The Last Dragonslayer

This is a delightful fantasy adventure film. It has has enough dragons, wizards, villains, magic and mayhem to keep the kids enthralled, but it is all done in such a clever, quirky, tongue-in-cheek way that adults should enjoy it too. True, the special effects are not cutting edge, but they are quite adequate for the purpose and I didn't have a problem. Best of all, this movie boasts a cast of fine British thespians, all of them having a good time and all doing a good job and none of them taking it too seriously. They will bring many a smile to adult faces even as the kids are on the edge of their seats wanting to know what happens. You would be a real curmudgeon not to have a chuckle during this. I really didn't expect to enjoy this movie as much as I did, but I did enjoy it and I think you and your family will too.

Magical barrier stones protect and define Dragonlands. Dragons are dying out and so is magic. The Great Zambini recruits young orphan Jennifer Strange. He runs the employment agency Kazam that has two full time wizards. With magic fading, modern technology is often used as a replacement. Wizards used to do big magic but they've been reduced to fixing smaller problems like plumbing. One day, Zambini disappears and visions appear showing the last dragon soon to be slayed. Brian Spalding the dragonslayer shows Jennifer the sword which is marked with every dragonslayer's name including her. Brian turns to dust and Jennifer becomes the last dragonslayer. She is taken to King Snodd and pushed to take Sir Grifflon as her assistant. She refuses to kill the last dragon despite the public's demand. Everybody wants the dragon killed and take over Dragonlands. The dragon tells her that she has to fulfill the prophecy or else magic shall destroy her kingdom. Gordon shows up to take the assistant job. There's also somebody trying to shoot her with magical arrows. Stuffco is a supermarket conglomerate sponsoring the dragon slaying.

I don't know anything about the books. The concept of marrying the modern world with the magical medieval dragon world seems intriguing. There is also an attempt at social commentary. It does stray a little too far into camp which is not particularly funny and detracts from anything serious. The CGI is functional considering its TV movie use. The set design looks somewhat cheap. Any attempt at elevating the material is often pulled back. The lead Ellise Chappell looks to be a newcomer but she has good charisma. It may be unfair but any material of this nature is always going to be compared to Harry Potter. The comparison is not favorable. This movie struggles to start this franchise and may work better as a series.

Ignore the overly pedantic critics, this is a very easy to enjoy movie. It's not meant to be anything special, just a good old fashioned family fantasy movie. If you go in expecting it to be a blow-you-away Hollywood blockbuster then you just won't enjoy it. It won't win awards for filmmaking but there is absolutely nothing wrong with this movie.

I watched this with my family, aged six to eighty. We all enjoyed it. Rating it for myself I'd probably give it 7 or 8, as it was witty and warm-hearted and silly and great holiday viewing, but not as action-packed as I'd hope (though I imagine it had 1/20th of the budget of a Harry Potter or whatnot).

But its hard to please a whole family and it really felt like this was something we could all enjoy together, which is rare outside of those big Pixar animated movies.

The girl playing Jennifer was really great and the whole thing had a sort of riotous pantomime air that felt very English. I hope they make more.

I do not know the series. So, I saw it as a nice fantasy about spirit of family, about magic versus pragmatism and nice arrow against consumerism and huge commercial chains.

Sure, it could be better . It deserved be better.

But for few scenes, a fist of humor, some touching moments, the young interpreter of Tiger reminding me Antony Yelchin, it just works. The special effects are far to be so bad and John Bradley gives a charming Gordon - yes, the memories about GOT are not very far by appreciation tottaly subjective -.

So, a brave girl, with a tough mission, lookink her master, rebuilding the fair order. Is it real not enough ?