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Derek Malcolm's rating
Flight of fantasy fails to take off
By
Derek Malcolm
14 Dec 2006
It's a pity that this sword and sorcery epic, festooned with flying dragons, noble knights and nasty royals, hasn't been more imaginatively handled.
Christopher Paolini's fantasy adventure, the first of the young author's Inheritance Trilogy, became an international bestseller after his family published the book themselves.
So it was as inevitable as night follows day that Hollywood would make a movie out of it. Unfortunately, the result is spectacularly dim.
This, of course, doesn't mean that it will not set the box-office tills ringing - just look what happened to the dreadful movie of The Da Vinci Code.
The story starts as young Eragon (Ed Speleers) discovers a huge egg in the forest. It hatches into Saphira, the dragon (Rachel Weisz, in one of her less graceful voice parts). Together, boy and dragon vow to bring back the golden age of the fantastical land Alageisia, which has been ruined by the evil Galbatorix (a seedy-looking John Malkovich).
Aided by Jeremy Irons's retired dragon rider, Eragon and Saphira lay into Durza (Robert Carlyle), Galbatorix's murky sidekick. It's a sticky business, but they do eventually win out.
Apart from wasting an able cast with a screenplay you and I might well have bettered, and bombarding us with only moderately useful special effects, the film pursues its way with a plodding determination that reminds one of the worst of the Star Wars movies. I haven't read the book but it surely must have been better than this.
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Reader views (7)
Swords and sorcery, Dragons, clashing steel, Prophecys and quests! What more could you want from a high fantasy adventure film. By no means a particularly original film but it certainly ticks all the boxes and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
- James Yong, Hackney, 21/12/2006 08:54
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While not the greatest fantasy film ever made this is a very good effort and very enjoyable. Certainly no lord of the Rings but this heroic adventure does not fail to produce a good dose of thrills and spills for the younger audience it's targeted at. Well paced and family friendly, take your children to se this to get their imaginations going.
- Jack, Holborn, 19/12/2006 08:50
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The movie must stand on its own right as entertainment and/or art. it is a different medium from literature. If it only has value to those who have read and loved the book, what's the point?
- Rosa, USA, 18/12/2006 13:00
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i found the books really really well written but when i saw the movie with a friend we both decided that we could have done a better job if we had enough money, my friend and i both found the movie as a disappointment.
- Kathryn, Australia, 16/12/2006 09:45
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What do you get when you mix magic, dragons, shades and a farmboy? Eragon the movie.
The movie, which was released on December 15, was based off the book Eragon by the world's youngest author, Christopher Paolini.
While the movie seems t o have a Lord of the Rings touch in some aspects, it kept the audience captivated with its own spectacular storyline and stunning visual images.
When a shade named Durza tries to capture Princess Arya and reclaim the egg she carries, Eragon's world turns upside down.
He is soon thrust into the world of dragons and magic in a race for survival and the fate of Alagaesia.
"One part courage, three parts fool," said Brom, Eragon's teacher.
The movie is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, cheering Eragon and friends on.
Be sure and see this magical movie before the Ra'zac come for you.
- Illaura Rossiter-Haynes, Springfield USA, 16/12/2006 05:47
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I think the book started and ended fantastically. I have yet to see the movie, but if it lives up to the book I'll be surprised. I a person think who hasn't read the book has no right to judge the movie.
- Willow, Gables, Ireland, 15/12/2006 17:44
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Actually the book started off quite well and proceeded to disappoint for the next 300 pages...
- Jody Mcstravick, France, 15/12/2006 07:41
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