Return of the dead (beat)
 Oct 3rd, 2007
Advantages:
better than the first, better relating to the game
Disadvantages:
some inconsistances with the original movie and the odd quirk
Recommendable:
No
  SarahJohnston_greenmums
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~Background~
This is the second film made from the game and supposedly follows on some 100 years after the first film and based on the Dungeons & Dragons paper and dice game which has been going on for an amazing 30 years. Not a game for the imagination deficient or mathematiclly inept, it challenges individuals and groups as dungeon masters unfold challenge after challenge in a imaginary universe of Elves, halflings and Orcs. Games consist of one Dungeon master and up to 4 players (sometimes more), with the dungeon master beigng the only one that knows where the game is heading. ~ Film Summary ~
Damodar returns from the undead, seeking revenge on the city that caused his master to curse him. He quests to wake a sleeping dragon, the black dragon of destruction. Can Berek, Lux and the team beat him to the pip? Will Berek's wife Melora die and become undead before revealing the key to Damodar's defeat?
~The DVD~
The cover is black and actually rather good in regards the art work. It certainly has more in common
with all the D&D concept art you can find all over the internet, as well as in many , many books. Coming in both widescreen and standard formats, there is no feel of loss when watching in standard non letterbox format. ~Special Features~
No special features. That or I missed them. However I have a fondness of playing to find any hidden easter eggs, so the chances are there wasn't any little titbits to play with.
~Price & Availability~
New and Used from Amazon for about £3.50 - £4.50 ~Technical Stuff~
• Actors: Bruce Payne, Mark Dymond, Clemency Burton-Hill, Ellie Chidzey, Tim Stern (III)
• Directors: Gerry Lively
• Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language English
• Region: Region 1 (US and Canada This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating.)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: 7 Feb 2006
• Run Time: 105 minutes
~Cast (in credits order)~
Bruce Payne ... Damodar
Mark Dymond ... Berek
Clemency Burton-Hill ... Melora
Ellie Chidzey ... Lux (as Ellie Chidzley)
Tim Stern ... Nim
Steven Elder ... Dorian
Lucy Gaskell ... Ormaline
Roy Marsden ... Oberon
Geoffrey T. Bersey ... Galtar (as Geoffrey Bersey)
Leonas Ciunis ... Old Mage
Liubomiras Lauciavicius ... Mage #1 (as Liubomiras Laucevicius)
Ervinas Peteraitis ... Mage #2
Vytautas Rumsas ... Valerious
David Merheb ... Tibio
Aurimas Miliesius ... Klaxx ~Opinion~
Well, I had to admit, I got very confused to start with with this film. It has a huge tendency in the beginning to 'assume' you have watched the first, and know how/why Damodar was cursed. Unfortunately I watched this one first and got completely lost!
In the original film Profion (Jeremy Irons) cursed Damodar (Bruce Payne) with a time released curse to make him a undead zombie unless he completed a certain task, which he was beaten too by the previous set of 'heroes'. However, Damodar DID provide Profion with the scepter and Profion supposedly removed the curse, followed shortly after by Damodar taking a plunge off a tower after a misplaced fight lunge. So I am still confused, as according to the last film the cirse was removed! Acting wise I would have to say in compared to the first film things seemed a little less forced, however, in some places it seemed way over rehearsed and a little soap opera ish with lost of people moving deliberately to look at each other.
Also, unlike the first film, the focus on graphics was lessened. What 'animations' or fancy works there was were certainly very well fitting with the film as a whole and aided the storyline beautifully. However, whilst on the subject of scenery etc, some times the sky looked out of place, and (after watching the first film) I am a bit bemused as how a huge bustling city has turned into moreover a castle and town in around 100 years. In relation from Game to Film, I would definately say this film is a lot more like the game than the first, however although it seemed to have had more 'love' spent on the storyline and dialogue rather than a overzealous attemt to be CGI impressive I still felt something was missing. The acting was rather good, there was only one carry over character, no real big (or almost big) names to carry it, which wasn't a bad thing. Most if not all the actors were British.
The formula still isn't quite right, but is certainly leaps and bounds closer to the mark than the original movie. Its just a big pity this film made no attempt at cinema release. ~little fact~
British viewers will recognize Roy Marsden who plays Oberon in this film. He has been in many TV shows such as Dr Who, Captain Good in King Solomons Mines and Adam Dalgliesh in the 1997 film Original Sin
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by (9%):
03.10.2007 20:27
not really my thing but great review Fluffy x~x