinction), is filled with magnificent music and contains fascinating ways of human-dinosaur interaction. A must-see for almost everyone, since there are no gruesome blood-scenes. My points of comment:1) a total of four seconds bad acting, and 2) a couple of gaps in the script (however, very small). In contrast to Jurassic Park, this movie has very little scenes with flesh-eating dinosaurs. Dinotopia can count itself to the best dinosaur-movies ever (which is, even now, a disappointing small group), and is a movie I want to watch over and over again! Only he who is blind or deaf, doesn't like dinosaurs or adventure and/or wants to have killing action every second of a movie has to ignore this masterpiece.

I have read the comments of others who have seen this movie or say they have. It sounds to me that people are looking for the acting, graphics, etc., rather than what the purpose of the movie is really for and the lessons it can teach if you pay close attention. Sometimes the comments of others sound as if they didn't even watch it or try to understand it. It's too bad we can't all see eye-to-eye on this, but then again i'm sure this movie wasn't made for everyone. It was probably made for those with a strong imagination and who believe in the impossible.

Now of course the acting, script, graphics, and all could be better, but I didn't judge the movie on those things, but rather the story it told, and I found it to be a fantastic story. It reminded me of when I was young and tried to imagine what it would be like if dinosaurs did not become extinct and lived in the present day. Dinotopia shows one possibility, a possibility that I always imagined and more. I of course love dinosaurs. Zippo was awesome in my opinion. I think he is what got me interested in the movie in the first place because of the fact that he is an intelligent, friendly, and a talking dinosaur. I think it interested me because it is something that I do not get to see very often (visually anyways), but only in my imagination. This movie nearly brought it to life to me. I think Lee Evans did a great job as the voice of Zippo. He really put the emotion and personality in the character of Zippo. Have you ever imagined a city built on top of a large waterfall? I know I haven't and when I saw it, I thought it was breathtaking. Is it possible? Who cares? In this movie it is possible. I believe that it is possible if you can imagine it. I am a big fan of James Gurney (who is the creator of Dinotopia) and Dinotopia. This movie is what made me a fan of Dinotopia. Before I saw this I had never heard of Dinotopia. This movie in fact, is probably my all time favorite. This movie has even changed my life in every way that I can think of for the better. I am glad I saw it. I recommend that you read the books. They will tell all there is to know about Dinotopia better than the movies. Dinotopia is said to be fictional in reality. That may be true, but it has felt more real to me than anything else i've ever seen in reality. "It is possible if you can imagine it." That's probably why it seems so real to me. I have been able to imagine it. Dinotopia has it all and everything about Dinotopia is explained so well that the question I ask is: How can it not be real? Whether it is real or not depends on you. Does everything have to be determined on whether it is real or not by seeing it with your eyes or touching it with your hands? How about the feeling that it gives deep down inside of you. Isn't that proof enough? I give the movie an 8, but for the whole idea of Dinotopia I give it a 10.

I thought that the mini series was great! It was action packed and fun filled. I'm looking forward toward to series coming this fall. I felt that the visual effects were great. This would be a family series and fun time for all ages. I watched this with my son and had some well spent quality time together.

If there is a rainy day and you just happen to find nothing else on TV this might be worth watching. Or if you were a fan of the original books then you'll probably want to see how the miniseries does it justice. Otherwise, skip it. The script is horrible, some of the worst dialogue you'll ever bear witness to. The acting by the two main characters is atrocious, putting about as much emotion and empathy in the lines as a junior high play. The graphics aren't...horrible, for the budget this movie was shot on they're OK. However, there are so many points in the series that you wonder "Why are they doing that? Just keep going, or why would they have this if there are dinosaurs?" For people who can think and reason, this will frustrate you to no end.

As a kid my mom used to read me and my brother the Dinotopia books. Wonderfully written, amazingly illustrated, and somewhat of a weight-room for the young imagination. This is none of that. None of the characters are the same, very, VERY basic plot events are kept in the movie. This is an incredible story, would someone, please anyone in Hollywood do a remake of this film in the proper fashion.

As for what the movie's messages are; nothing you couldn't find by watching an hour and a half on ABC Family channel. Has about the same credibility as an Uwe Bowle movie.

Recently becoming a Wentworth Miller fan, I found myself drawn to his earlier works and came upon this charming miniseries. It's definitely worth a look. If your into seeing cutesy fantasy films, than this a movie for you. Not only was the acting, and choices for actors/actresses great, but the special effects were phenomenal. After a while I had to remind myself that the dinosaurs were actually fake, because it's easily forgotten. The story is entertaining and moves along nicely. Also, the music and storyline overall really gave it a truly classic and magical feel. It really was a treat to see. I'd recommend it, without question.

First of all I'm quite astonished at the decent rating this one has. Because as I watched it, It seemed exactly like the type of old TV/DVD movie that would get a rating around 4.5 at best.

Secondly I'm just as surprised at the year it was made. The visuals and acting in it remind me of series such as Hercules, and Xena (and those were very charming), yet feels even older and cheaper. I cannot believe this is an apparently 80 million dollar budget effort from 2002!

But the most annoying/confusing thing about Dinotopia is the soundtrack. There is background music playing nearly the WHOLE time, no matter how mundane of a scene is going on. Just bizarre. Seriously, about 95% of the runtime has background music.

The positive: the dino character Zippo is very cute and charming and David Thewlis is always fun to watch.

