Anyone know anything about the Eragon fantasy movie that’s being advertised in theatres?
I wondered if LotR was going to create any sort of interest in fantasy movies from the studios, and this suggests it might have. Looks like it’s a trilogy of movies based on a trilogy of books. The costumes and supporting cast look mint, I think it might be aimed at teens but all the same it’s nice to see fantasy getting something other than b-grade.
The book its based on was written by a kid. That’s all I know, sorry.
Yeah, further research has made me wonder if I’ll regret any degree of excitement I may have felt over this one.
I’ve actually heard about the kid and seen the awful covers (which look like they were drawn by a kid) before, but didn’t make the connection.
The screenwriter did Jurawssic Park 3. Not exactly inspiring. But then it has John Malcovich and Jeremy Irons… who was also in the D&D movie. I dunno.
I’ve read the first book, and although he started writing it at 16, it’s good.
I haven’t got around to reading the second book yet, but am looking forward to it, and the third book should be out soon. 
One of the reveiws I read for it claimed it used stock character reces, like elves and dwarves from LOTR even with a race that are very much like orcs even down to their being a greater race of them like the Urak Hai, and that the story is take from star wars.
But I have never read it myself, so cant really comment.
R
I’m more interested in “Frank Miller’s 300” which is fantast-historical flick. Eragon, however, looks kinda pretty too - and has dragons. Dragons haven’t had a good go in modern fiction for a long time.
[quote=“Ryan Paddy”]
and Jeremy Irons… who was also in the D&D movie. I dunno.[/quote]
Yeah and we all know how great that turned out dont we…BLECCCHHH!
Dunno, I think he’s kinda cool.
[size=75](Edit: o.o~ Hotlinking from wikipedia - Mmm, stolen bandwidth goodness…)[/size]
I think he’s cool too. My point was that even he couldn’t redeem the D&D movie. But this jobbie seems much better produced.
I’ve always liked his line
“Simple simon said to pie man going to the fair…give me all your pies…or i’ll cave your head in”
Oh yeah as Scar he rocked, perfect perormance, and i count as one of my acting Icons but D&D the movie was a serious waste of his talent.
I wonder if he still has the same agent?
It’s getting quite a lot of hype at the moment. It looks like 100% fanasy pay-off – dragons, combat magic, big sword battles, dramatic camerawork and so on. I’d like to get it on DVD and watch it when I’m feeling like loudness…
Theres a dragon in season 10 of Stargate, the kinda made it work with modern fiction.
Jeremy Irons was in Kingdom of Heaven too I believe, whic was a good medievil flick except for orlandos over-acting
I went; I saw; I report.
I’m glad I didn’t have to pay money to see it.
I kept expecting to see what’s-his-name, the hero, go off to bomb the Deathstar at the end - it’s that close to Star Wars, only with rather less sense on the part of the titular hero.
Characters have a very bad habit of stating the obvious and their dialogue runs bald and unadorned - with one exception, there is no banter or wittiness. What’s-his-name is reckless and wilfully stupid.
I couldn’t work out how, in the metaphysics of that world, something as beautiful and powerful as a dragon should have to be bound to a human being. Without option. Until death. It seems very cruel. The bad guy is wilfully bad - there doesn’t seem any reason for him being so nasty. Eh, they don’t always have to, but his blandness doesn’t help the movie.
There’s one character, Brom, the Obi-Wan Kenobi analogue, who is seriously cool. Witty, competent, sensible, brave etc. etc. I… suppose I shouldn’t say how he fares in the movie for fear of spoiling the plot you see. Another character who turns up halfway through, the black-haired guy, maybe had a bit of potential, and the princess, if she’d gotten some damn lines, might have been good.
There’s some pretty scenery, a seriously cute baby dragon (for about five minutes), one wonderful supporting character and a couple that maybe had some potential. If you watch the movie, go see it for Brom, and maybe a laugh at the corniness if you swing that way.
SPOILER FOLLOWS
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
And this is something that’s been bothering me recently. If, say, a person deliberately leads the Evil Emperor’s forces to the Noble Rebel Stronghold, where they’ve been hiding, all secret-like, behind a waterfall, and there’s a nasty fight where a lot of people die, that would be an evil act, right?
If a person is wilfully reckless and ignores the vehement advice of his, very competent, mentor, and his bungling leads to that mentor’s death and - oh yeah - blows his chance to get to the Noble Rebel Stronghold quietly, therefore leading the Evil Emperor’s forces there and precipitating a very nasty fight in which theoretically good and innocent people get killed, is that an evil act, or do his good but brainless intentions count for something?
Just wondering.
As far as I know this is number one in a trilogy of films. If the first one is as bad as you say yhe sequels are screwed.
Book to Movie Syndrome (BotMoSy)
[quote=“theamazingcatherine”]I went; I saw; I report.
I’m glad I didn’t have to pay money to see it.
I kept expecting to see what’s-his-name, the hero, go off to bomb the Deathstar at the end - it’s that close to Star Wars, only with rather less sense on the part of the titular hero.
Characters have a very bad habit of stating the obvious and their dialogue runs bald and unadorned - with one exception, there is no banter or wittiness. What’s-his-name is reckless and wilfully stupid.
I couldn’t work out how, in the metaphysics of that world, something as beautiful and powerful as a dragon should have to be bound to a human being. [/quote]
Dragons and Elves had a huge war which decimated both sides. The Dragons in their muchly wisdom decided to bond with a humaniod (Elf or man) to ensure that the misunderstandings that led to the first war don’t happen again.
He had one Dragon, but it died in an accident, and asked to get a second, which was denied. mad with grief, he stole a dragon egg, hatched and raised the next dragon, plot thingys happened.
[quote=“theamazingcatherine”]Eh, they don’t always have to, but his blandness doesn’t help the movie.
There’s one character, Brom, the Obi-Wan Kenobi analogue, who is seriously cool. Witty, competent, sensible, brave etc. etc. I… suppose I shouldn’t say how he fares in the movie for fear of spoiling the plot you see.
Another character who turns up halfway through, the black-haired guy, maybe had a bit of potential,[/quote]
You should see his plot hooks, whew!
Next book, promise.
Again Book to Movie syndrome. So many pages, so little minutes.
So you reckon I should look at the book, then?
The books are Ok but are firmly aimed at children (and written by a child for that matter). If you can handle the level its pitched at then you may enjoy them.
Wasn’t a bad movie if you can handle that it’s made as a family movie and has quite a resemblance to star wars. Jeremy Irons played a good character.
Obi Brom-Kenobi?
I found them to be a little simplistic at first, but matured as they went. Kind of like the author who started the first book at 16 (or was it finished?). But they are a good read, quite complex in places, and full of betrayal, revenge, and other stuff that I can’t think of when I’m this tired.
I saw the movie today, and it is recognizable as the book, but is quite different.