Well I don't think it would be fair to judge this film without first mentioning my experience's.
I have played the D&D game for over 12 years now and have been playing the earliest version of the Dungeons and dragons basic set game to today's 3rd edition of the Adv Dungeons and Dragons game.
After catching the preview over a dozen times "and every time being more enthusiastic to walk 25 miles to see it!).
Well eventually, after another week and an half, I was offered a trip by car to our local UCI cinema for the extortionate £5,10 a ticket, and guess what film we chose...
As I mentioned earlier after having viewed the HIGHLY impressive trailer which illustrated the clearly superb special visual effects along with the marvelous scenery and animations/animatronics... I expected a full 2 hrs of high adventure in a world which would enhance those of our imaginations...
As it began, we heard a mildly "Corrs" style flute based melody in the background... If you any of us were expecting any more half descent music for the rest of the movie, be disappointed as this is about the limt.
Aside from the music the true nature of the rest of the movie was about to be revealed.
The intro scene is of the evil mage played by Jeremy Irons trying to control a majestic Gold Dragon with a roughly put together wand.
It doesn't work and with a few meager flicks of his hands he telekinetically
knock a few levers and brings down a portuculis down onto the back of the noble dragon who withs its fading breath just glances haplessly at the evil mage... (to those intelligent and avid AD&D fans who know that even the youngest gold dragons are immensely intelligent this gold dragon doesn't even show the slightest signs... more to come please, read on)
Anyway eventually we are drawn to another scene outside the evil mages castle where the oppressed townsfolk are gathered.
This is where are hero and his INCREDIBLY Annoying companion a dark skinned gittering thief character who is armed with the WORST set of lines in existance, is gathering and comes upon the bright idea of storming into the local Magic collge and steal something of worth.
This is wgere they encounter "Marina" the raven haired trainee enchantress, very pretty and shows great acting potential though whom is directed to act so a limted way (dialog and the rest).
Anyway, the story is this the evil mage is looking for a replacement scepter one that will allow him to control the RED Dragons while he tries to convince the council of corrupt mages to force the queen "played by a slightly chubby amidala look alike" to relinquish her inherited royal gold dragon control scepter.
Throughout the course of the party's adventure (which includes a dwarf who they bump into in a alley no description is provided at all in the movie of who he is and where he's from; an ebony skinned graceful elf maiden ranger, who acts coldly and all we know is her name and she seems to be a servant of the queen; along with the sorceress Marina and Ridley the fighter/thief hero and his irritating companion a cowardly meekly attituded guy who shares the same name as an insect.
Anyway, perhaps one of the only few scenes worthy of being associated with the Dungeons and Dragons Brand is the one with the Theives guild (full of dextrous leaps and timings by our hero while Marina is given the ignoble task of making beautiful women look like nothing more than a weakly defenseless female.)
One last scene worthy of mention is the final (and supposed to be climatic battle) where a fleet of Gold Dragons charge at a bunch of renegade rebel mages led by Jeremy Irons decide to start hurling and breathing fireballs at one another... ( As veteran D&D players will know throwing fire at fire breathing dragons is "really" effective right? foghting fire with fire doesnt mean throwing more fire at it!)
Apart from showing that the makers of this movie obviously did such a lack of research to any effective extent as one will notice in almost every part of the movie.
Conclusion: This film basically reminds those of us who have enjoyed the pleasures of dugeons and dragons of an EXTREMELY bad role playing session... true the film isn't 100% bad a scene between Ridley and Marina when they confront each other on the harshness of their society before the usual kiss up.
However, all throughout the movie the impression is that there is an air of arrogance and pride by the makers of the movie... little and no forethought nor detail has been placed in any part of the movie... basically we encounter a new character and he "almost instantly" becomes a member off the party with anyone asking a question of who they are or anything like that.
The dialog when available is so darn original (something which belongs in the early 80s minimal budget romantic movies you get the drift.) It's like the only reason its said is because the words "sound" good unfortuinately said in such a way by all of the characters as to state that it would be fair to say the overall quality of the film is badly original, suckup, pretentious and a absolute DISGRACEFUl attempt to make the legend that is Advanced Dungeons and Dragons onto the silver screen a sad and dismal affair.
(Remember seeing an episode or two of your younger brothers and Sisters tv shows like power rangers and crappy acting stuff like that... well if you want to go and spend a few pounds or dollars for a ticket, then keep in mind that their trying hard to be "bad and amateur" now try to imagine what it would be like if they couldn't act and wasn't even trying...
Get the gist?
Thats what yu're essentially paying and wasting your time to view...
The Watchers advice... If youre an avid fan, out of loyalty and respect for AD&D then you probably will go and see it anyway what is said... however if your just looking for a good adventure movie to see then don't throw away your cash... I mean if you light it up for camp fire fuel at least you'll get some warmth back, with this production all you will get are cold chills from the breeze waking you up as you dream away in the cinema for something better!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2003 - Action/Adventure - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, Sam Jones III, Allison Mack, Eric Johnson, Annette O'Toole, John Glover, John Schneider
Hi there, I completely agree with your review. It was actually embarrasing to watch at times. Jeremy Irons was doing Dungeons and Dragons-the pantomime with villanous laughter every five minutes and the actor playing "snails" really irritated me with his 'frustrated anger' scenes. God what a load of rubbish this film is. Not even my good friend Tom Baker wanted anything to do with it once he saw what the film was really like. (P.S- thanks for your kind comments on my review! I'll be looking for more of your reviews. The doctor.)
doctorwho 27.03.2001 03:11
Hi there, I completely agree with your review. It was actually embarrasing to watch at times. Jeremyb Irons was doing Dungeons and Dragons-the pantomime with villanous laughter every five minutes and the actor playing "snails" really irritated me with his 'frustrated anger' scenes. God what a load of rubbish this film is. Not even my good friend Tom Baker wanted anything to do with it once he saw what the film was really like. (P.S- thanks for your kind comments on my review! I'll be looking for more of your reviews. The doctor.)
paddywak 06.03.2001 22:44
You left no stones unturned there mate! That's an excellent first opinion & if you keep writing like that you'll do nicely on Ciao!..Anyway, hi & welcome! Her's a well deserved 2p for you....Tom
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martin_hunt 02.03.2001 (02.03.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Dungeons And Dragons (DVD)
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Mar 6th, 2001
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