The best dinosaur movies

Ash Walker • 03 Jul 2025 Features

Life…uh…finds a way.

There’s something inherently cinematic about dinosaurs: gigantic reptiles, sometimes gentle giants, sometimes man-eating beasts - monstrous and magnificent in equal measure. Who wouldn’t want to see that on the big screen?

But, surprisingly, there are only a handful of dinosaur movies that are actually, you know, good. We’ve corralled the best of the bunch and put them on display for your entertainment. Hopefully nothing manages to escape…

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Credit: The Good Dinosaur - Official US Trailer (Pixar, YouTube)

It might not be as beloved as some of Pixar’s bigger guns, like Toy Story or Finding Nemo, but The Good Dinosaur still has its fans - and with good reason.

It imagines an alternate world where the dinosaurs never went extinct, and the big scaly beasts have developed a society very much like ours, with farms and technology. Humans, meanwhile, have still evolved into existence but live as feral creatures out in the woods.

What follows is a classic Pixar culture clash adventure, as young apatosaurus Arlo teams up with a wild caveboy who he names Spot. A fun, beautiful movie, with that little bit of magic that only Pixar can provide.

65 (2023)

Credit: 65 – Official Trailer (HD) (Sony Pictures Entertainment, YouTube)

A fun sci-fi action romp in which Adam Driver plays a spaceman stranded on Earth, 65 million years ago.

There’s barely any dialogue at all - the taciturn Driver is paired with a little girl who doesn’t speak a word of English, and everyone else in the film is a ravenous dinosaur - but there’s more than enough action to hold your attention throughout.

The apocalyptic finale in particular is a standout, as Driver’s spaceman must attempt to fix his busted ship while fending off a vengeful t-rex. Oh, and the asteroid that ended the Cretacious with a bang.

We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story (1993)

Credit: We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story - 1993 Theatrical Trailer (35mm 4K) (Animation Compendia, YouTube)

The other great animated dinosaur film of the ‘80s and ‘90s (more on that later), We’re Back is an often overlooked cult favourite, which sees a quartet of loveable dinos brought to the present and gifted intelligence by a mad scientist.

The dinos - hot dog-loving triceratops Woog, pteranodon Elsa, parasaurolophus Dweeb and a t-rex called, obviously, Rex - befriend a couple of kids and go up against the genuinely scary Professor Screweyes.

It’s pretty light on plot, heavy on hijinx, but this is a fun, fantastical adventure and perfect for any kid who’s ever wished to befriend a dinosaur.

King Kong (1933 & 2005)

Credit: King Kong Extended - Trailer (Universal Pictures All-Access, YouTube)

While the dinosaurs in either version of King Kong might not take the focus - or the top billing - they’re an integral part of the story and, in the 1933 original in particular, a showcase for some truly mind-blowing special effects.

Forget the fact that a herbivorous sauropod probably wouldn’t eat a man whole; actually seeing it realised on screen in revolutionary stop motion animation is still as impressive today as it was 90-odd years ago. And it’s nothing compared to the scene where our hairy hero fights a t-rex to the death.

The effects in Peter Jackson’s mammoth remake are a lot more technologically advanced, but they do lack some of the charm of the original. Still, either version is a feast for the senses, and filled to the brim with dinosaur action.

The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

Credit: The Valley of Gwangi (1969) Official Trailer - Dinosaur Western Movie HD (Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers, YouTube)

Speaking of stop motion effects, nobody ever did it better than the legendary Ray Harryhausen. The man behind Clash of the Titans and Jason and the Argonauts turned his hand to dinosaurs a number of times during his career - see also One Million Years BC - but for our money The Valley of Gwangi is some of his best work.

The story’s pulpy nonsense - prospectors find a hidden valley in the American West filled with prehistoric creatures, and try to profit from it - but it does give us something that, honestly, more movies should feature: dinosaurs vs cowboys!

Need we say more?

The Land Before Time (1988)

Credit: The Land Before Time (1988) Theatrical Trailer (Amblin, YouTube)

Don Bluth’s prehistoric masterpiece, this animated adventure defined the childhoods of an entire generation of dinosaur-loving kids.

Separated from their parents, a group of young dinos must find their way across a desolate, famine-stricken landscape, dodging carnivorous ‘sharp-tooths’, to find the mythical Great Valley. You’ll instantly fall in love with each of the adorable lead reptiles, and be genuinely scared when they’re chased by a ferocious t-rex.

You’ll also be a blubbering wreck by the end of the film, as their journey comes to a bittersweet end. Wonderful stuff.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Credit: Jurassic Park (1993) Theatrical Trailer (Amblin, YouTube)

The big one. The undisputed king of dinosaur movies. The GOAT, if you will (although not to be confused with the one which gets torn apart by the t-rex).

Jurassic Park is a masterpiece. Nearly every shot, every line spoken by its incredible cast has become iconic over the years since its release. “Life, uh, finds a way.” “Clever girl.” “Ah, ah, ah, you didn’t say the magic word!” We could go on for hours.

And the effects - a mixture of animatronics, puppetry and groundbreaking digital animation - still hold up to this day, over 30 years later. In fact, you could argue that the dinosaurs have never really looked better than they do here.

The sequels - Jurassic World in particular - are decent enough, and a lot of fun, but if you want the ultimate dinosaur movie experience, look no further than Jurassic Park.

Still itching to sink your teeth into another dinosaur movie? Jurassic World: Rebirth is now in cinemas, and you can catch it for free with Sky - get two free cinema tickets every month with a Sky Cinema subscription.