Overall Thoughts: Kids' fantasy isn't original enough to stand out, but it is very sweet, humble, and well-animated.
Based on a 1948 children's book, My Father's Dragon is a kind-hearted story about the value of friendship, hard work, and being honest about your fears. Considering the simplicity of the story, hand-drawn animation is perhaps the best way to retell this story. And, with stellar projects such as Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon proves to be more than up for the challenge.
The one inescapable concept that keeps My Father's Dragon from reaching the stratosphere of classic animated films is that it's not original or creative enough to really stand out. We've seen the "boy and his new interesting friend" story several times already. And, the themes, while very positive, have been explored in multiple kids movies in better, more creative ways. I can acknowledge some of that is a timing issue, as maybe this would have hit better if it had been released earlier than, say, 2009.
That is a little unfortunate, because the movie is colorful and engaging in its own right. Hand-drawn animation is always a treat, and the characters are all inviting and fun. Boris (voiced well by Gaten Matarazzo) is a sympathetic, fairly well-developed character, but his design and overall execution borrows a little too much from Elliot from Pete's Dragon, Sisu from Raya and the Last Dragon, and others.
The voicework is good across the board. Jacob Tremblay gives the emotion and energy needed for Elmer, while Goshifteh Farahani provides warmth and kindness to his mother. Rita Moreno gets a few moments as Ms. McLaren, a grouchy landlord with hints of a heart of gold. The animals have some starpower in their voices, including Ian McShane as a somewhat mysterious gorilla named Saiwa. Out of all the characters, his had surprisingly more to it than I expected. Whoopi Goldberg, Dianne Wiest, Chris O'Dowd, Leighton Meester, Judy Greer and Alan Cumming all do a terrific job in smaller roles. Some ham it up, and some don't.
The pacing is a little slow at times, but it all adds up to a solid third act where friendships are tested and characters are revealed to be a little bit more than they seem. This helps add a little bit of gravitas to the predictable kids' story formula. The music score by Jeff and Mychael Danna accentuates the gentle, humble and colorful themes.
Ultimately, My Father's Dragon is a safe and colorful film for kids to watch at home. It makes for a fine, family-friendly movie on Netflix. It isn't nearly as complex, original, or risky as Cartoon Saloon's other features, but it's simple charms will do.
Grade: B
Is this movie family-friendly? My Father's Dragon is rated PG for "some peril". There are a handful of moments where characters are in some kind of danger. An island is nearly flooded in a few scenes. One character is tied and seemingly asked to stay tied to help keep an island from sinking. Some slapstick moments. A few characters try to eat Elmer and Boris. One use of "oh my g**!" out of shock. One character runs away from home. A couple of emotional moments. Overall, this movie is a fine choice for ages 6 and up.
