ERAGON - What did you think?

[horacethegrey]

Just wanted to know what you Enworlders (and fellow fantasy fans) though of this. I've not seen it yet, and judging from the savage beating it's getting from the critics (13% on Rottentomatoes as of today), I probably never will (except on video, where me and my cousins will mock it mercilessly ).

So tell me, does it pave the way for more fantasy on film, or is it an embarrassment for the genre?

 

[Ryngard]

I don't listen to critics. I don't need anyone to think for me. Go and watch it and enjoy it. I haven't seen it yet but seriously, why do people feel the need to hack at and bash everything? Can't you just watch it and enjoy it or watch it and go, "Meh, I didn't like it." In MY opinion the critics lame comments and mocking is just childish drivel. I am not bashing you btw, I'm just expressing my thought.

ANYWAY, I do plan to see it. I loved the book (cliche or not) but I am worried that too much will be changed or ignored for me to fully enjoy the movie. I hope its still as good as I was hoping for.

 

[takyris]

I don't listen to critics. I don't need anyone to think for me. Go and watch it and enjoy it. I haven't seen it yet but seriously, why do people feel the need to hack at and bash everything? Can't you just watch it and enjoy it or watch it and go, "Meh, I didn't like it." In MY opinion the critics lame comments and mocking is just childish drivel. I am not bashing you btw, I'm just expressing my thought.

ANYWAY, I do plan to see it. I loved the book (cliche or not) but I am worried that too much will be changed or ignored for me to fully enjoy the movie. I hope its still as good as I was hoping for.

Well, no.

I'm glad you don't listen to critics. Some of us don't have the time or disposable income to see everything that comes out in theaters. We choose to listen to critics who have demonstrated tastes similar to ours in past situations.

If a movie is bad Bad BAD, it's nice to have some warning.

 

[Plane Sailing]

A reviewer who I know appreciates good fantasy and sci-fi hosts Film2006 on BBC tv reviewed it last monday, and he was dismayed - he felt it was really poor, and he said he knows his son will want to see it and he is going to be disappointed after watching it...

I've not seen it myself, the one concrete thing that I've heard is that the director has a background in special visual effects, and it shows in that the visual effects are great but the story is perhaps a little confused.

I'd be interested to hear what others think of it when they see it though.

 

[Thanee]

I was actually hoping, that this movie is decent at least (good is hard to achieve for a fantasy movie), but hearing others talk about their experiences now leaves me in doubt, that it will even achieve that. Too bad.

I will probably still watch it, though, just to be sure.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Klaus]

A member of Circvs Maximvs saw it and was very entertained. Caveat: never read the novel.

Me? I'm content if it's as good as Dragonslayer or Reign of Fire. It has freaking dragon riders! Not even Dragonheart had that! Last dragonriding I saw was in Neverending Story!

 

[Loincloth of Armour]

A friend of mine managed to snag some preview passes. I saw it on the 14th.

I have not read the book, so I can not compare the two. However, some books were handed out as prizes, and they look significantly thicker than the screenplay would have been, so I'm thinking a lot was cut out.

My verdict: plot by the numbers.

A couple of minutes into the movie I had a mental checklist going on in my head, ticking items off as they happened, in the order I expected.

Youthful hero? Check.
Cute girl taken prisoner? Check.
Mysterious stranger who appears to know more than the tells? Check.
Parent missing under mysterious circumstances? Check.
Parental figure dying? Check.
Fleeing home? Check.
Discovering secret about the mysterious stranger that is so obvious he might as well have worn a sign? Check.
Argument with replacement parental figure? Check.
Leaving replacement parental figure in a huff? Check.
Parental figure sacrifices himself to protect the hero? Check.
Someone who looks to be suspicious and with a dark past turns out to be okay... proving you can't judge people too quickly? Check.

Etc, etc, etc. While not a bad fantasy movie (so long as the 1st D&D movie and Krull exist), it isn't anything exciting. A standard "Fantasy world stands in for the coming-of-age situation that all young men go through" plot.

I suppose I might have liked it a whole lot better if people hadn't been reminding the main character how special and important he was every 5 minutes. I prefer my heroes to be "How the &%@# did I end up here?" kind of guys/gals.

Still, go see it if you want to. Make your own judgement. Enjoy the book if you've read it (and I have a hunch the book is better.)

 

[Thanee]

I heard the movie and the book have rather little in common, apart from the basic story, that is.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

A friend of mine managed to snag some preview passes. I saw it on the 14th.

I have not read the book, so I can not compare the two. However, some books were handed out as prizes, and they look significantly thicker than the screenplay would have been, so I'm thinking a lot was cut out.

My verdict: plot by the numbers.

A couple of minutes into the movie I had a mental checklist going on in my head, ticking items off as they happened, in the order I expected.

Youthful hero? Check.
Cute girl taken prisoner? Check.
Mysterious stranger who appears to know more than the tells? Check.
Parent missing under mysterious circumstances? Check.
Parental figure dying? Check.
Fleeing home? Check.
Discovering secret about the mysterious stranger that is so obvious he might as well have worn a sign? Check.
Argument with replacement parental figure? Check.
Leaving replacement parental figure in a huff? Check.
Parental figure sacrifices himself to protect the hero? Check.
Someone who looks to be suspicious and with a dark past turns out to be okay... proving you can't judge people too quickly? Check.

Etc, etc, etc. While not a bad fantasy movie (so long as the 1st D&D movie and Krull exist), it isn't anything exciting. A standard "Fantasy world stands in for the coming-of-age situation that all young men go through" plot.

I suppose I might have liked it a whole lot better if people hadn't been reminding the main character how special and important he was every 5 minutes. I prefer my heroes to be "How the &%@# did I end up here?" kind of guys/gals.

Still, go see it if you want to. Make your own judgement. Enjoy the book if you've read it (and I have a hunch the book is better.)

Damn. I heard that it was a fantasy rip off from Star Wars and other sources to make it an exercise in cliche, but that sounds like plot by numbers.

 

[Mark Hope]

A reviewer who I know appreciates good fantasy and sci-fi hosts Film2006 on BBC tv reviewed it last monday, and he was dismayed - he felt it was really poor, and he said he knows his son will want to see it and he is going to be disappointed after watching it...

Yes, but this is also the same man who had a mutual testicle-cupping session with Borat on national television. I'm not sure if this makes his opinion more valuable, or less so. Just saying.



No. Actually, on second thoughts, it definitely makes it more valuable. He has known the hram and lived. He can do no wrong in my eyes.