Movie Review: “Pete’s Dragon” one of the most delightful surprises of summer

Movie Review: “Pete’s Dragon”

It’s interesting to note that in a summer full of big-budgeted sequels and comic book adaptations, one of the most surprising delights of the 2016 summer movie season is a re-imagining of an admittedly goofy but undeniably joyful Disney film from the ’70s. It should also be noted that all this film has in common with the 1977 original are the title and the inclusion of Pete and his dragon. Tonally speaking, this version couldn’t be any more different.

In this gentle, sweet, and altogether heartfelt “Pete’s Dragon” update from “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” director David Lowery, young Pete (Oakes Fegley) is able to survive for years in the forest following a car crash through the aid of a magical companion who resides in the deepest part of the American wilderness. Eventually, loving but slightly hardened forest ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) comes across Pete while doing her part to keep determined Gavin (Karl Urban) and his lumberjack crew from thinning out the woods. Ultimately, Grace brings Pete back to civilization leaving the youngster’s beguiling dragon friend in solitude. Of course, Elliot misses his human pal terribly, so while Pete gradually attempts to adjust to life in the outside world, his lovable dragon engages in an adventure of his own.

A gifted and sensitive Lowery has managed to out Spielberg’s own “The BFG” with a film that is both emotional and poignant. And there’s a kind of magic at the heart of this tale of friendship that is sure to appeal not only kids but to the kid in all of us. Additionally, this movie’s environmental message doesn’t beat you over the head with a sledgehammer.

This movie offers up obvious shades of “How to Train Your Dragon,” “The Iron Giant,” “The Jungle Book,” and “E.T.” (the comparison to Spielberg’s iconic movie goes beyond the inclusion of the name Elliot), but “Pete’s Dragon” still manages to come across as it’s own thing, and a lot of that has to do with the delicate fashion in which Lowery grounds this fantastical family film in reality. For all the magic and awe-inspiring grandeur on display, there’s a seriousness and unflinching honesty at the core of “Pete’s Dragon.” Look no further than a stunningly well executed opening sequence that taps into a theme very common in many of Disney’s most accomplished works.

From a technical standpoint, “Pete’s Dragon” really delivers, and by way of a very modest budget, I might add. Seeing Elliot and marveling at the way he’s represented in this picture, you’d swear he’s a living, breathing creature. And that’s because he is! The makers of this film spared absolutely no expense! They brought in an actual dragon instead of faking it, and this wonderful film experience is all the richer for it. What’s more, Elliot’s rapport with Fegley is genuine. It’s the very foundation of the movie. Some things simply can’t be faked.

Speaking of Fegley, he’s the real deal here. There were moments in this picture when his Pete reminded me a bit of Jacob Tremblay’s Jack in the similarly themed, “Room.” His wild-child moments are lively and colorful, but it’s the quieter, more emotional moments when Fegley truly showcases his acting chops. Howard rebounds nicely from her thankless role in “Jurassic World” to make for a woman whose maternal instincts kick in just as she begins to see the kinds of things in this world she never believed could possibly exist. Veteran Robert Redford delivers a small but effective performance as Meacham. This man has never forgotten the wondrous experiences of his past, even though he’s had to put many of the memories associated with these experiences on hold. Admittedly, it would have been nice to see more of Redford in this picture, but a little bit of Redford is better than no Redford at all.

There are a couple of minor missteps in “Pete’s Dragon.” I dig Karl Urban, and while it should be noted that his Gavin isn’t your stereotypical villain-type in this movie, there isn’t a whole lot to him in terms of character development, either, and that’s a shame. Urban is a terrific actor and worthy of a character of more depth. “Pete’s Dragon” might have been wise to explore the relationship between the aptly named Grace and Wes Bentley’s slightly underwritten Jack a bit more, too.  By and large, though, I was wholly invested emotionally in the bond between Pete and Elliot, and that’s where the heart of the narrative truly lies.

The recently released “Sausage Party” (a CG animated movie that is both hilarious and decidedly non-family friendly) took playful jabs at those who believe in the existence of a higher power and another plain of existence. This movie appears to be that film’s polar opposite. “Pete’s Dragon” warmly and passionately suggests that faith is a beautiful thing and that the power that comes with hope and believing can rise above the seemingly cynical nature of the world we live in.

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