Walking with Dinosaurs: The Movie

In 1999 the BBC aired a fantastic series, Walking with Dinosaurs. A six part programme with half hour episodes. It made you feel immersed in the past, and even if the animation and CGI was a bit off, the narration kept you on track. This programme inspired me to become insanely interested in special effects and television production, but of course, I was more inspired to become interested in dinosaurs, my biggest interest of the three topics I just mentioned.

That begin said, next month, the movie based off the series will come to theatres. And now this is where things go downhill from here.

We've known that a movie was in the making ever since November of 2010. So I've been waiting for this epic movie for three years. Even though It hasn't come out yet, this movie just destroyed my childhood. It is hard to believe this movie was even made by BBC Earth. It looks like a freaking Disney film!

On the positives: I am glad obscure species are finally getting well deserved screen time. We have Alexornis, Hesperonychus, Alphadon, Edmontonia, and Chirostenotes get their first on screen appearances! Also, we have feathered dinosaurs in cinemas! It looks like to be the most accurate representation of these animals yet. (With the exception of scaly Gorgosaurus and scale faced Hesperonychus and Troodon)

But, it is not like the 1999 series at all. This is aimed at children, with actors voicing their thoughts, and names for the animals. This is what upset me. You spend nearly 65 million dollars, trying to make accurate animals, animate it, edit it ect. to make a movie that already exists. Its called Dinosaur. You can call this movie Dinosaur 2 as a matter in fact. I am glad children will be given awesomely realistic and accurate dinosaurs, but the fact that they turned this movie into an infintile-fest sickens me.
When the first trailer was released, I was really hyped. It wasn't like the BBC series, but it looked good. None of the dinosaurs had names, it looked like there was no narration. It was all good.
It looked like it was marketed to all ages. But the news that big names are voicing the dinosaurs is shattering my childhood more.

If they wanted talking dinosaurs, they could have done that. Instead, everything has been ruined by voices. It seems like they are afraid to try, afraid to try something different. Instead, they want money and they want to draw children in. I actually have no problem with that, but I have a problem with marketing it only to children. You don't need to have voice actors voicing the dinosaurs thoughts to make children watch it. My cousin is in love with dinosaurs, like me, and it doesn't matter if its a documentary or not, his eyes are glued to the screen when he sees those dinosaurs. The voices don't exist to them. Its just a distraction.

This is a warning for anyone who wants to make something like this again, don't add voices. You can just show these animals with a little Kenneth Branagh sprinkled here and there and people will love it even more.

I will still see this movie, but with low expectations, and ear plugs.