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Movies / On DVD / Eragon
Eragon

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Eragon (2006)

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Reviews Counted: 117

Fresh: 19

Rotten:98

Average Rating: 4.1/10

Consensus: Written by a teenager (and it shows), Eragon presents nothing new to the "hero’s journey" story archetype. In movie terms, this movie looks and sounds like Lord of the Rings and plays out like a bad Star Wars rip-off. The movie spins the tale of a peasant boy who is suddenly entrusted with a dragon and must, with the help of a mentor, train, grow strong, and defeat an evil emperor. The way the critics picture it, the makers of Eragon should soon be expecting an annoyed phone call from George Lucas.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for battle sequences and frightening moments

Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:15-12-2006

Synopsis: Based on the first novel in Christopher Paolini's popular INHERITANCE trilogy, ERAGON is a fantastical adventure in a vein similar to that of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and THE CHRONICLES OF... Based on the first novel in Christopher Paolini's popular INHERITANCE trilogy, ERAGON is a fantastical adventure in a vein similar to that of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. A classic story of a quest driven by destiny and set in a land where elves, magicians, and humans live side by side, the battle between good and evil, innocence and cynicism, is taken up once again. John Malkovitch camps it up as the evil King Galbatorix, a former guardian of peace who long ago went over to the dark side. He now rules over a land from which dragons have all but disappeared, until humble farm boy Eragon (newcomer Edward Speelers) happens upon a mysterious blue object that turns out to be a dragon egg. Eragon befriends the charming dragon cub, Saphira (voiced with aplomb by Rachel Weisz), and becomes her rider, designating him as the principal warrior in the fight against evil. Jeremy Irons steals the show as the wise and mysterious old man who becomes Eragon's mentor, guiding him through the tasks of saving a princess (Sienna Guillory) battling an evil sorcerer (Robert Carlyle, TRAINSPOTTING), and fending off hordes of the hideous Urgals. All of this will strike the seasoned fantasy viewer as familiar territory, but the formula is given life by veterans Malkovitch and Irons, as well as the young Speelers. The film was shot mostly in Hungary, whose breathtaking landscape combines to great effect with excellent cinematography. The special effects, created by LORD OF THE RINGS' Digital Magic and STAR WARS' Industrial Light and Magic, more than live up to the precedent set by those films, while the dragon is film's true star. [More]

Starring: Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou

Starring: Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou, Robert Carlyle, Sienna Guillory, Garrett Hedlund, Alun Armstrong, Christopher Egan, Joss Stone, Tamsin Egerton, Steve Spears, Gary Lewis, Rachel Weisz

Director: Stefen Fangmeier

Director: Stefen Fangmeier
Producer: Roger Barton, John Davis, Adam Goodman
Composer: Patrick Doyle
Studio: 20th Century Fox

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Eragon

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

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Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
01/20/07
Philip French
Observer [UK]

We can only hope the next instalment will have a little more fire in its belly.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
01/02/07
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

A painful reminder of what fantasy cinema was like before the Lord of the Rings trilogy re-wrote the rules.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment 1 Comment
12/30/06
Nigel Floyd
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

John Malkovich finds his loopy, nostril-flaring form as the wicked tyrant and Jeremy Irons, playing the boy's wise mentor, is visibly thinking about his fee.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
12/30/06
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The effects are impressive but the script, acting and direction are desperately dull.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
12/30/06
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

An enjoyably bad movie.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
12/30/06
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

It's a bonanza for the tinted contact lens industry.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
12/30/06
Robert Hanks
Independent

This tale of dragons and derring-do risks sending kids and grownups alike drifting away to the Land Of Nod.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
12/30/06
Stella Papamichael
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Technically competent, but essentially a fantasy movie that mistakes industrial light for magic.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Chris Hewitt (UK)
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
04/23/09
Tom Meek
Boston Phoenix

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
11/20/08
Michael Szymanski
Hollywood.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Jonathan Kiefer
Sacramento News & Review

Regardless of your feelings about the fantasy genre, there's one thing everyone can agree on: Elves should not be 5-foot-6.

Full Review Source: Washington City Paper | comment 4 Comments
03/04/08
Tricia Olszewski
Washington City Paper
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
01/15/08
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons

As my companion dourly noted, "I just paid $30.00 to see Star Wars." (And yes, that's matinee pricing and all I had was a water.) But wow, great effects, seriously.

Full Review Source: Cinerina | comment Comment
09/02/07
Karina Montgomery
Cinerina

Tolkien lite.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
05/10/07
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

The viewer is not transported to the magical, complex and elaborate kingdom of Alagaësia of the book, but rather is merely observing action scene followed by action scene. 

Full Review Source: culturevulture.net | comment 1 Comment
03/20/07
Emily S. Mendel
culturevulture.net

Director Stefan Fangmeier would have been better off following the cliff-hanging, lucidly written action scenes by [Christopher] Paolini.

Full Review Source: Film-Forward.com | comment Comment
01/16/07
Kent Turner
Film-Forward.com

While it offers nothing new, it gets a passing grade because it does have some interesting characters, brought to life by some top-notch acting talent.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
01/14/07
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

At a recent screening of 'Eragon,' a woman lamented, 'It's like a teenage guy wrote this.' She was right.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment 1 Comment
01/12/07
Dan Lybarger
eFilmCritic.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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