The Mighty Dinosaur Diplo Review – Kids’ Dinosaur Animated Film Breaks the Fourth Wall Revolting Against ‘Sweet’
The film opens in familiar ground for family films: a little earnest dinosaur, a somewhat irritating protagonist, a sarcastic sidekick, and an assortment of other critters. But then this Czech/Polish/Slovakian feature executes a startling swerve.
Out of nowhere, the story shifts into a real-world environment. We see a human artist drawing in a secluded workspace, designing the very same film the audience just viewed.
The draftsman is interrupted by a very annoying figure – reminiscent of an over-the-top cinematic stereotype. She insists that he delete his original characters and produce something commercially viable and “adorable”.
What follows is a tragic erasure of non-compliant elements. The main character is separated from family and, though he is a bit annoying, it’s heartbreaking that he feels the loss is his fault.
The self-referential story develops as more eccentric personalities are erased to make way for something more palatable. It adds the film thematic resonance – given that animation remains the genre most affected by the appeal of the cute.
Still, even if the themes are more engaging than typical kids’ fodder, the characters don’t captivate. The issue isn’t cartoon characters needing to be likable, instead audiences need to want to spend time alongside them. In this case, that isn’t completely the case.
Diplo: The Mighty Dinosaur releases in UK & Ireland cinemas on September 19.
