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My Father’s Dragon Movie Review

My Father’s Dragon is a 2022 animated fantasy film directed by Nora Twomey. It is a solid flick, but it’s far from the studio’s best works.

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“I would dry up oceans with fire and destroy mountains with my roar for you!“

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Elmer, who is having trouble adjusting to his new life, decides to set out to find Wild Island and rescue a young dragon. His adventures will lead him to encounter ferocious beasts, discover a mysterious place and make a new friendship. Released on Netflix and made by Cartoon Saloon, famous for ‘The Breadwinner’ and the Irish films directed by Tomm Moore, My Father’s Dragon came across as a disappointment in comparison to those previous efforts.

That is because the culturally authentic elements present in those movies are entirely absent in this film that is very much intended for kids first and foremost. That isn’t a bad thing per say, but it needed at least some element or two that would appeal to adults as well. The storyline is very standard. The message that it is okay to be afraid is a great one for children to learn, but it’s not like this is the first cartoon to make that point.

I did like the voices here. Jacob Tremblay did a very good job in the main role while Gaten Matarazzo of ‘Stranger Things’ fame gave a lot of heart to Boris the Dragon. The relationship that develops between Elmer and Boris is beautiful and that is the heart of this movie. It’s a very realistic relationship when put into the context of two boys hanging out together, but it’s also elevated by both characters yearning to prove themselves.

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My Father’s Dragon also features gorgeous traditional animation that is very pleasing to the eye while also benefiting from terrific character designs. The color palette is warmly colorful and the world building is excellent as Wild Island is beautifully rendered and quite intricate. The score is also tender and sweet. The problem with the movie is its terrible pacing as the flick is too episodic for its own sake and populated by side characters that don’t quite work given their very short roles. It also needed a bit more humor in its tone given that it was made for kids.