Story: A new reality show promises one of a kind thrills and experiences, with a simple task extended to the contestants, to spend twenty-four hours at a remote estate. With a substantial cash prize involved, the show attracts a lot of applicants and the finalists have just arrived at the house. Sienna (Chrissie Wunna) is in dire need of funds and is determined to win, though she had to sneak her kids onto the estate, since she didn’t have a sitter. Once the finalists have settled in a little, they’re brought outside and the game is explained. The estate is home to real, often dangerous dinosaurs that will hunt them down without mercy, but for whoever survives, that cash prize awaits. Can Sienna manage to not only survive, but keep her kids safe and evade the dinosaurs on the way to taking home the prize?

Entertainment Value: Dinosaur Hotel more than delivers on the promise of the title, delivering a host of dinosaurs to amuse us, all brought to life in rather hilarious fashion. This is low end CGI visual effects, so the dinosaurs look cheap and not believable whatsoever, but that’s bad in this case. I think the laughable dinosaurs add to the entertainment and the general b movie vibes, which Dinosaur Hotel has a lot of. The plot is passable I suppose and once the dinosaurs are unleashed, the survival element is the central narrative theme. I wouldn’t have minded some dialed up wackiness at times, but there is a good deal of unintentional humor and b movie vibes to soak in. The dialogue is basic and gets the job done, but can sometimes be overly serious or just delivered in an odd way, which leads to humorous moments. The pace is fine, though a boost here and there or more set pieces wouldn’t have hurt. I had a good time with Dinosaur Hotel and for those who appreciate a fun, low rent b movie from time to time, this one is worth a spin.

The performances here aren’t likely to rack up dramatic praise, but the cast seems to embrace the material and you can’t question their energy here. And to me, in the case of a wild b movie like Dinosaur Hotel, enthusiasm can make a big difference and take even mediocre material to more entertaining heights. That’s true here, as the combination of the basic dialogue and energetic cast makes for some b movie gold. Chrissie Wunna is fun to watch here and while she is often over the top, I don’t think that’s out of place with this kind of content. She’s a likable lead and kept my attention even when the dinosaurs weren’t around, so that’s some decent praise. Her children also perform in the movie and are very entertaining, providing some of the more humorous and memorable moments. The cast also includes Kate Sandison, Aimee Marie Higham, and Chelsea Greenwood.

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