Dir. Marc Fafard, Canada, 2007, 40 mins
Cast: Donald Sutherland (narrator)
Review by Michelle Moore
We have all heard the stories of dinosaurs, what they looked like, how they behaved, who were the largest and smallest, and what was the cause of their extinction. Our planet could have remained the domain of these gigantic beasts, if it wasn’t for a series of catastrophic natural events like volcanoes and comets. But never before have we been up so close and personal with these amazing creatures. This film is the closet you get to actually being in the presence of these extraordinary creatures, and only the size of the IMAX screen, impressive 3D technology and digital surround sound will give you the breathtaking feeling that you are standing right in with them. Narrated by Donald Sutherland, guided by world-renowned Argentinean palaeontologist Professor Rodolfo Coris, and deeply rooted in science and CGI technology, viewers get to visit sites of major discoveries and travel back in time to see these creatures come to life before your very eyes.
The detail and creative ability that was involved in producing a film such as this is remarkable. There are intense action sequences, incredible landscapes and underwater scenes as the camera pulls the audience into the world of the dinosaurs, and takes them into space to witness the movements of tectonic plates, and the arrival of a comet that will seal the fate of the dinosaurs. The Underwater sequences will have you believing you are, in fact, swimming with these marvellous creatures, as you are surrounded by fish, followed by beasts with sharp teeth swimming past.
While younger children are impressed with the imagery, believing the audience are the ones that are moving throughout grasslands, and prairies, rather than the camera, and try to touch the moving pictures in front of them, whether its dinosaurs, eggs or grass, the older ones and adults watching are kept well informed about recent fossil findings, facts on different dinosaurs and what were the combined causes behind their extinctions. Children under five years may be a little afraid by the intense fighting sequences, and being so close to these powerful beasts but they will be mesmerised by just how close they can be to the dinosaurs, without being in any real danger.
On a humorous side, there are the occasional elements that will have both children and adults in stitches. When a larger dinosaur sets upon a Velociraptor, the audience are informed the Velociraptor had feathers like a bird but - as it falls over a cliff - could not fly. This brand new 3D film from Sky High Entertainment opens exclusively to BFI IMAX on June 29th, and will be an amazing experience whether you are five, 15, or 50.
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