'Pete's Dragon' review: The film's bittersweet ending hooks you!

Film: Pete's Dragon
Director: David Lowery
Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley, Oona Laurence, Karl Urban, Wes Bentley

What's it about:
Five year-old boy and parents are in an accident deep in the woods. Boy survives, is 'adopted' by a dragon living in the area, and like Mowgli, becomes a jungle boy with a book. Boy knows enough English to know his name is Pete and names the dragon after a puppy in said book - Elliot Gets Lost (anybody else think of Baby's Day Out when this scene came up?). When he's found six years later, it's by Natalie (Laurence), the daughter of a local lumberjack, Jack (Bentley) and his girlfriend Grace (Howard), the park ranger whose father Meacham (Redford) tells stories about a dragon he saw to pass his time. Gavin (Urban), Jack's brother senses there's more to the boy's appearance. Does he find the dragon of legend, or is it the boy's imaginary friend?

What's hot:
What this movie does best is tell you that Redford is as good a narrator as, let's say Morgan Freeman. He knows how to tell a tale, keep you involved and when to deliver the punch. Oakes as Pete is the sort of child actor one would like to see more of. And that's always a good sign. The screenplay (Lowery and Toby Halbrookes), is a retelling of the musical by Malcolm Marmorstein and does much better than the original, which was restricted by the technology of its time. It does, however, stay a little true to the original story a bit. But the Elliot of the 2016 is no mischief-maker like the 1977 one and is more like a father figure to Pete. In fact, it is the film's bittersweet ending that hooks you.

What's not:
Most children films these days tend to bring in a lot more realism to the experience of growing up. And while Redford's character Meacham holds on to that wonderful thing we call imagination, Oona's unintended 'imaginary friend' taunt hurts. The dangers of the 2016 film are far more real and pronounced and let's say, the film is a little preachy. There are scenes that make you go wow, but these are few and far between.

What to do: It's a family film for children of all ages. And despite its flaws, makes for repeat viewings.

Rating: ***1/2