RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Eragon
Eragon

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Eragon (2006)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
16 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

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: Action/Adventure

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]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    Eragon: The Movie & The Game
    >
    Exclusive Clip: What Is That Thing?
    >
    Exclusive Clip: Call In Your Beast
    >
  • Robert Carlyle
    >
    Stefen Fangmeier
    >
    Christopher Paolini
    >
    Jeremy Irons
    >
  • Sienna Guillory
    >
    John Malkovich
    >
    Edward Speleers
    >
    John Malkovich & Jeremy Irons
    >
  • Ed Speleers & Sienna Guillory
    >
1 - 4 of 13

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Eragon

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

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

An enjoyably bad movie.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
12/30/06
Rich Cline
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
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
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)
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
Tom Meek
Boston Phoenix

Click to read the article

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

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Jonathan Kiefer
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
Tricia Olszewski
Washington City Paper
N/R

Click to read the article

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

Tolkien lite.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
05/10/07
Christopher Smith
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
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
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
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 2 Comments
01/12/07
Dan Lybarger
Dan Lybarger
eFilmCritic.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
all

Latest News for Eragon

December 13, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: I Am Legend Set For Explosive Opening
A wave of new product hits the marketplace at a time when exciting films are desperately needed to end the current box office funk. The science fiction thriller I Am Legend... More...

November 15, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: Beowulf Set To Conquer Multiplexes
One animated film will bump another from the number one spot at the North American box office. But the new warrior Beowulf is no B movie but an A-list production from an... More...

July 13, 2007: Get Ready for a Lot More Wizarding Kid Pics
With the fifth "Harry Potter" movie now in theaters (and the final book due to hit stores real soon), the studios are looking for similar properties on which to hang... More...

May 17, 2007: Media Bites: "Rambo 4," "Hostel 2," "Potter 5" & the "Almighty"
Here's just a catch-all post filled with new photos, websites, promo clips, and trailer news. Fun stuff if you're looking forward to "Hostel: Part 2," "Rambo... More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
15% 15% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia

Your first look at the swashbuckler.

Vampires

Vampires

We rank cinema's bloodsuckers.

Avatar

Avatar

The full trailer for Cameron's epic.

2012

2012

12 facts about Emmerich's disaster flick.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
78
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
63
  • Forbes Names Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actors Source: Forbes
20
  • Chris Weitz Says He's (Almost) Done with Directing Source: Film School Rejects
26
  • Spider-Man 4 Casting Rumors Multiply Like Rabbits Source: Deadline Hollywood Daily
51
  • McTeigue Says Superman Is "In a Weird Place" Source: MTV
204
  • Rachel McAdams Debunks Spider-Man 4 Rumor Source: Entertainment Weekly
117
  • Avatar: Gambling on Film's Future Source: Los Angeles Times
128
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
129
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Twilight's New Moon Dazzle?
96
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
74
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
68
  • Five Favorite Films with Werner Herzog
50
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
39
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
28
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
8
  • Ho, ho, ho! It's RT's Great Big Gift Guide!
0
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
8
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
19
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
6
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
16
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
  • Emma Stone talks Zombieland - RT Interview
41
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Eragon at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Eragon at IGN
  • Eragon at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.