Eragon

How to describe a movie based on a lovely book, that could have had a wonderful franchise, but was so hurriedly done, and so poorly directed as to become a horrible flop? First lets say that while the book has some flaws, this movie is really a disservice to it; a more or less complex plot is reduced to its bare elements making it a very predictable ordeal (as any other story would), the photography doesn't reach the standard set by LOTR or HP, becoming quite bland, the casting -while good on the stronger characters (Brom, Durza, Galbatorix)- is really lacking, particularly on critical characters like Murtagh and Arya, and the music -so critical to convey the emotions of the movie- is so corny and clumsily placed that rather than enhance takes away from the experience. So little works on this movie and so many details are ruined using the cheapest tricks, that any sequel would never make it to the big screen (more so when critical plot points were stripped from the movie).

Having read and enjoyed the books with my 11 year old son, we had high hopes and were both devastated with this ... thing promoted as a movie.

It is indeed a sad, sad adaptation, a proof that some movie execs in its eagerness to make a quick buck have indeed killed what could have been a geese of golden eggs.

Hopefully Mr. Fangmeier will go back to do special effects and never return as a movie director. At least I know that I will never see a movie made by him again.

Just saw the premiere, here in Portugal, and after reading all the terrible reviews, I was ready for the worse case scenario. Fortunatly, it wasn't THAT bad, I actually enjoyed the movie, but one cannot stop wondering why the hell they trashed a lot more of the original tale then necessary. The CGI is great, the cast is actually quite decent, and it really looks like the team that brought us this, wanted the movie do be bad. The "catch phrases" are as awful and basic as any B-movie, and the interaction between characters should have been worked a lot better. But it's fair to say that who hasn't read the book, will overlook some of the flaws.

I'm giving it a 6. A 7 may also be adequate, but... I've read the book.

Let me start by saying I didn't read the books before seeing the movie but I am reading Eragon now. I enjoyed the movie. Not great but not bad. One of the most nagging problems with this movie has it was way to short and seemed like it was in fast forward most of the movie. If they would have increased this movie to 2 hours to 2 and a half hours I think it would have been a very good movie (hopefully the DVD will have more added in). The acting by Rachel Weisz was fantastic. Jeremy Irons did a very good for his part. But those are two experienced actors that will give good performances regardless. The CG on Saphira was very well done. The main problem with the acting in this movie was Edward Speleers, he had no presence in this movie, which is a bad thing for the main character. It was all most like he was just there to read his lines and go home. For which I hold the director responsible but it was also one of his first movies. I think Edward would have made a good side character, but someone with more experienced should have been casted as Eragon or a director with more proved talent. If you have never read the book and enjoy good CG you will like this movie. Just change the name of the movie to Saphira and it is OK. If you have read the book assume it is a coincidence that the movie and characters share names.

This quote gives a good review of the movie as a whole. I came into the theater with no prior knowledge of the books, and left with hardly anymore than when I entered. If not for the coffee I drank before the showing I would likely have been awakened an hour later by children applauding the movie they had been fooled into viewing. As Goldenduc has stated, the movie's scene-stealer was Saphira, the dragon whose above average animation and voice-acting carried the movie. Readers of the book(such as two of my fellow viewers who reported it horribly inaccurate) will be disappointed by the film's bad acting and poorly-paced chronology(Or may lie to themselves and give it a 10 like 41% of the voters thus far).

Those who enjoyed the masterpiece book "Eragon" were most likely suspicious when the movie's rating was revealed as PG. As 6 to 12-year-olds filled the theater, older members of the audience felt an ominous chill that manifests before the start of a poor movie. From the moment the main character picks up his bow in the opening scene, you can sense the films bad filmography and quick pace will be it's downfall. Roughly ten minutes into the movie the main character's are introduced and killed-off or sent away. Soon after Saphira hatches and creates a false sense of hope that the movie may be saved. Before the audience was done "Aww"-ing at the cute dragonling, it transforms into a full-grown beast and its bond with it's rider is solidified. A few more poor actors are introduced and the "Darkest Knight"-esquire fumbles onward, sprinting through the most important parts and trudging through meaningless scenes. Before you know it the final (and first?) battle has been fought and won, and a miserable cliffhanger paves the way for a sequel movie-goers are sure to avoid.

The one upside to the movie was not it's namesake, but the dragon on which Eragon rides, Saphira. The dragon's animation is fluid and realistic(although not when Eragon is integrated) and its voice calming yet authoritative. However, like most of the movie, the dragons physical maturation and bond with it's rider goes by too fast and leaves the viewer with an unpleasant longing for more. The fact the intelligent dragon needs a rider in the first place may have fantasy-buffs in wonder.

To wrap-up it should be stated that the movie is rated PG for a reason, because there's just enough violence that it didn't make G. The constant new information is introduced to fast and is reminiscent of children role-playing("It's(the sword) a dragon killer!" "You must pierce a Shade in the heart to kill it." "If a dragon's rider dies, so does the dragon"). The erratic pace of the movie makes no sense, more time is spent showing Saphira learn to fly than is Eragon's time of mourning for his lost uncle. Overall, the movie earned 4 stars( of 10) for it's decent CGI and voice-acting, and the remaining 6 were stripped away due to lame pacing, bad acting and pseudo-logical fallacies that made you think "Wait, what?"

The movie follows nothing of the book's plot line. I think someone read like maybe ten chapters of the Eragon book and decided to make the movie. If they decide to make Eldest (The sequel to Eragon) it would be nothing like the book because they have changed too many things in this movie to carry the plot correctly. The plot of the movie shares nothing with the book and the characters (the ones they actually decided to add) share no similarities to the book's idea of them. The storyline used in the movie could have possibly been acceptable if it hadn't had such bad writing. The lines were mediocre and no one other than Brom, Eragon and Saphira had ten lines. Murtagh had like eight or nine lines through the whole movie, Nasuada and Ajihad had like two or three (and Nasuada doesn't say who she is) and Hrothgar had maybe one or two lines. They completely rushed the movie too quickly. Unless you read the book, you have no idea how Eragon learns to use magic and are left in the dark about most things. The actors did the best job they could with the horrid lines they were given to read. The special effects were great except that Saphira isn't supposed to have feathers. What dragon has feathers? Christopher Paolini says like fifty times in the book that Saphira's wings are a thin membrane. Also that Eragon is fifteen, not seventeen. Every problem comes back to the horrid writing. Bottom Line: Could have been a great and timeless movie. Not Lord of the Rings worthy.