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Eragon (2006)
Director: Stefan Fangmeier
Synopsis
The first of a planned trilogy of fantasy epics based on the best-selling novels by Christopher Paolini. Eragon, a young country boy, thinks it’s his lucky day when he finds a mysterious blue stone in the forest. But out of the egg hatches a dragon which reveals to him that his fate is linked with that of the Empire of Alagaesia itself. Eragon is forced to leave his simple life behind as he is thrust into a world of ancient magic and mysterious powers on his way to becoming a Dragon Rider. The future of Alagaesia is in his hands.
Movie review
From Time Out London
Adapted from a children's novel by precocious teenager Christopher Paolini, this cut-and-paste 'sword and sorcery' film is a painful reminder of what fantasy cinema was like before the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy re-wrote the rules. Ineptly directed by visual effects supervisor Fangmeier, the predictable storyline lumbers from scene to scene like a wounded, flightless dragon. Newcomer Speelers plays the more-anodyne-than-Anakin hero, Eragon, a reluctant dragon rider destined to free his people from the tyrannical King Galbatorix (Malkovich), head-case sorcerer Durza (Carlyle), and hordes of tattooed Urgal berserkers. Encouraged by his care-worn mentor, Brom (Irons), Eragon grows into his role as a spell-casting, sword-wielding avenger. Just as female dragon Saphira (voiced by Rachel Weisz) grows rapidly from a blinky-eyed baby to a napalm-breathing nemesis. Inevitably, the story culminates with an epic confrontation between the Eragon-led Varden rebels and the shape-shifting Durza's ugly Urgal army. Sienna Guillory's winsome elf princess Arya supplies the nascent love interest. Malkovich shows an understandable lack of interest.Author: Nigel Floyd
Time Out London Issue 1895: December 13-20 2006
Cast & crew
Director: Stefan Fangmeier
Cast: Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou, Garrett Hedlund, Gary Lewis, Chris Egan, Tamsin Egerton, Joss Stone, Ralph Brown, Rachel Weisz full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Fantasy
Duration: 104 mins
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