[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/march_of_the_dinosaurs36185.jpg]]

''March of the Dinosaurs'' (2011) is a feature-length SpeculativeDocumentary film made by Creator/{{ITV}}. It tells the story of two different dinosaur youngsters: Scar, a small ''Edmontosaurus'' trying to keep up with his herd on their long journey south; and Patch, a sub-adult ''Troodon'' who struggles to survive and find a mate in the freezing wilderness of the North Pole.

Its complete imagery has been created with the help of [[ComputerGeneratedImages CGI]], as opposed to many similar programs that use real-life environments and only CGI the animals. The film features no cut-away scenes or any talking heads, but instead (much like the famed ''Series/WalkingWithDinosaurs'') focuses on telling a story through its visuals and [[{{Narrator}} narration]] provided by Creator/StephenFry. It can be seen as the first of a new generation of CGI dinosaur documentaries.

Due to the way it "humanizes" some of the dinosaurs, the program is also very similar to Creator/DiscoveryChannel's ''Series/DinosaurPlanet'' and ''Series/DinosaurRevolution''.
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!!''March of the Dinosaurs'' provide examples of the following tropes:

* AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler: Despite not being a villain in the traditional sense, just a predator trying to survive, the ''Gorgosaurus''’s final fate is very pitiful. After his right leg (which had only just healed from a badly infected ''Troodon'' bite) is reinjured by the shoulder spikes of the female ankylosaur - this time fatally broken - the bleeding, fatally injured tyrannosaur limps away to die in his lair.]]
* AnachronismStew: Mostly subverted but played straight with the ''Gorgosaurus'', who lived during the Campanian instead of the Maastrichtian, but that's because the Alaskan tyrannosaur on which this depiction is based on turned out to be a separate taxon.
* AquaticHadrosaurs: Averted. ''Edmontosaurus'' are depicted as mostly terrestrial creatures. The herd only ends up in water by accident after the ice beneath them breaks under their weight, and while they are capable of swimming, the lake isn't a safe place for them because of the ''Prognathodon''.
* ArtisticLicensePaleontology:
** The ''Prognathodon'' is depicted more like an {{Expy}} of the giant alligatoroid ''Deinosuchus'', being able to live in both fresh and saltwater and actively hunting dinosaurs, down to the scene where they congregate to attack the migrating duckbills and ''Pachyrhinosaurus'' being a direct homage to Nile crocodiles hunting migrating zebra and wildebeest during river crossings today. Not only is there no evidence that ''Prognathodon'' behaved like that, but it and other giant, derived mosasaurs are known exclusively from marine deposits and were much more analogous to killer whales and sharks (open ocean predators). You get the sense that the producers really wanted to use ''Deinosuchus'' but couldn't, due to the story being set in the frigid north, where ectothermic crocodiles couldn't exist.
*** The only known freshwater mosasaur is ''Pannoniasaurus'', but it was only 6 meters long, native to Europe, and a much more basal form of mosasaur. Isotope analysis on teeth also suggests that small-bodied mosasaurs like ''Platecarpus'' and ''Clidastes'' also sometimes entered freshwater, but not giant forms.
** While the notion itself that derived tyrannosauroids were extensively feathered has become dated, here, they are depicted as sporting pennaceous (branching) feathers. Though tyrannosaurs are coelurosaurs, pennaceous feathers are only known from the more derived maniraptoriformes, while tyrannosaurs are basal coelurosaurs and would have possessed more simplistic, hair-like plumage, as confirmed by ''Dilong'' and ''Yutyrannus''.
** In an example of RuleOfScary, during the attack on the herd, we see one of the 3-ton ''Albertosaurus'' leaping into the air as it blindsides an ''Edmontosaurus'', ala the T. rex from ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime''. Pretty self-explanatory.
** Incorrect number of claws on the ceratopsians and ankylosaur.
** The ''Quetzalcoatlus'' is a mixed bag. On one hand, for once, it has accurate proportions for an azhdarchid (proportionally short wings, long neck, large head), and is not depicted as a piscivore but a terrestrial forager, but on the other hand, it lacks pycnofibers, as well as wing fingers, and most egregiously, it’s depicted as a bird-like ''biped'', even though the notion that pterosaurs were bipedal died out during the 90s.
* AscendedToCarnivorism: A realistic "situational omnivore" example: as plants die off in the fall, the ankylosaur forages grubs from rotten trees as a source of food, and Scar mimics out of sheer hunger.
* TheCavalry: The ''Pachyrhinosaurus'' herd comes in to [[spoiler:unintentionally escort Scar across the river.]]
* ChekhovsSkill: ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursTrueDinosaurs Troodon]]'' "[[RuleOfCool seeing in slow motion]]".
* CirclingVultures: The ''Quetzalcoatlus'' fill this role.
* CoolOldLady: The old female ankylosaur. She not only survives the winter on her fat reserves, [[spoiler: but she also is the one to finish off the ''Gorgosaurus''.]]
%%* CrapsackWorld
* DeathbringerTheAdorable: Our lead dino is named Scar, and from the name alone you'd think he was some grizzled and badass [[TerrifyingTyrannosaur tyrannosaur]], [[RaptorAttack raptor]], or [[TemperCeratops ceratopsid]], or at least a badass who can hold his own. Nope, he's a cute little baby ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursOrnithischianDinosaurs Edmontosaurus]]'' who got his scar from a predator attack, and spends a good chunk of the movie being antagonized by the afromentioned dinosaurs.
* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler:The ''Albertosaurus''.]]
* EatsBabies: ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursTrueDinosaurs Troodon]]''. The ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeLargeTheropods Albertosaurus]]'', ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeLargeTheropods Gorgosaurus]]'', and [[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursNonDinosaurs mosasaurs]] also hunt Scar.
