[Film Review] The Blood of the Dinosaurs (2021)

An opening sequence almost too fitting for this type of film comically enters the screen as an actor of this very project asks writer-director Joe Badon, “what the hell is your movie about?”

Laughter fills the room, until we’re eventually buckled into Badon’s wild, transgenerational comedy-horror ride that is the 17-minute short film The Blood of the Dinosaurs (2021).

So, just what is this movie about, exactly? At first glance, many things. Just as the title suggests, we see a vivid, theatrical reenactment of the mass extinction of dinosaurs, a plethora of toy props and pixelated animation creatively used to get a sense of the film’s late-night Adult Swim-inspired tone. Fans of Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared will enjoy the following segment involving a brightly-coloured kitchen fronted by none other than Uncle Bobbo, a creepy reimagining of Mister Rogers; his cadence similar to the latter but not without pauses of eerie silence as Bobbo stares into your soul, desperately trying to pass off as “normal”. 

His episodic educational program seems to centre on a particular question a young viewer may have, with this specific episode exploring the origin of the fabrication of tires: oil. Uncle Bobbo’s bright-eyed, bushy-tailed child assistant, Purity, jumps into the explanation, only for it to be skewed towards horrifying visuals of our favourite uncle tearing into a (fake!) baby’s flesh. 

To delve deeper into the already off-putting scenario, the simulated kids’ show segues into the follow-up question of where oil comes from. This isolated tranche of frantic visual events is arguably the meat of the film, more disoriented than ever, yet oddly tying everything together nicely if you’re able to keep up. Pumpjacks, chocolate fudge drizzled onto ice cream and a parody of a recognizable adult website template are inventive cues of what Dinosaurs is really trying to convey; the age-old dilemma of explaining to a child where babies come from. 

While the metaphor may be obvious, Badon’s own feelings towards the subject is up for interpretation - is the hectic spirit of the film a reflection of an adult’s flustered approach to explaining uncomfortable topics to a child? Or is it a hilarious ode to anxious parents and their inevitable fate of facing this exact situation, as a sort of reassurance that there is no graceful way to push through such a discussion, and so to not let it consume your thoughts? As much as I would’ve liked a more thorough insight into the director’s intended narrative (which may at last come to light, as the next chapter of the film is teased towards the end), Dinosaurs is a solid juxtaposition of a natural process of life displayed in the most uncanny valley way possible. 

The sound design is not to be forgotten, with cartoonish sound effects adding to the overall uneasy atmosphere. Other technical aspects and set designs are brilliantly conjured up to bring this odd little world to life, and in hopes of receiving a clearer narrative purpose in its successor, Badon’s film baby will no doubt grow into something even more daring and outlandish. 

The next time a kid barrages you with questions on reproduction, show them this film for size. 

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