Dinosaur 13
A gripping documentary follows paleontologist Peter Larson’s decade-long struggle to protect Sue, the most complete T. rex ever discovered, from institutional and legal forces.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- awe-inspiring
- tense
- engrossing
- educational viewing
- documentary night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the documentary engrossing and thrilling in its treatment of scientific discovery and political conflict, while noting its slanted perspective and incomplete account of the story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The discovery of Sue is structured around a decade-long legal battle involving the government, museums, tribes, and rival paleontologists.
Peter Larson and his team fight over who has legal authority to possess and study the T. rex fossil.
The exhilaration of finding the most complete T. rex is countered by imprisonment, legal defeat, and an ending critics described as unfair and bittersweet.
The Black Hills Institute confronts federal authorities, powerful museums, Native American tribes, and competing paleontologists.
Films like Dinosaur 13, and why
The Cove
scientific investigation presented with thriller-like tension and institutional conflict
Blackfish
environmental and scientific documentary shaped as an engrossing conflict narrative
Man on Wire
real-world struggle against powerful institutions with suspenseful documentary storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- Todd Douglas Miller
- Release Date
- 2014-04-26
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (102)
Cast
- Peter L. Larson
- Louie Psihoyos
- Stan Adelstein
- Lanice Archer
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, CuriosityStream Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, CuriosityStream Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dinosaur 13 about?
- A gripping documentary follows paleontologist Peter Larson’s decade-long struggle to protect Sue, the most complete T. rex ever discovered, from institutional and legal forces.
- What is Dinosaur 13 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dinosaur 13 as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Dinosaur 13 violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Dinosaur 13.
- What did critics think of Dinosaur 13?
- Critics broadly found the documentary engrossing and thrilling in its treatment of scientific discovery and political conflict, while noting its slanted perspective and incomplete account of the story.
- Which films are like Dinosaur 13?
- Films with a similar feel include The Cove, Blackfish, and Man on Wire.
- How long is Dinosaur 13?
- Dinosaur 13 runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dinosaur 13?
- In United States, Dinosaur 13 streams on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, CuriosityStream Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, CuriosityStream Amazon Channel.
