Can this remake of the 1977 live action film impress critics?
The Guardian: *** Henry Barnes commented that: ” Pete’s Dragon lacks the punch of Disney’s bigger franchises and doesn’t do anything new that would get you fired up over a sequel, but Lowery has balanced sentiment and spectacle skilfully.”
Vulture.com: “The first part of Pete’s Dragon has an odd clunkiness, as if Lowery wants to deliver a magically fluid Disney picture, but, like someone learning to waltz, keeps stutter-stepping.”
Screen Rant: “The 2016 version of Pete’s Dragon is not only good enough to stand on its own as a touching fairy tale about friendship, family, and the importance of finding magic in everyday life; it may even go on to become a Disney childhood classic for the next generation the way that the 1977 film is for older filmgoers.”
Rolling Stone: *** Peter Travers wrote: “Pete’s Dragon is that rare family film you really can take to heart.”
Variety.com: “while a cutting-edge CG dragon may be the reason audiences pay to see “Pete’s Dragon,” the film’s true appeal lies in its texture and the timeless human moments at the film’s core.”
The Mirror: ***** David Edwards found it: “Funny, heartwarming and glorious to look at, it’s as if the technology has finally caught up with the story.”
Empire: *** “Despite all this good work, Pete’s Dragon is nonetheless still not quite rich enough to sit alongside the Disney classics it’s being remade alongside — it’s still lumbered with no more than a short story’s-worth of plot, which has been stretched to feature length.”
New York Times: “This sentimental, nearly genteel movie demonstrates there’s a world of difference between invoking magic and conjuring it.”
Consequence of Sound: “Lowery’s new take on Pete’s Dragon embraces a certain kind of vintage, willing and able to believe in far-fetched magic.”
Vanity Fair: “Lowery has made a film that appeals simultaneously to kids and adults, but not with simple silliness for the kids and some wry, winking jokes for the grown-ups. Instead, Pete’s Dragon graciously appeals to a deep, shared constant in all of us: it finds, and nourishes, the soul.”
The Sun: ***** “The story is as charming as it ever was and Elliott is just the right ratio of cuddly to fearsome.”
Pete’s Dragon is out in cinemas now.