Eragon (PG)

Demetrios Matheou
Sunday 17 December 2006 01:00 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Based on the bestselling children's book, Eragon is a shamelessly derivative and uninvolving family film, the best use of which would be as a quiz for fantasy aficionados who'd have a field day noting the "homages" paid by its young author Christopher Paolini.

The tale is set in an imaginary land, Alagaesia, governed by the evil king - and last of the once benign Dragon Riders - Galbatorix. That's until the eponymous country boy (Edward Speleers, below) finds an egg, which hatches the dragon Saphira, and a new Dragon Rider is born to galvanise the resistance.

Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings were the films that leapt to mind, when confronted by a barrage of recognizable character types and scenarios: the incognito former Rider, Brom (Jeremy Irons), who tutors the boy until dying in his arms; the beautiful princess Araya (Sienna Guillory), a leading light of the resistance; the king's sidekick, Durza (Robert Carlyle), a magician who controls hordes of grotesque killers; the salivating king himself (John Malkovich - surpassing even his own benchmark for ham), seemingly unaware that he could afford a cheerier home. The dragon is undeniably impressive, but it's mature technology in a very callow film.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in