Eragon DVD Review

"Eragon" reviews

DVD

Eragon

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-04-18 15:00:14

Provider

DVD Review

Stefan Fangmeier's Eragon managed to combine elements of Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars and probably a bit of Harry Potter too. So you'd think they'd have the notoriously eager sci-fi/fantasy nerd market cornered.

The film is based on a book by Christopher Paolini, who began writing it aged 15. That's probably the reason it doesn't attempt to hide its influences, from Tolkien most obviously as it brazenly mimicking the master's all-but-unpronounceable place names (Mithrim, Farthen-Dur, Urgals).

This story is set in a place called Alagaesia, which is dominated by King Galbatorix (John Malkovich), a despot who has rid his kingdom of dragons. Or so he and many of his people believe. One day Eragon, an orphan who lives with his uncle, finds a dragon egg, prompting the King's minions to seek out the orphan boy. But while he escapes the clutches of Galbatorix's henchmen, they find and kill his uncle.

Thanks to the bond he forms with his dragon, Saphira, Eragon becomes a Dragon Rider and seeks to take revenge for his uncle's death by tracking down the King's lieutenant, Ra'zac. He is accompanied on his journey by Brom (Jeremy Irons), an elderly storyteller from his village who, Jedi-like, instructs the boy in sword fighting, magic and dragon riding.

Marks for effort should be given for the story and cast despite the film being ultimately a pale imitation of its inspiration.