No you don’t!
The movie was pants.
Utter pants.
trust me
you will thank me for it later
Can’t be worse than “Saw 3” that movie sucked…If you planning to watch it get to 2 then STOP. The first 2 are actualy kinda good…unless you cant handle gore then you REALY shouldn’t touch those films.
Nope. Most fantasy films are pretty crap, and others aimed at a young crowd (e.g. Harry Potter) are just as childish as Eragon was sometimes, especially the early Harry Potter films. Given the choice between re-watching Harry Potter: The Philosopher’s Stone and Eragon and I’d call it even.
On the scale of fantasy films, it wasn’t bad. I was disappointed by Dragonheart, it felt like they ran out of money. When it came to representing the evil king’s armies in that they had like 12 guys in a big field. And the D&D movie was a bit of a shambles.
I ain’t saying Eragon was good, I’d give it two stars (**) on the scale of all movies. But on the scale of fantasy movies, and for an audience of fantasy fans who don’t get enough of their poison, it wasn’t bad. Just like Star Wars Episodes 1 & 2 were only really ** movies, but for fans of Star Wars and on the scale of SF movies they were not bad.
If you can handle the thin plot/characters and somewhat weak acting (even on the part of Jeremy Irons, so it was clearly the script/direction/editing that was the problem not the actors), then it’s worth a watch for fantasy fans. I thought the lead was probably a better actor than say Orlando Bloom, just with poor script/direction/editing. No worse than those kids in the Lion and the Wardrobe, and FAR better than the Harry Potter actors in their first movie.
I wished the evil could be seen being more evil so it was clear what was being fought against, and the direction of the acting was better. That was about it. I’d prefer a more sophisticated script all around, but there is an audience for simple good versus evil stories and I don’t begrudge them their vice.
Most fantasy films are pretty crap, and others aimed at a young crowd (e.g. Harry Potter) are just as childish as Eragon was sometimes, especially the early Harry Potter films. Given the choice between re-watching Harry Potter: The Philosopher’s Stone and Eragon and I’d call it even.
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I see your point. Most of my students (intermediate school) enjoyed it for what it was, they don’t have the background in fantasy/sci fi that an older audience might have. I think the resentment towards the movie comes from another big budget (100 million aprox) fantasy film that is poorly constructed. i find it a little frustrating. It would be great to see an adult fantasy film (more in tone perhaps than explict content) that wasn’t a ‘camp classic’. Compare for example the first and second Conan movies - one for an adult audience, the second for a younger. By the way IMDB info suggests another Conan movie, but this time without Arnold.
One consession i will make, I think the dragon - Saphira - was pretty nifty.
Oh yeah, fully. But you have to take it for what it is, it never promised to be mature.
I felt a lot more ripped off by the Judge Dredd movie, which took a cool twisted mature source and just turned it into childishness and eye candy. I haven’t read the Eragon books, but I’m guessing the movie probably captured the original tone.
Since watching Eragon and realising that what was mostly lacking for me was in the depiction of evil, I’ve been thinking that I’d like to see a fantasy movie based on a more mature conception of evil. Like The Gulag Archipeligo or 1984 in a grim dungeonpunk setting. Doing what Animal Farm did for Stalinism, but with fantasy trappings instead of talking animals. And who-knows-what instead of Stalinism. Maybe looking at the evils that can arise in a proud superpower, however democratic (shades of Nazi Germany and modern US policy)? That’s a bit close to what Star Wars Episodes 1-3 did though. I found the “corruption from within” style of Palatine much more sophisticated than most fantasy evil.
[quote=“Ryan Paddy”]Since watching Eragon and realising that what was mostly lacking for me was in the depiction of evil, I’ve been thinking that I’d like to see a fantasy movie based on a more mature conception of evil.[/quote]Have you seen Pan’s Labyrinth? Dark fairytale intertwined with in-your-face fascism. Do not take a child to see it.
They should film Neuromancer.
Or maybe not, I would HATE to have that book done badly. 
Oh, anyone seen Night Watch. Based on a Russian trilogy (well, the first part). It was a little hard to follow, but I liked it. Definitely not for the kiddies.
