Dinotopia

An inoffensive live- action cartoon for the younger set. [28 Nov 2002]

The emphasis in this series opener is on action. What's missing is the more gentle humor and fantasy that marked the miniseries as a family treat. [26 Nov 2002]

This fantasy adventure is actually tolerable now for adults who found ABC's May "Dinotopia" miniseries such an endless festival of special effects with little redeeming dramatic value. [28 Nov 2002]

It's an appealing premise that quickly bores with bad writing. [28 Nov 2002]

If "Dinotopia" doesn't come up with something else for our heroes to do other than rescue gentle folk from mean dinosaurs, the show is going to get repetitious fast. [28 Nov 2002]

The quirkily varied dinosaurs, who are at the heart of Mr. Gurney's concept, have been nearly eliminated, along with much of the mini-series's visual charm.

Like the miniseries, the weekly series has cool computer-generated dinosaurs, nifty animatronic dinosaurs and some terrific sets. But Robert Halmi Sr.'s dream of reinventing -- or at least reinvigorating -- the family-show genre stumbles over the printed word.

Unless several characters get more interesting in a hurry, hungry tyrannosaurs will have to provide all the excitement.

The special effects, which had been the show's only saving grace, are now more flat and more obviously computer-generated. The dialogue, which had been laden with goofy, new-age aphorisms, is now just goofy. Oh, and the cast, which had been glaringly weak, has now been replaced with a new set of actors. Unfortunately, the new cast is even worse than the first crowd, and is even less capable of conveying a normal human emotional response. [27 Nov 2002]

True, people always love a good dinosaur story. They even love a mediocre dinosaur story. This sometimes laughable, yawn-inducing, convoluted effort would have to improve to be written off as mediocre. [26 Nov 2002]

"Dinotopia" is all style and little substance. The effects are good -- especially for TV -- but far too little attention was paid to developing scripts and characters. [27 Nov 2002]

It's a cheesy-looking, indifferently plotted, repetitious piece of work. ... The creature effects don't pass muster in the Spielberg era, the pacing is slack, the dialogue is dull, and the whole thing looks washed out and feels rushed and poorly thought out. [28 Nov 2002]

The lead actors are slightly improved -- although Erik von Detten's hair is more expressive than his face -- but the story plods like one of the less graceful dinosaurs on screen.

The wondrousness of the art direction and the oomph in the computer-generated illusions can hold one's attention just so long. Then the pitiful plodding plotlessness of the thing becomes all too painfully apparent. What we're left with is essentially "Dinotopia, the Bore." [28 Nov 2002]

"Dinotopia" still has computer-generated dinosaurs hardly on a par with the creatures in the "Jurassic Park" movies; an annoying continuous faux classical music score; big, absurd sets; bizarre costumes; and an overall washed-out pastel look. [24 Nov 2002]

The hourly version doesn’t pack much of a punch. ... For all of its visual goodies — the Halmis have revved up the special f/x motor — there’s a definite soul mislaid.

What made a quirky, fun six-hour miniseries in May has turned to monotonous stupidity in the conversion to weekly series. [28 Nov 2002]

The acting and special effects are equally unconvincing. The human beings in the story don't look remotely real, and the dinosaurs can't act. [27 Nov 2002]

In the series, the effects are on par with the storytelling: Both are inept.

As slow and plodding as an arthritic T. Rex on painkillers. [28 Nov 2002]

This is really bad, from low-tech special effects to an opening script that could have been written by one of the show's own theropods.