* FeatheredFiend: ''Gorgosaurus'' and ''Albertosaurus''. Technically also ''Troodon'', but those are portrayed in a more sympathetic light.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: As the narrator points out that the sun will not rise until spring, and some dinosaurs will not live until then, the camera focuses clearly on [[spoiler: Gorgosaurus]]'s face in the fading light.
* GiantFlyer: The ''Quetzalcoatlus'' that appear in a minor role.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: [[MeaningfulName Scar]] has a "good" one on his head he got from a gorgosaurus attack.
* HerbivoresAreFriendly: Averted with the more aggressive ''Pachyrhinosaurus'', who harass the ''Edmontosaurus'' and fight each other over food as fall sets in.
* HopeSpot: Scar finds his herd. [[spoiler:Except here's a huge river filled with mosasaurs separating him from them.]]
* NamedAfterTheInjury: Scar is a young ''Edmontosaurus'' who has a scar on his head.
* NiceJobFixingItVillain: [[spoiler:The ''Troodon'' wait for the incapacitated ankylosaur (who has been turned on her back after a fall) to weaken and are almost ready to finish her off when the ''Gorgosaurus'' arrives and tries to drag the ankylosaur away from them. He pulls her onto an incline, allowing her to right herself and stab him in the leg. This leads to his death.]]
* NoisyNature: Not as apparent as in some other dino-docs.
* NoNameGiven: The Alaskan ankylosaur is based on the well-known panoplosaurine ''Edmontonia'' (known from Alberta and Montana) but only ever referred to as an ankylosaur. Possibly justified, since the one known skull of an Alaskan ankylosaur is of a panoplosaurine but it’s unclear whether it belongs to ''Edmontonia'' or a close relative.
* PaletteSwap: The ''Gorgosaurus'' and ''Albertosaurus'' are the exact same model, but the former has silvery feathers while the latter has [[DarkIsEvil black ones]]. Somewhat justified, as the two were very close relatives and very similar in appearance- during the 80s and 90s ''Gorgosaurus'' was even classified as a species of ''Albertosaurus''.
* PetTheDog: Not intentional on their part, but after being hostile and aggressive towards the ''Edmontosaurus'' for the entire journey, the ''Pachyrhinosaurus'' are the reason Scar survives the last lap of his trek. [[spoiler:(Their presence provides him with food, protects him from scavengers, and guarantees safety in numbers so that he can cross the river.)]]
* PluckyComicRelief: In comparison to Scar's constant peril from predation, starvation, and the elements, Patch's many mishaps are rarely more than amusing inconveniences from which he quickly recovers.
* PredatorsAreMean: A mix of aversion and playing it straight. Patch, one of the main characters, is a carnivore you can feel sympathetic towards, however the tyrannosaurids appear as the [[VillainByDefault default-villains]].
* PrehistoricMonster: The ''Gorgosaurus'' may seem to be this at first, but the winter cold puts TheWorfEffect on him. The ''Albertosaurus'', on the other hand, are thorough monsters, though it's justified: they're starving.
* RaptorAttack: Mostly averted with the ''Troodon''. While severely underfeathered, its behavior is largely accurate and plausible, as it’s depicted as an opportunistic small-game hunter who's of little concern to the hadrosaurs, with one of the first scenes being an encounter between Scar and Patch, and the latter poses no threat to the young duckbill. And they don't overemphasize its alleged intelligence either.
* RealIsBrown: Not a colorful cast, save for the patches of yellow feathers on the male ''Troodon''.
* RuleOfCool: The ''Troodon'' who see in slow-motion, and the ''Albertosaurus'' that somehow makes a ''HUGE'' leap out of nowhere.
* SanitySlippage: The brain-tumored ''Edmontosaurus'' loses track of the trail, and gradually becomes hostile to Scar.
* SeaMonster: One of the last obstacles before Scar reaches his herd is [[spoiler: a river filled with hungry mosasaurs]].
* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler:The brain-tumored ''Edmontosaurus''.]] Though given his condition, it was inevitable.
* ShownTheirWork: As said above, some animals are incredibly accurate in their portrayals, save for perhaps a few anatomical details. Bonus points for the non-pronated theropod hands, as well as showcasing some new discoveries such as male deinonychosaurs brooding nests.
* SlippySlideyIceWorld: The film takes place in northern Canada during the winter, focusing on animals migrating south in search of warmer weather and food
* SuperPersistentPredator: The ''Albertosaurus'' that hounds Scar and his companion takes this up to eleven. [[spoiler:His feathers catch fire? Mild annoyance. A volcanic flood drags him away? Temporary setback. His pack mates brought down several other duckbills? Nope, he's catching his own food dammit! He's falling down from a cliff? Not going down without its victim.]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime Sharptooth would be proud of him.]]
* TemperCeratops: The ''Pachyrhinosaurus'' are quite aggressive creatures. One even picks a fight with one Edmontosaurus over food.
* TooDumbToLive: The ''Troodon'' who bites the ''Gorgosaurus'' in the leg and is immediately chomped and thrown to its death in retaliation.
* TheWorfEffect:
** The ''Gorgosaurus'', thanks to the freezing cold, the ankylosaur, and persistent little ''Troodons''. [[spoiler:It goes FromBadToWorse for him.]]
** Subverted with the ankylosaur. [[spoiler:She's been [[WorfHadTheFlu turned on her back]] and is about to be finished off by a swarm of ''Troodon''. Then the ''Gorgosaurus'' has his NiceJobFixingItVillain moment...]]
* ZergRush: [[spoiler:The ''Troodon'' try to do this with the incapacitated ankylosaur. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain The intervention by the]] ''[[NiceJobFixingItVillain Gorgosaurus]]'' causes this to fail.]]
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