Pan’s Labyrinth was brilliant - very disturbing and hard to recommend because of it, but brilliant. I’m told Terry Gilliam’s ‘Tideland’ is equally as disturbing, but just as visionary.
Ryan - I’m right with you on waiting for a depiction of evil that is not ‘cliche’. I would like to be able to take a movie seriously - I am probably the worst for taking the mickey out of a movie after the fact.
It is great to be left speechless. Pan’s Labyrinth had that effect on me.
Take Se7en. Note there were no on screen deaths until the (very) end. You did not meet John Doe until waaaay into the last act, yet his extremely disturbing presence was felt throughout - the effects of his actions on the main characters. I thought this was a very gritty, disturbing depiction of evil.
I am waiting for an accurate portrayal of the Medici family, not so much evil, but ruthlesss, determined and ambitious in the extreme, from a time of different morality. I would hope for a sophiticated look in a that time rather than the usual ‘debauched romp’ that surfaces.
for the love of God do not see Pathfinder then, More Cheese than the Cheese shop Sketch.
Yes. I liked it a lot - on its own and as a book adaptation. I thought it was better than the (first third) of the book, actually. Movies usually simplify the book, but this did the reverse, adding an awful lot of subtlety to the story and the main character.
Mind out the flies, but.
[quote=“theotherphoenix”]They should film Neuromancer.
Or maybe not, I would HATE to have that book done badly. [/quote]
After the hash they made of Johnny Nuemonic, i heartly agree.
Slightly off topic, but still film related:
Dave, did I ever tell you that Alista made “Septic Death the movie” - you’ll have to see it sometime. You were played by big Mike (he is tall).
Slightly off topic:
I just saw 300 and it was better than i had hoped, one of the best shot film i have seen for a Long time.
Yes it was Pro American, yes it was Overly Macho, yes it was Homoerotic, but the visuals, the colouring, the story telling was brilliant, and i dont care if you disagree with me.
But by far the most impressive thing for me was the fight choreography, it was exceptional, by far the best choreographed, edited, and staged fight scenes i have seen for ages. if you just tuned out all of the CGI blood spray and gore it was Ballet, The benchmark for fight direction.
David Wenham has such a commanding voice, his narration was lovely.
in fact the only dissapointing thing was even though the theatre was less than a quarter full they insisted on allocated seating, which had me stuck between some Fat guy who kept Slurping his drink and three boy racer wankers who kept giggling like school boys every time they saw a nipple and commenting on the american jingoism of the story.
why do cinemas insist on allocated seating when they know they have not got a full house 
I enjoyed it greatly and will have to see it again, as well as the 60’s film that inspired it.
[quote=“Carl”]why do cinemas insist on allocated seating when they know they have not got a full house
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goog grief, what breed of cinema is that?! I have never come across such a thing - even when attending sold-out first screenings (LOTR, for example comes to mind) they just let people sit where they wanted, and filled in the gaps with the stragglers.
That is because Erin, we live in Hamilton.
I enjoyed the ability for us costumed fools to take over a sector of the cinema, the norsemen had another bit, etc. & not just for the fellowship but for each one of the LOTR premieres I attended here in Hamilton.
That being said, had we had allocated seating we could have a chosen where we sat a little better if we had been very quick about it, given that we had bulk tickets organised by Alista.
I have not had a cinema experience quite as good as the 3 LOTR premieres, the movies being the new greats of our time but also the bouyant but respectful nature of a cinema full of dedicated fans who could be bothered turning up at midnight!
Jared
I just saw Pan’s Labyrinth last night and I didn’t find it disturbing, I found it utterly beautiful and totally recommend it to anyone who enjoys good drama combined with fantasty. If you haven’t already, go see it now while it’s still in the cinema! It’s a masterpiece of magical realism.
The few moments of violence are no worse than most modern-made war movies and not as bad as say Reservoir Dogs, because they’re not dwelt on. The fairytale aspect is incredible, it’s childlike and mature at the same time, and the historical aspect is just as good. The story is very unpredictable, which is a breath of fresh air. It’s totally a must-see.