Dinosaur Island

Gr 4–8—When Lucas accidentally activates a magic crystal, he is transported to a mysterious island, where he discovers jungles, dinosaurs, lost ships and airplanes, and a girl named Kate. She is also from another time, 1955, and has been on the island for more than a year and knows her way around. Both adolescents are knowledgeable in various scientific fields, and they collaborate to solve problems and find a way to return to their own times. Though the general concept of the film is fun and somewhat educational, there are several shortcomings beyond the flimsy plot. Character development is weak at best: protagonists remain the same throughout, and supporting characters are caricatures, such as a bully, the mean teacher, and a stereotypical tribe of "natives" who are inexplicably living on this mysterious island. Younger viewers may have trouble separating fact from fiction, as educational science facts are mixed with completely made-up magical plot devices. The educational content is at a middle or high school level, while the story is aimed at elementary school viewers, and the emotional content is at a preschool level. Tweens and teens will be bored by the weak plot and cheesy characters, while younger viewers will miss any factual tidbits.