Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Thrilling, semi-educational CGI movie with a few scary bits.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Walking with Dinosaurs: The Movie
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 12 parent reviews
Parents say this film offers impressive animation that captivates younger audiences, particularly those who enjoy dinosaur content, but it falls short in storytelling, often relying on humor that could feel out of place considering the darker themes presented. Several reviewers expressed concerns about the portrayal of certain characters, particularly the treatment of female characters and the use of inappropriate language, while others found the humor distracting from the film’s educational potential.
- animation quality
- storytelling issues
- character portrayal
- language concerns
- mixed audience reactions
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 6 kid reviews
What's the Story?
In the live-action beginning of the movie, a teenage boy and his kid sister visit their paleontologist father (Karl Urban) in Alaska and find a dinosaur tooth in his SUV. When the boy refuses to accompany his uncle on a research dig, a bird (John Leguizamo) starts talking and announces that "every fossil has a story." He transforms into a prehistoric bird the Alexornis (named Alex and speaking with a Spanish accent, of course) and recounts the fossil's tale from the Late Cretaceous period -- about a Pachyrhinosaurus named Patchi (Justin Long). Patchi is the runt of his herd, and he's nearly killed by a predator that leaves a hole in his frill. Saved by his mother, Patchi grows into a young adult and meets a female, Juniper (Tiya Sircar), from a different herd. When climate changes spark a Great Migration, circumstances force Patchi to transition into a more responsible role -- for his herd, Juniper, and himself.
Is It Any Good?
Audiences expecting a big-budget dinosaur documentary with extra realistic visuals will be somewhat disappointed. This isn't a narrated documentary like most BBC Earth productions or the original Walking with Dinosaurs, which featured the voice of Kenneth Branagh. This is basically Ice Age meets The Lion King via The Land Before Time -- but with amazing, digitally created landscapes and creatures (instead of animation) to recreate the the fauna and flora of 75 million years ago. The scatological humor (lots of jokes about dinosaur poop), the animal "instalove," the underdog who saves the day -- it's all there, including a romantic subplot so strong the accompanying music was Barry White's "I'm Gonna Love You A Little Bit More, Baby"!
Speaking of White, the eclectic soundtrack is really quite memorable, including Fleetwood Mac ("Tusk"), Matisyahu ("Live Like a Warrior"), and Lord Huron ("Ends of the Earth") playing during key scenes. It's all a bit unexpected and confusing, even for kids, who are probably hoping for the 3D dinosaur to stop mooning over the girl from the other herd. Still, viewers will revel in the immersive experience the 3D visuals offer and appreciate honing their skills at naming various dinosaurs. Plus, there's Karl Urban in two scenes. Budding paleontologists may want more, so check out the movie's site which offers even more details about the dinosaurs of that period.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the enduring fascination with dinosaurs. What kinds of research did the filmmakers have to do to make this film?
Would you prefer a more traditional documentary, or do you like this fictionalized talking-dinosaur account? Is there anything lost by the humanization of the animals? Gained?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 20, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : March 25, 2014
- Cast : Angourie Rice , Charlie Rowe , Justin Long
- Directors : Barry Cook , Neil Nightingale
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Animals ( Dinosaurs ) , Adventures
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : creature action and peril, and mild rude humor
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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