Trailers
Description
For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace, who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales... until she meets Pete, a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete's descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham's stories. With the help of Natalie, an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.
Starring
Awards
Key opinion
Pete's Dragon is a gentle, visually polished family film that succeeds as a heartfelt, nostalgic fable about friendship and wonder. While its warmth and performances are widely appreciated, the experience is limited for some by a highly predictable, formulaic screenplay.
| Production | The film excels in visual presentation, featuring a realistically textured, dog-like dragon and breathtaking cinematography of North American wilderness. | |
| Acting | Oakes Fegley and Bryce Dallas Howard deliver grounded, endearing performances that provide the film with genuine emotional heart. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative relies heavily on established, derivative tropes from classic children's films, resulting in a predictable and simplistic story. | |
| Runtime | Critics are split on the runtime: some appreciate the concise, calm pace, while others argue the 90-minute structure feels stretched and lacks necessary character development. |