Monday, January 08, 2007

Eragon

A friend of mine in Australia went to see Eragon and against all the bad reviews told me it was a very good movie. Now she doesn't seem like the typical swords and magic kind of person so I was curious and wanted to see this when I got back to Dublin. Unfortunately the cinemas in Dublin all seem to have it on a day time schedule so I wasn't able to get to see it until today.

I have to say I really enjoyed the movie. It's a direct rip off of Star Wars. A really, really, direct rip off. It starts with a princess fleeing the evil empires troops, trying to get a precious stolen item to the local rebels. The hero is kid raised by his Uncle and cousin on a secluded farm, in a cloak and hood he actually looks like Hayden Christens Anakin. The local recluse is obviously a former knight destined to train the kid to fight the empire. The evil King is a former knight who now has an evil magician to commands his army for him. I don't know how this one got past George Lucas but I'm glad it did. Throw in a few Lord of the Rings influences and you have a movie that is fun and entertaining.

Ok, it's not going to win any Oscars, even the usual fantasy categories for special effects or costumes. They are pretty weak and at times seem more like scenes from BBC show like Robin Hood or Doctor Who. But that said how many Oscar movies winning movies sit on video shelves gathering dust in their never opened boxes. This one will entertain the kids and the adults.

The list of actors is impressive as well, Jeremy Irons, Robert Carlyle, and John Malkovich play their type cast characters but they do them well. Edward Speleers as Eragon himself is streets ahead of Hayden Christensens sulky teenager Anakin.

I cant believe this movie is on no later than 4:05pm in my local cinema while Employee of the Month can trap the unwary until 9:25pm.

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