We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Dinosaurs eat mind-altering cereal, time travel to NYC, and become best friends with neglected children while fighting an evil circus owner with a screw for an eye.

🍿 We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story: Detailed Plot Synopsis

The Origin of Intelligent Dinosaurs

The film begins in prehistoric times, where a Tyrannosaurus Rex terrorizes other dinosaurs. Suddenly, a time-traveling scientist named Captain Neweyes arrives in his spaceship. Neweyes feeds the T-Rex ‘Brain Grain,’ a cereal that increases intelligence and makes him gentle. He transforms into Rex, a friendly and articulate dinosaur.

Journey to Modern New York

Captain Neweyes introduces Rex to other dinosaurs also transformed by the Brain Grain: Woog the Triceratops, Elsa the Pteranodon, and Dweeb the Parasaurolophus. Neweyes reveals his plan to bring the dinosaurs to present-day New York City to fulfill children’s wishes. He warns them about his evil brother, Professor Screweyes, who seeks to cause mischief.

Meeting Louie and Cecilia

In New York, the dinosaurs encounter Louie, a runaway planning to join the circus, and Cecilia, a neglected rich girl. The children agree to help the dinosaurs reach the Museum of Natural History, where they are supposed to meet Dr. Bleeb. To avoid causing panic, they disguise the dinosaurs as floats in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but chaos ensues when the public discovers the dinosaurs are real.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Rex (John Goodman): A Tyrannosaurus Rex transformed by Brain Grain into an intelligent and gentle dinosaur who wants to grant children’s wishes.
• Louie (Joey Shea): A street-smart but secretly soft-hearted runaway boy who befriends the dinosaurs.
• Cecilia (Yeardley Smith): A neglected and wealthy girl who runs away from home and joins Louie in helping the dinosaurs.
• Professor Screweyes (Kenneth Mars): The nefarious and evil brother of Captain Neweyes who runs a circus and seeks to exploit the dinosaurs by scaring people.
• Captain Neweyes (Walter Cronkite): The time-traveling inventor of Brain Grain who brings the dinosaurs to the present to fulfill the wishes of children.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Professor Screweyes: “Hey Stubbs! Where do you think you’re going? Get back here!” – Professor Screweyes shouts at Stubbs the Clown when he tries to quit the circus.
• Stubbs the Clown: “Oh, I forgot to tell ya… I QUIT! I quit! Ha! I resign! Are you gettin’ this completely in your ear? I am PROFOUNDLY outta here!” – Stubbs emphatically declares his resignation from Professor Screweyes’ circus.
• Stubbs the Clown: “And this ain’t about money. I ain’t even complaining about my dry cleaning bill. But hang around with elephants all day and try to keep YOUR clothes clean!” – Stubbs continues to explain his reasons for quitting in a humorous way.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $45M (estimated)
• Domestic Gross: $9.3M
• Worldwide Gross: $9.3M

💥 We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story Reviews

Personal Review

As a kid, this movie was pure magic! The idea of friendly dinosaurs coming to life in New York City was just amazing. I especially loved the parade scene and the villain, Professor Screweyes, scared me so much! Even now, watching it brings back such warm, nostalgic feelings. I think that any family will enjoy it.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Children who love dinosaurs”
  • “Families looking for a light-hearted adventure”
  • “Fans of 90s animation”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Some scenes with Professor Screweyes may be frightening for very young children”
  • “Brief depiction of characters transformed into chimpanzees”

Professional Reviews

• ScreenRant: “VFX artists are raving about the animation’s technical achievements. The blend of traditional animation with early CGI is surprisingly effective and holds up well today, showcasing impressive artistry.
• CBR: “While not a blockbuster, the film is remembered for its unique premise. A time-traveling scientist turns dinosaurs into intelligent beings to fulfill children’s wishes. The film’s bizarre nature has cemented its place in animation history.
• IMDB User Review: “This is a sweet and well-meaning movie. Kids will definitely love it and won’t mind the flaws, and the adults can admire the subliminal messaging of the film. It has a great message that added to its sweetness.

Audience Reactions

Kids loved the talking dinosaurs and the colorful animation.: The movie is a fun and imaginative adventure for children, despite its flaws.

The villain, Professor Screweyes, was both scary and memorable.: Screweyes is an effective villain who is crafty.

Overall Consensus: While the plot may be strange and the animation isn’t top-tier, “We’re Back!” is a nostalgic and enjoyable film for kids, with a unique premise and memorable characters.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film is based on the children’s book of the same name by Hudson Talbott.”
• “Amblimation, the studio that produced the film, was Steven Spielberg’s London-based animation studio.”
• “Several well-known figures provided voices for the film, including Walter Cronkite and Julia Child.”
• “The musical score was composed by James Horner, known for his work on films like ‘Titanic’ and ‘An American Tail’.”

🖥️ How to Watch We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story?

Currently, ‘We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story’ is available for rent or purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. Check your preferred streaming service for availability, as options may change.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story, you might like these similar films:

• The Land Before Time (1988): Features a group of young dinosaurs on a journey, appealing to the same audience.
• An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991): Another Amblimation film from the same era, sharing a similar animation style and family-friendly adventure.
• Dinotopia (2002) miniseries: Live-action series where humans and intelligent dinosaurs coexist, exploring similar themes of friendship and understanding.
• The Good Dinosaur (2015): A modern animated film exploring the relationship between a dinosaur and a human, with a focus on adventure and friendship.

🛒 We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story Related Products

• We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story (VHS): A nostalgic piece of 90s animation history. Relive the magic of watching the movie on VHS, complete with the original packaging and charm.
• Dinosaur Toys Set: Set of miniature dinosaur figures with similar characters to the movies, includes a T-Rex, Triceratops, a Pteranodon and a Parasaurolophus.
• Dinosaur Coloring Book: A digital coloring book with scenes and characters. An excellent way to immerse themselves in the dino-filled world of “We’re Back!”.
• “Brain Grain” Cereal T-Shirt: A fun t-shirt featuring the iconic “Brain Grain” cereal box design from the movie. Made from soft, comfortable material.

🎧 Soundtrack

We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Roll Back The Rock (To The Dawn Of Time) (Finale Version)” – performed by Little Richard
• “Main Title / Rex’s Rampage” – performed by James Horner
• “The Brain Grain” – performed by James Horner

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story – AniMat’s Classic Reviews

Ever wondered if ‘We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story’ holds up? AniMat’s review dives deep, pointing out the film’s bizarre plot points and overall weirdness. Honestly, it’s a wild ride of nostalgia and WTF moments!

Cartoon Theatre Promo (We’re Back A Dinosaur’s Story) (1999)

Remember Cartoon Theatre? This promo for ‘We’re Back!’ will bring you right back to Saturday mornings. Check it out and see how they convinced us to watch talking dinosaurs back in the day!

Louie And Cecilia Hypnotized

Remember the hypnotism scene in ‘We’re Back!’? This video breaks down how strange and potentially unsettling it was. Trust me, you’ll never look at those swirling eyes the same way again.

✨ Rate