Pixar is undeniably a leading animation studio. Their film Toy Story revolutionized 3D animation, and their movies have since become beloved classics in homes everywhere. However, even Pixar, despite its success, has had a few missteps, and this particular film is one of them.
Pixar, while still capable of big successes like Inside Out 2 and Incredibles 2, has faced challenges in recent years at the box office. After a few difficult releases, many movie fans are questioning if Pixar can recapture the brilliance of its earlier films. However, the underwhelming performance of The Good Dinosaur over a decade ago suggests that Pixar learns from its setbacks and still has the ability to surprise and delight audiences.
The Good Dinosaur Is Easily Pixar’s Worst Film
The Good Dinosaur is generally considered one of the weaker films in Pixar’s lineup. This 2015 animated movie imagines a world where dinosaurs didn’t die out, but instead evolved and built their own civilization. The story follows Arlo, a young Apatosaurus, who gets lost and must find his way back to his family, and his journey is complicated by an unlikely companion: a human child.
While The Good Dinosaur received generally okay reviews – it has a 76% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes – it wasn’t a hit with moviegoers. Despite costing a significant $187 million to make, the film only brought in around $330 million at the box office, according to The Numbers.
Critics liked The Good Dinosaur, but general audiences didn’t – and it’s not because the movie is poorly made. It’s because it doesn’t live up to the high standards we expect from Pixar. For decades, Pixar has been a leader in animation, known for telling stories that are both creative and deeply moving. While The Good Dinosaur is visually impressive, it unfortunately feels uninspired and lacks the imaginative spark that defines Pixar’s best work.
Honestly, watching The Good Dinosaur felt like I’d seen it all before, and done better. The idea of a dinosaur raising a human kid? It’s been done. A dinosaur trying to get home after losing a parent? The Land Before Time did that so much more powerfully. This movie doesn’t really try anything new; it just sticks to a really safe, familiar story. It’s not bad, exactly, but it feels like the most simple, straightforward Pixar has ever been. It just didn’t grab me the way their other films do.
Pixar Has Learned From The Good Dinosaur’s Disappointment
Despite some recent disappointments at the box office, Pixar seems to have recovered from the struggles of The Good Dinosaur. Critics aside, many of their recent movies – even those that didn’t perform well – show a return to the studio’s original strengths: creative storytelling and innovative animation.
Pixar’s latest films, such as Elemental and Soul, offer fresh viewpoints and often explore significant topics like life, death, and social injustice. Even a lighter film, like the upcoming body-swap comedy, can succeed as long as it brings something new to the genre. This creativity and originality are actually more important to Pixar’s identity than simply making a lot of money at the box office.
Pixar seems to be focusing more on sequels and established franchises lately, with new installments like Toy Story 5, Incredibles 3, and Coco 2 planned. However, films like Inside Out 2 demonstrate Pixar’s ability to create original stories even within existing franchises. If Pixar continues to balance new ideas with familiar favorites, it can maintain its reputation for quality filmmaking.
Pixar has faced some challenges recently, with several of its newer films not performing well in theaters. However, the studio seems determined to improve and is showing it can learn from setbacks, which is a good sign as long as they continue to create original and inventive stories. While The Good Dinosaur wasn’t one of Pixar’s biggest successes, it highlighted the importance of constantly trying new things.
The Good Dinosaur is available to stream on Disney+.
Found an error? Send it so it can be corrected.
Read More
- All Golden Ball Locations in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
- All Itzaland Animal Locations in Infinity Nikki
- James Gandolfini’s Top 10 Tony Soprano Performances On The Sopranos
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Unlocking the Jaunty Bundle in Nightingale: What You Need to Know!
- Elder Scrolls 6 Has to Overcome an RPG Problem That Bethesda Has Made With Recent Games
- Super Animal Royale: All Mole Transportation Network Locations Guide
- Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance Recruitment Guide
- Not My Robin Hood
- Best Zombie Movies (October 2025)
2026-02-20 04:06