Couldn't find a thread for this so thought I would start one.
Got to see this tonight. I have no knowledge of the books other than it was written by a 15 year old boy. I hadn't even seen a trailer for this but the posters suggested some sort of Dragonheart crossed with LOTR.
Basically that's what you seem to get really along with the typical hero's journey of so many fantasy films. Someone mentioned to me that it is basically the same plot as Star Wars and there are definitely moments which are lifted straight from it. Obviously Star Wars was hardly original, but when you have a scene with a burning farmstead, a dead relative and a mentor consoling the hero telling him there was nothing you could have done if you had been there etc. well....
As such, It was pretty obvious what was going to happen (who was going to die, etc).
Nothing wrong with that if it is done well and film did have some good moments. However, the film rushes from one scene to another with little time to dwell on the characters or the world they are in. It is also extremely poorly edited in some places and some subplots which I guess would have been developed much better in the book, are barely given enough screentime to make them worthwhile (specifically a subplot concerning a mystery teenager who seems to be helping Eragon). Coming out of the film, I was pretty disappointed, partly because there were the makings of an enjoyable film in here. As it is, I'm sure younger children may well enjoy it, but this is no Lord of the Rings.
Some other points
1. The guy who played the lead character was pretty good really.
2. The special effects were by and large very well done, especially on the dragon.
3. Enjoyed seeing Robert Carlyle in this film as the main villain.
4. John Malkovich was in the film for all of about 1 minute.
5. The dragon talks!!! - sort of. Ok its a telepathy between the boy and the dragon but having a voice over for the dragon just doesn't work - even if it is Rachel Weisz
Would have been much better for her not to talk at all and have Eragon translate when necessary (like Han and Chewbacca
Altogether I would give it
out of
, partly because there was potential here for a much better film.
My DVD collection
http://www.intervocative.com/dvdcoll....aspx/simassey
When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high, And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm, there's a golden cloud, and the sweet silver song of a lark,
Walk on through the wind, Walk on through the rain, Though your dreams may be tossed and blown,
Walk on, Walk on, with hope in your heart and you'll never walk alone,
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE!!
