Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God! (Updated: Oct 09/05) Spoiler Free Thread

[Darrin Drader]

I've seen D&D 2, and I have mixed opinions about it. Since it isn't released, I can't go into any specifics, but I am going to go into some general impressions of it. I think they did a much better job making things make sense in this movie. The monsters did an adequate job representing their role in the game, where they didn't do a good job in that regard in the first one. I was happy to see Damodar back, as I thought he turned in the only decent performance from the original. I also feel that the combat and the actions of the heroes really captured how it works in the D&D game without it coming across as stupid, cheesy, or unrealistic. Those are the good points. The not so good points are that you can really tell in a lot of areas that they are definitely working with a lower budget this time. The acting is under-par in so many areas, and I really had a hard time liking the main characters. It also gets off to a pretty slow start. Also gone are the wie shots of the fantastic city that we had in the first one. This one really brings it back around and emphasizes that this is set in a medievel city. I'm still deciding which I liked better - the Star Wars style city or the grim and gritty city.

Bottom line, if I were to rate this with LotR as 10 and the first D&D movie as a 1, I would probably give this one a 6. It is a vast improvement on the original, but it still suffers in many areas. Overall, having watched it, I don't wish I could get those two hours of my life back.

edit: Also, characters needed more spikes on armor.

 

[Alzrius]

I think they did a much better job making things make sense in this movie. The monsters did an adequate job representing their role in the game, where they didn't do a good job in that regard in the first one.

While I still had some problems with the monsters, this time they were minor quibbles instead of just another entry on the list of things that ruined the movie for me. However, I still wish the lich had looked more lich-like (e.g. glowing pinpoints in his eye sockets).

I was happy to see Damodar back, as I thought he turned in the only decent performance from the original.

I agree almost completely, but he didn't get enough combat in this one at all, this is especially true since he's existed for over a century now, so he should have either learned some magic (something I was unsure about the entire film) or improved his fighting skills.

The acting is under-par in so many areas, and I really had a hard time liking the main characters.

Not a problem for me, since I tend to enjoy the villains more anyway in whatever movie I'm seeing.

Also gone are the wie shots of the fantastic city that we had in the first one. This one really brings it back around and emphasizes that this is set in a medievel city. I'm still deciding which I liked better - the Star Wars style city or the grim and gritty city.

I like the gitty city better...it makes me think that Ismer is dying.

Bottom line, if I were to rate this with LotR as 10 and the first D&D movie as a 1, I would probably give this one a 6. It is a vast improvement on the original, but it still suffers in many areas. Overall, having watched it, I don't wish I could get those two hours of my life back.

As I said to a friend, I wouldn't pay eight bucks to see this, but I could be talked into paying five.

 

[Ranger REG]

I have a catalog of over 800 DVDs so I've see my share of movies. Yeah, worst movie of all time is pretty exaggerated, but that doesn't mean that D&D doesn't suck hardcore. I'll tell you what, looking at other films in the fantasy genre, D&D is definitely at the bottom of the list. Its just really sad when you can't take a big property and make it cooler then Hercules and Xena when you have a better budget and a great actor like Jeremy Irons. Hell, the logo even sucks. Bottom line there is no saving that movie and there are a dozen other B fantasy movies I'd rather watch.

Better budget and a good acting cast doesn't make Courtney Solomon a good director.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Better budget and a good acting cast doesn't make Courtney Solomon a good director.

Good point.

 

[Ranger REG]

Unfortunately, the brand is not good enough or is proving to be unfilmable to A-list directors.

Then again, who knows? It took several movies about vampires to get a few good ones.

 

[Truth Seeker]

Unfortunately, the brand is not good enough or is proving to be unfilmable to A-list directors.

Then again, who knows? It took several movies about vampires to get a few good ones.

Historically, Vampir films have been around for a long time. Thus, the process of refinement has been decades in the making.

Time, a better mindset and technology plays into the upgrade.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Granted D&D1 is no winner, but it is Oscar Best Picture winning material next to "Alone in the Dark" - a movie which is so bad even watching it to laugh at its badness is impossible.

Let me be clear: Alone in the Dark is the worst movie I have ever seen, in any genre - at any time. It isn't even close. Christian Slater wasn't bad in it, but every other facet of the movie stunk.

I do think the "crap on D&D 1" in-joke is taken to extremes a little.

*******************************

That said, D&D2 is a better movie. Its material is still a touch weak and there are elements of it that don't work terribly well - but it's not *bad*.

If they are going to make a D&D movie at all - the one they should make is the DragonLance Chronicles. But - that wouldn't be cheap to do without butchering it I guess and an "A" picture SFX budget needs a ton of dough, a great script and LotR style funding. (All of which is expecting a bit much on the heels of LotR).

Ah well - some day...

 

[Knightfall]

WotDG Movie Stills

Okay, I found these stills online at the Sorcerer's Place.

http://www.sorcerers.net/Main/Articles/wrath_of_the_dragon_god_stills.php

Later,

KF72

 

[trancejeremy]

Hmmmm, is it me, or does the elf lady look, er, fat? (Not that there is anything wrong with that, just typically you think of elves as being willowy. Unless she's a Keebler elf...). Also, is that their stunt doubles holding the horses (at least for the first two)

Well anyway, the trailer they've been showing on the SF channel looks decent.

They also seem to be hyping it.




N.B. You get very strange results when you do a search on google for Keebler Elf, which I did to check my spelling.

 

[Wormwood]

I should be finished statting out the characters this week, and I'll be posting "Wormwood's Guide to D&D 2" immediately following the broadcast.