 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Walking with Dinosaurs
- Review Date: October 23, 2005
- NR
- Genre: Documentary
- 2000
Common Sense Media says
Top-notch education (and entertainment) for dino fans.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that, although they're presented in matter-of-fact, scientific fashion, some of the dramatizations in this stunning nature documentary may be too much for younger or more sensitive kids. Dinosaurs are shown attacking and eating one another, as well as peeing and pooping. Sauropods and others are discreetly shown coupled; mating rituals and habits are discussed.
What's the story?
Like a straightforward nature documentary, this ambitious production combines stunning photography and state-of-the-art digital effects to bring the evolution and demise of the dinosaurs to life. Narrated by Kenneth Branagh, the series' six episodes chronicle the 155-million-year reign of the dinosaurs. Sites in Chile, Tasmania, New Caledonia, and elsewhere furnish natural landscapes for the realistic, digitally created creatures. The series opens with the evolution of the first known dinosaurs and proceeds through the "Time of the Titans," "Giants of the Skies," and others to the "Death of a Dynasty" 65 million years ago, when a giant meteor changed the face of the earth and brought an end to the age of reptiles.
Is it any good?
Somebody had a great idea, which was to make a documentary series about dinosaurs, but with a twist. The aging ornithocheirus on a desperate final flight to his mating grounds, the sauropod hatchlings struggling for survival in the late Jurassic, the migrating herds and the undersea life of 150 million years ago would all seem as real as a nature program about polar bears or snow monkeys. Employing the talents of the Emmy Award-winning FrameStore Group and the latest digital technology, The Discovery Channel did just that. Paleontological discoveries from fossil remains and preserved footprint groupings provide the framework; the rest is best-guess speculation and a lot of imagination.
Dinosaur lovers will see some of their favorites here, and nature lovers will get what they've come to expect from well-produced BBC programs, namely beautiful scenery and footage of large animals fighting, killing, evacuating themselves (number one and number two), mating, sleeping, and playing.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the limitations of documentaries, especially those about animals we've never observed directly
What sorts of things did the filmmakers have to guess at in order to create this film? Do we really know what color dinosaurs were? Do you think this was exactly the way they walked? Sounded? Cared for their young? Fought one another?
How could you go about sorting out what's known about dinosaurs from the fiction and speculation?
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- All members
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- Teens & kids
Kid, 10 years old
April 10, 2010
AGE
I watched this documentary film and its a pretty good nature film about dinosaurs.
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Kid, 10 years old
April 12, 2011
AGE
What other families should know:
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Teen, 17 years old
February 11, 2011
AGE
Great family-friendly show!
Hghly educational, and very entertaining. I can see why it's an Emmy winner. BTW, every dinosaur documentary has blood, so it doesn't come to much surprise. I got to admit, it has the least blood in all the dinosaur documentaries I've seen. Animation is superb. However, it was made in 1999, so some of the facts are a bit dated, but it's still good to watch.
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Parent
December 18, 2009
AGE
Walking With Dinosaurs
I loved this movie when I watched it. Fun and educational.
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Parent of 6, 7, and 9 year old
June 8, 2009
AGE
While violent, this is "nature" violence, in a documentary style, that has captured my kids' imaginations for years.
What other families should know:
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Educator and Parent of 3 and 7 year old
January 30, 2011
AGE
Educational, informative and hugely entertaining
My 3 year old and 7 year old have watched the series over and over again. They have been fascinated by dinosaurs all their lives. The series are educational, have an intriguing story and the technical effects are amazing. If you children love this they will also love the Nigel Marvin series.
What other families should know:
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Kid, 12 years old
April 2, 2011
AGE
Good for everyone
One of the best show of all time sometimes they show mating other than that its the best
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Kid, 8 years old
December 14, 2010
AGE
For Teens
theres blood that may frighten little kids
What other families should know:
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Parent
April 26, 2012
AGE
Walking with Dinosaurs a true delight for the Dino-Crazed
This is such an amazing show, but might scare the little ones who are not head-over-heels dinosaur crazy. Our budding palaeontologist was only five when watching them for the first time and no nightmares to report.
The violence is not gratuitous, and is only used to demonstrate scientific facts. If you are shielding your kids from the truth about how the food chain really works, both historically and today, then (shame on you) perhaps this isn't your cup of tea.
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| Topics: | dinosaurs |
| Studio: | BBC |
| Directors: | Jasper James, Tim Haines |
| Cast: | Kenneth Branagh |
| Genre: | Documentary |
| Run time: | 230 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 16, 2000 |
| DVD release date: | July 18, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
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