The story takes place about three generations after the original books. It is the tale of two brothers that don't know each other all that well and end up getting stranded together on the island of Dinotopia. In short, it has something for everyone - action, adventure, mystery and romance.

The special effects are the best I've seen for any TV mini-series, and it was incredible seeing these books come to life. The dinosaurs were very well done, with an exception to the "talking" dinosaurs - they were a bit cartoony, but cute. There were a couple oddities concerning story canon and continuity here and there, but they're easily overlooked. This movie is still a great one to watch.

I only rented Dinotopia because I saw it at my local video store and noticed that Wentworth Miller was on the cover. Of course it looked stupid just from the box cover, but I'm a huge fan of Wentworth so I rented it.

There are no words for how lame this movie is. The acting is horrible (yes, surprisingly even Wentworth Miller seemed awkward and spit his lines out WAY too fast). There is a storyline but the poor effects, bad acting, and ridiculous dialog take away any chance this film had of being watchable. Maybe the actors felt so stupid interacting with cheap looking animatronic dinosaurs that they just didn't even try to give any heart to their performance.

Seriously, your plane crashes at sea nearly drowning you and killing your father and you don't seem in the least bothered by this? And then, you find yourself on an island where dinosaurs still exist and you only seem mildly surprised? Maybe a kid would enjoy this, but anyone over seven will just laugh.

Dinotopia is a fantastical adventure story that the whole family can sit down and watch together. Although it isn't mind-blowing fantastic, it is very watchable and mostly enjoyable. The main cast is made up of newcomers or not-so-easily recognizable actors and some very interesting CGI and Animatronic dinosaurs ("Zippo" and "26" really stick as as super-great). The pace is a little slow and the plot is a little predictable, but that doesn't make this mini-series any harder to get into. It is an interesting story, with some stunning visual sequences, that has most definitely gotten me addicted to it. All the same, you can still feel the story's morals being forcefully instilled on you as you watch the story unfold. All in all I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

So, they play this on SyFy, it has the typical cheesy effects and dinosaurs that sound like cougars. Some actually talk, and that is even more awful, because the poor animation never makes eye contact with the humans. The "star" seems to be Wentworth Miller, best known for his work on "Prison Break", and who has one emotion that he caries at all times. If acting can be called "wooden", then Miller is a virtual tree.

Some call this film "magical" or "enchanting". Sure, I guess, if you like the idea of dinosaurs co-existing with people. But real dinosaurs would crush or eat people, not talk or create a special society. I had to choose between watching this and "Tremors"... why did I not choose "Tremors"?

I thought that "Dinotopia" was absolutely excellent. At the beginning, the acting seemed a bit, well, fake; but as it went on the actors became a lot more believable. Zippo has been compared to Jar Jar Binks...but how could you do that when Zippo isn't a thing like Jar Jar? Jar Jar was hard to understand and just plain silly, not smart at all. Zippo spoke great English and was intellectual. The dinosaurs were a delight to see, as well...I've been a huge fan of dinos since I was little. I'm definitely going to buy the DVD so I can see it again and again. Congratulations to the creators of such a great miniseries!

After Jurassic Park you would think dinosaurs would look better in TV and movies, unfortunately Dinotopia couldn't raise the bar. Dinotopia is about two brothers who crash on an island that is has humans and dinosaurs living peacefully. The brothers, David and Karl, want to find their missing farther and escape the island. They find an explorer and he brings them into a complicated world of complexity. This is a miniseries and I remember watching it as a young kid and I was amazed. Watching it a second time almost ten years later, I was highly disappointed. This story had so much potential to be great, but the terrible acting and awful special effects made this series pure garbage. Each episode is about an hour and a half, but they all feel like three hours of pain and torture. The main story made sense at first. One brother would do anything to go home while the other would rather stay, causing conflict. Then they both meet a woman that they are attracted to which causes more conflict. Of course the girl is of royalty and importance, and obviously she doesn't want to be important, she just wants to be normal. There is a greedy researcher who appears to be good but is clearly evil and has bad intentions. I would have been OK with that if the acting wasn't so hard to watch. I finished watching this series because I remember loving it as a kid and I always wanted to see it again. I hoped it would get better but it never did. All this series brought was disappointment and made me want to rant about it. Not only is the acting bad but the story eventually made no sense at all. The brothers arrive in Waterfall City and find out they can't leave, predictable but I went with it. Then we discover dinosaurs have their own language and some even speak English. This was just silly. There is a dinosaur language that humans learned and can write down in the form of footprints. Really, that's the best the director could come up with? There are also these things called sunstones and they are of some importance, I still don't even know. There is an archaeologist who searches for them and the truth as well. There is also a dinosaur who wants to explore "the world beneath." I'm not even sure how to describe it any further. The story gets way out of line and to crazy to even follow. This was originally a novel and i can only hope that the novel is better. I don't know what audience the director was going for either. Kids could like dinosaurs but we hardly see any action sequences. The bulk of the story is confusing dialog and some of the worst acting I have ever seen. Adults would be bored and lose interest with this series half way through the first episode. Overall this series is just a fail and should never be seen by anyone. Don't watch it alone, with friends, or even in school. If for some odd reason a school decides to show this series, skip that class, it's worth the F. This series should never see the light of day and gets the WillyT seal of disapproval for cheesy acting, awful special effects, and a miserable storyline.