Dinosaur

***Dinosaur*** is a 2000 American live-action/computer-animated adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and The Secret Lab. The 39th Disney animated feature film,1 it follows a heroic young *Iguanodon* who was adopted and raised by a family of lemurs on a tropical island. After surviving a devastating meteor shower, the family move out for their new home and befriend a herd of dinosaurs along the way while on a journey to the "Nesting Grounds". Unfortunately, they are being hunted down by predators such as *Carnotaurus*.

The initial idea was conceived in 1986 by Phil Tippett and Paul Verhoeven where it was conceived as a darker, naturalistic film about dinosaurs. The project underwent numerous iterations with multiple directors attached. In 1994, Walt Disney Feature Animation began development on the project and spent several years developing the software to create the dinosaurs. While the characters in *Dinosaur* are computer-generated, most of the backgrounds are live-action and were filmed on location. A number of backgrounds were found in various continents such as the Americas and Asia; various tepuis and Angel Falls also appear in the film. It is the second film (after *Fantasia 2000*) produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation to feature computer-generated three-dimensional animation. With a budget of $127.5 million, *Dinosaur* was the most expensive computer-animated film at the time and was the most expensive film of 2000.[2]

*Dinosaur* was released on May 19, 2000. The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes criticizes the plot but praises the art. The film grossed $137.7 million in the US and $350 million worldwide, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2000.[1] It was the fourth best-selling home video release of 2001, selling 10.6 million copies and garnering $198 million in sales.

## Plot

In a dinosaur breeding ground, a *Carnotaurus* triggers a stampede after being discovered by a young *Parasaurolophus*. An *Iguanodon* mother is forced to abandon her nest which is trampled by the pursuing predator. The only surviving egg is snatched by an *Oviraptor*, journeying on through several terrains before landing on a tropical island populated by prehistoric lemurs. Plio; the daughter of their patriarch Yar, names the hatched baby Aladar and raises him despite Yar's initial objections.

Years later, a fully grown Aladar and the lemurs take part in a mating ritual, where his friend; Zini is unable to achieve a mate. Moments after the ritual ends, they are interrupted by a meteor shower and a gigantic meteoroid crashing into the Earth. The explosive blast wave destroys the island and annihilates nearly all the lemurs. Aladar, along with Plio, Yar, Zini and Suri, flee and survive by leaping across the sea towards the mainland. They look back at their ruined home and mourn for the loss of their loved ones before deciding to move on.

While crossing deserted wastelands, the group are attacked by a pack of *Velociraptors*. After escaping from them, the family encounter a massive herd of dinosaurs led by Iguanodons; Kron the leader and his lieutenant, Bruton. The herd are on a journey to the "Nesting Grounds" a sanctuary left untouched by the devastation of the meteor. After the herd rest for the night, Aladar and the lemurs befriend Baylene, an elderly *Brachiosaurus*; her friend Eema, a *Styracosaurus*; and Url, her pet dog-like *Ankylosaurus*. The next morning, the herd reach a seemingly dried lake which they have relied on in the past. Kron orders the herd to move on until Aladar and his friends discover water trapped under the surface, thereby saving the herd from dehydration. Kron's sister Neera impressed by Aladar's compassion begins to have a relationship with him. Meanwhile, two *Carnotaurus* have been following the herd's tracks for days and begin stalking them for food. Bruton and a scout search for water in a canyon, but are ambushed and attacked by the Carnotaurs. Bruton manages to escape and warns Kron about the predators, panicking the entire herd. Kron picks up the pace and evacuates the herd, leaving Aladar, the lemurs and the elderly dinosaurs behind while the Carnotaurs are in pursuit some distance away.

During a rainstorm, the group encounter Bruton who was left behind by Kron, before taking shelter in a cave. Shortly after, the *Carnotaurus* enter the cave and attack the group, but Bruton sacrifices himself by causing a cave in which kills one of them. The surviving Carnotaur leaves the cave swearing vengeance for its dead companion. Aladar and his friends escape and venture deeper, but reach a dead end. They smash through the obstacle and arrive at the Nesting Grounds on the other side. While exploring, Eema finds a large wall of boulders blocking the original entrance to the valley. Realizing that the herd will never make it over, Aladar rushes off alone to rescue them, although he is pursued by the *Carnotaurus* along the way. Aladar soon catches up with Kron, Neera, and the herd, suggesting a safer way to the valley, but Kron selfishly refuses. Kron loses his temper and fights Aladar, but Neera comes to the latter's aid. The herd eventually turns back against Kron and abandons him, deciding to let Aladar lead them to the Nesting Grounds instead.

As they prepare to leave, Aladar, Neera, and the herd find themselves cornered by the enraged *Carnotaurus*. Aladar rallies Neera and the herd to stand together and they drive back against the predator. The *Carnotaurus* then chases after Kron, who attempts to climb over the cliff himself. When Kron reaches a sheer drop, he realizes that Aladar was right and tries to defend himself against the *Carnotaurus* but is fatally wounded. As it prepares to finish Kron off, Neera saves her brother but is quickly overwhelmed. Aladar then fights the *Carnotaurus* until the cliff underneath breaks apart, sending the predator plummeting to its death. Kron then dies from his wounds.

Now as their new leader, Aladar and Neera lead the herd to the Nesting Grounds. Sometime later, a new breed of dinosaurs hatch, among them are Aladar and Neera's children. The lemurs find more of their kind and the group all begin a new life together in their new home.