Buzz (DaytonaBob) Well I just re-watched the series. What can I say, I was really hoping that possibly, just possibly the second watching might make me see or think of things differently.Nope.What is presented here is a fascist society. A sort of benevolent (if that is possible) dictatorship. I kept praying that someone would wipe that smile off the face of that bitch who ran things. Talk about annoying.This is the sort of society that makes you actually happy for discontent in ours. There is NO choice in what you do. Ever watch FUTURAMA and the 'job chip in the hand' thing? Same thing here. One has no choice in their lives.Sorry but sounds more like HELL! The acting is so so. The flight instructor was over the top. He was horrible. And this bit of risking your life to get your flying monster? Oh puhleeze. It's amazing how some things just don't translate very well to visualizing it vs how you read it.No theater? No fiction? No amusement parks? No nothing? Just follow the Dear Leader's way of doing things? No writings, or ability to think for oneself? NO looking for those who are creative, think for themselves, the dreamers, those who want to make things better? Just sheep? The writing made me gag. Who came up with some of this dialog? Did they go to a UCLA film school and choose the worst hack writers? The entire show just made me ill. A backwards society that frowns upon progress? And this is supposed to be a good thing? Didn't we get past all of that in the last few centuries? The show COULD have had such great possibilities but instead fell back on typical hack writing. No originality, no hope, no Nada.The society presented is to diametrically opposed to itself to actually work. There HAS to be progress or a society ceases to function properly and the morons who wrote this just didn't understand that. When introducing modern thought and ideas to an old society the writers COULD have shown a better society being made, but instead chose the typical Hollywood way of doing things, which is bettering yourself is bad.Think about it. In just about every single show or movie, it turns out to be a BAD THING when the actors do better in life. Make a lot of money, get a promotion, win the lottery, etc. We are shown that being a sheeple is better than doing good. How many movies have you seen where the promotion turns into a bad thing for the lead? ALL OF THEM.And another thing, what is up with the professional writers always coming here and promoting junk? Do you know ANYONE who writes like these guys? They are easy to spot. Very easy.This show is just further proof that hack writers own Hollywood.Crap o Topia indeed.

QueenPendragon As an avid Dinotopia fan, I was eagerly looking forward to the miniseries, but it didn't quite live up to expectations.The books are absolutely wonderful but Gurney didn't want to ruin peoples' preconceived notions about them, so a modern day storyline was created and the miniseries changed too much and made the society seem too rigid. In the books, there is no assigning of things, you choose your own path, maybe becoming an apprentice, maybe following in your parents' footsteps, maybe competing in the Dinosaur Olympics for a chance to choose, or something else. The sunstone towers are just message beacons; the carnivores stay in the basin of their own will. The hatcheries were way different too.I'd say it's worth watching but don't let it turn you off from the books as they're so much better.

guyhome maybe it's the original book, but this is so stupid. They live in freaking Waterfall City, and they spend all their time looking for sun stones as a source of power. use the damn waterfalls! create electricity!!! The leading actors are also horrible, especially Wentworth Miller as David, he's acting like he's the director's con who got his first chance in front of a camera. Katie Carr is also laconic and amateur, and only Tyron Leitso does a fair job.The special effects are nice and the CGI character of Zipeau (or Zippo?) is quite lovable. The story is a predictable Disney-esquire adventure for kids, very kitsch, very American and very simplistic.But Dinotopia still keeps some level of interest. It's watchable, if you have 4 extra hours and you can sleep. It will get you to slumber-land, that's for sure.

iguana1500 *may contain potential spoilers*Dinotopia was slated to be a big budget and big hit movie. After its release on ABC in 2002, it became something of a failure in the sense that it was not a smash hit. Rather, it falls into history as a unique movie based off of a memorable childhood book. It has its strengths that make it overall worth watching. Running at over four hours, it has some good plot, acceptable acting, very rich settings, comical characters, and a different ending than one would expect.The main theme that is explored in the movie offers something to think about. The idea of utopia is not a new one; adding dinos into the mix definitely makes it unique. Although we all expect every movie about utopia to have the same conclusion that all utopias fail, this one does not have the same outcome. Perhaps it is the effect of the "scalies" that minimizes the human tendency of self destruction. Still, the gravity of the theme rapidly tappers off way before the movie actually ends. Really, very few people actually care by the end of the movie whether or not the dinotopians fail in their "perfectly" created society. Still, it is something of a childish "happy" ending that will probably please younger audiences who do not wish to see all the dinos and humans perish.Children will probably find the dinosaurs amusing and fun. Yet the animation of the dinosaurs leaves something to be desired for anyone over the age of 10. Still, the character "Zippo" is one of the best computer animated characters in any movie. Although sometimes borderline dumb, he is much more comical and interesting than "Ja ja" from you know what. Oh, and little kids will inevitably find "26" cute. Dinotopia offers a solid soundtrack. Its music is memorable but not very varied in flavor. The music does fit the movie well and adds an added element that makes it more watchable. What really makes Dinotopia unique is the grand nature of the movie itself: four hours of dino and human utopia exploration. Dino lovers and enthusiasts will probably have this DVD in their collection. It has enough pluses to outweigh the sometimes egregious minuses. One of the worst parts of the movie: The mayor's hat. What was anyone thinking when they decided on a pointy hat with several red fuzzy balls hanging off the top?One of the best parts of the movie: The messenger (mail) birds. Very good animation and very comical. Overall, a fun family movie. 6.5 out of 10.