It is a performances centric movie

A Brilliant Conflict

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

The Dinotopia miniseries (presented as four hour movie on DVD release) brings to life the whimsical, and presents some of the most beautifully realised fantasy seen on television even today. The special effects of this 2002 mini series stand the test of time today - slowly ageing, but they are by absolutely wonderful set design and costuming that keep them enjoyable. One must remember this is a made for TV series, and in the context of the badly done things Syfy churns out today and the age of Dinotopia, this series features amazing VFX for TV.Waterfall City is still one of the most beautiful fictional cities ever, and the costuming and VFX filled the world of Dinotopia with life. The society that is showed to the viewers eyes is simultaneously believable and awe-inspiring. This is what makes Dinotopia so enjoyable; the stunning society the plot takes place in.The plot of this series is far from revolutionary, the acting by the main character's actors is flawed and not perfect, but massively improves quite a bit after episode one. Zippo remains one of my favourite supporting characters, but the whole supporting cast was fabulous and really helped to build the wonderful world that is Dinotopia.As I understand it (having not read the books) this work does simplify Gurney's world, but it certainly achieves making a four hour marathon quite enjoyable. Further, Wentworth Miller had his earliest role in Dinotopia, and it is great to watch him as David Scott.Much of the criticism seems to stem from people not liking Dinotopia's government system (which even the series shows is flawed and I don't understand how that cripples your enjoyment of a fantasy work) and Zippo resembling Jar Jar Binks (but while sometimes serving as comic relief, Zippo has real heart and is an intellectual).

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.

I thought that this movie was fantastic! The graphics were wonderful and the scenery was beautiful. I watched this movie when it came out on TV, and i remember watching it and thinking "it looks so amazing and surreal". The ideas, such as the mail birds, and the sky bax riders made me want to go to dinotopia myself. In fact, my favourite part of the movie is when David joins the sky bax corp. the graphics are breathtaking. The most beautiful scene in the movie by far though is the image of waterfall city. that took my breath away. for people to live in a city like that made me think, wow. The only disappointment i had with this movie was Marion's acting. She didn't portray her character that well. She was always so uptight. even David mentioned it in the movie. she needs to loosen up, and so does the actress. Marion's character was crap and if i was Karl or David, i wouldn't fall in love with her. I thought the actors that played Karl and Sirus Crabbe were fantastic. Their acting was well done and hopefully they get more jobs in the future. I give this movie a 9/10 and i recommend that everyone should watch it.

*may contain potential spoilers*Dinotopia was slated to be a big budget and big hit movie. After its release on ABC in 2002, it became something of a failure in the sense that it was not a smash hit. Rather, it falls into history as a unique movie based off of a memorable childhood book. It has its strengths that make it overall worth watching. Running at over four hours, it has some good plot, acceptable acting, very rich settings, comical characters, and a different ending than one would expect.The main theme that is explored in the movie offers something to think about. The idea of utopia is not a new one; adding dinos into the mix definitely makes it unique. Although we all expect every movie about utopia to have the same conclusion that all utopias fail, this one does not have the same outcome. Perhaps it is the effect of the "scalies" that minimizes the human tendency of self destruction. Still, the gravity of the theme rapidly tappers off way before the movie actually ends. Really, very few people actually care by the end of the movie whether or not the dinotopians fail in their "perfectly" created society. Still, it is something of a childish "happy" ending that will probably please younger audiences who do not wish to see all the dinos and humans perish.Children will probably find the dinosaurs amusing and fun. Yet the animation of the dinosaurs leaves something to be desired for anyone over the age of 10. Still, the character "Zippo" is one of the best computer animated characters in any movie. Although sometimes borderline dumb, he is much more comical and interesting than "Ja ja" from you know what. Oh, and little kids will inevitably find "26" cute. Dinotopia offers a solid soundtrack. Its music is memorable but not very varied in flavor. The music does fit the movie well and adds an added element that makes it more watchable. What really makes Dinotopia unique is the grand nature of the movie itself: four hours of dino and human utopia exploration. Dino lovers and enthusiasts will probably have this DVD in their collection. It has enough pluses to outweigh the sometimes egregious minuses. One of the worst parts of the movie: The mayor's hat. What was anyone thinking when they decided on a pointy hat with several red fuzzy balls hanging off the top?One of the best parts of the movie: The messenger (mail) birds. Very good animation and very comical. Overall, a fun family movie. 6.5 out of 10.