Ok, before any of continue on, do note if you clicked on this link, you don't go bashing me for what I say....I said there were spoilers so expect them.
Ahem,
Ok, where do I start? Better yet, when can I finish? Even better yet, is this the last film, because I don't think I can stand another one. -_- Ok, no I didn't start watching this film with a mindset of "Oh, I'm going to hate this!" Actually for a while it wasn't bad, but then I saw things I didn't like. Maybe I'm getting too old for this.
AnimationAnyhow, it started out nice....then I started noticing things I hadn't noticed. Maybe this is the computer animation, but all of a sudden, every dino is getting so big-hipped...no joke look at the back legs of these guys some time...you'll see what I mean. Otherwise, the computer animation has come along really nicely...much too late. They've done an interesting job with character expression--something I've only seen with those films that have obvious use of computer animation. 8/10
Voices/SingingLet me start off by saying it's too bad they had to get a new Littlefoot. This Littlefoot, does not sound anything like him at all. I had no idea who our guest character voices were--for all I know they could've been ones I've never heard of and it would've made no difference to me. The songs and singing was a problem--a BIG problem. The "Creepy Crawlies" song first of all was done by the grownups, and they can't sing at all. Talking with music. :blink: Plus it's another one of those "insulting songs" much like the Who Needs You from LBT IV. That's nice to be singing around the house. Ok, the next one is about dads and is sung by--you guessed it--Cera and one of the little tinysauruses, Lizzie. At least Cera can sing, but I guess the nature of the song, about how dads should "lighten up" has me being pulled in two different directions. Yes, let the kids have their fun dad, but you can't let them do everything. You be the judge. And our final song, a duet between Littlefoot and Grandpa....ok....only problem is--they can't sing!!!
Don't even ask, but it was just like Thicknose's song from LBT 8--it would've been better if they didn't sing at all. 3/10 (they should be grateful I gave it that)
Plot and Everything ElseThis is where you'll find the spoilers. This is also where I get the most sarcastic so bear with me, and if you're not sure if I'm joking around or on laughing gas, it's probably a bit of both. -_- Anyhow, first case in point is how the plot starts--Littlefoot thinks he's too small, in the sense he isn't big, sizewise, not necessarily smarts wise.
Then of course we get the tree sweets and they exaggerated how they came to get eaten by little uh, I don't even know their species, so I'm guessing it's a genetic mutation :^.^: . Tria and Threehorn (aka Topsy) :blink: ok, so they're lovers but nothing happens thank goodness as for a while there I thought they were going to make out in front of the camera. Cera doesn't like someone taking the place of her mother of course. The early episodes of Full House felt the same way.
Littlefoot's whopper of a lie nearly causes the death of those little tykes. I guess their fun underground (yes the ground under most of the Great Valley is apparently hollow so don't ask why it doesn't cave in because I don't have that answer). They learn that even their different they can still be fine friends. Ok, I don't have a problem with that--if that wasn't the point of the first theatrical film we so loved. Nice plot recycling there.
Of course every plot needs some type of Sharptooth for action, and they come as what appear to be something of a Utahraptor--bigger than JP's raptors (they didn't have that claw). Hey Malte, if you read this, I know one thing you don't like is how they portray Sharpteeth in LBT films as absolute idiots. Well, they not stupid, but they sure are tickilish. :blink: :blink: You heard me....one of them gets tickled by those little longnecks (for lact of a better name, literally since I don't know what they are) and I just was saying, "Oh geez," all the while. Of course they get chased away and Mr. Threehorn (I won't call him Topsy, ok Cera?) definitely appeals more to Tria.
Of course in the end Littlefoot admits to his lie and that he was wrong and all that. He's lied before so I guess these adults are pretty good at forgiving him by now. In the end, I guess having a lie cause all of that, Littlefoot sure must've felt down on himself...I know I would be if a lie got so far out of hand. Somehow he feels all better at the end as everything is forgiven and the little longnecks have to live in the Great Valley. Ok, so it's almost like we reused the plot of the theatrical film in this one to say again that prejudice isn't the way to go. I would've watched the first film if I wanted my kids to learn that.
Overall, plot would've been nicer if it didn't come off as a recycled plot of the film we all knew and loved. 5/10
Final CommentsIn the overall scheme of things, I thought for at least the first fifteen minutes that this would be an ok film, nothing great but nothing terribly bad. Unfortuantely, putting people on stage who cannot sing even behind a microphone isn't good. I'm sorry. That's the hard truth. Plot could've been better--much better. I guess they really are running out of things to do....maybe this is really it then. The new characters, get just an ok. Tria, comes off as one who wants to replace Cera's mother (which we know nothing about after the first film) and I've seen that in many films. In the end the moral of just putting differences aside (b/t Cera and Tria) and just trying to be friends is best. As for the little longnecks, they're alright...you really don't learn much about them at all. Big Daddy, wow, what a way to pun a small fry considering his size (yes pun intended on my part) and I guess he's alot like Cera's dad. Anyone else is pretty much just the same old person they've always been.
Maybe I'm too old for this...oh wait I already said that....ok, now I'm certain of it, I am too old for all of this. Maybe a child would see this differently than me, and maybe they'd get a nice kick out of the little dudes tickling the raptors.
: Maybe I should've screened it with someone younger beside me. Either way, the only film I can see this appealing to are young kids. Basically you're watching the first film with little longnecks instead of little pterosaurs and there's no big lie to overcome in the first film....just the predjudice that we already learned about. This movie didn't fly; and neither did Petrie if I had to count how many times they let him fly into a solid object. <_<
Final grade = D (and no, it doesn't stand for "dandy")
A much more condensed version of this will make it's way to landbeforetime.org in due time. Until then, you can better enjoy your LBT experience by watching the first film and pretending this one never happened.
