Planet of Dinosaurs strands space travelers in a prehistoric environment where their technology cannot provide an easy exit. Its stop motion creatures give the landscape a physical identity, while the group must renegotiate leadership and survival. The best way to watch is to notice the interaction between human scale and the animated animals: distance, eyelines and terrain make an encounter convincing before contact occurs. The adventure becomes a test of whether people can form a workable society when their usual advantages disappear.