Dungeons & Dragons - comments and criticism (contains spoilers)
Spoiler space for those lucky enough not to have seen=20
this.
Well I guess the best thing you can say about this film, was
that the special effects weren't that bad. The battle between
the dragons was moderately cool, though not up to the standard
of say Jurassic Park.
The intro sequence rather sets the scene. The moving camera
effect doesn't quite work as the lighting is just off. The=20
appalling voice over waffles on about freedom and equality
and everyone in the auditorium yawns.
If anything the script goes downhill from there on in. With
only one real exception (Bruce Payne as Damodar) the main=20
actors fail to make anything from what they're given. Jeremy=20
Irons seems to have been given the brief that he's staring
in a panto given how badly he hams it up.
The cameo's (Richard O'brien and Tom Baker) are great, but their
brief moments on screen just serve to highlight how bad the=20
rest of the cast are.
The character Snails (Marlon Wayans) in particular deserves=20
special mention. His character is "developed" around half
way through the film. This could be considered a bold move
were it not for two factors. Firstly, he's black. Black=20
sidekicks always used to get the chop in the 80's to show how=20
bad the villains really are. Yippee, what a big step forwards.
Secondly, we got the obligatory "NOOOOOOOOooooooo" from the
hero who conveniently arrived just in time to witness the
whole thing. The whole scene sucked big time.
All this could perhaps have been forgiven, if we'd had a=20
passable plot. Sadly, what we had instead was a bad
Star Wars rip off.
The Empress was a fairly poor imitation of Queen Amidala.
The wizard Profiterol could have been Darth Sideous. His=20
henchman Damodar should really have whispered "At last=20
we shall have our revenge". Everyone was keen to point out=20
that the hero (Riddley) had great potential. He even=20
has a big lightsaber battle at the with Darth Maul. (Check
out the manner in which he wins).
It all added up to a big cheesy rip off. I mean at least
try and disguise your sources.
To close, I've picked out some quotes from film reviews=20
out there that summarise the movie so much better more=20
succinctly than I.
=A0=A0"The disconnects are so strange that with a little more effort, =
they=20
could have become a style."
-- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
=A0=A0"One of the worst movies released in a year already notorious=20
for bad movies."
-- Gary Thompson, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS
=A0=A0"This film's only hope is to reach an audience too young to =
recognize=20
its blatant rip-offs."
-- E! ONLINE
=A0=A0"Gamer geeks, I speak your language! And I warn you: Flee!"
-- Cody Clark, MR. SHOWBIZ
=A0=A0"Sinks in a sea of cheesy effects, cheap clich=E9s, dispiriting=20
narrative and the one thing an action fantasy can't afford: boredom."
-- Bruce Westbrook, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
this.
Well I guess the best thing you can say about this film, was
that the special effects weren't that bad. The battle between
the dragons was moderately cool, though not up to the standard
of say Jurassic Park.
The intro sequence rather sets the scene. The moving camera
effect doesn't quite work as the lighting is just off. The=20
appalling voice over waffles on about freedom and equality
and everyone in the auditorium yawns.
If anything the script goes downhill from there on in. With
only one real exception (Bruce Payne as Damodar) the main=20
actors fail to make anything from what they're given. Jeremy=20
Irons seems to have been given the brief that he's staring
in a panto given how badly he hams it up.
The cameo's (Richard O'brien and Tom Baker) are great, but their
brief moments on screen just serve to highlight how bad the=20
rest of the cast are.
The character Snails (Marlon Wayans) in particular deserves=20
special mention. His character is "developed" around half
way through the film. This could be considered a bold move
were it not for two factors. Firstly, he's black. Black=20
sidekicks always used to get the chop in the 80's to show how=20
bad the villains really are. Yippee, what a big step forwards.
Secondly, we got the obligatory "NOOOOOOOOooooooo" from the
hero who conveniently arrived just in time to witness the
whole thing. The whole scene sucked big time.
All this could perhaps have been forgiven, if we'd had a=20
passable plot. Sadly, what we had instead was a bad
Star Wars rip off.
The Empress was a fairly poor imitation of Queen Amidala.
The wizard Profiterol could have been Darth Sideous. His=20
henchman Damodar should really have whispered "At last=20
we shall have our revenge". Everyone was keen to point out=20
that the hero (Riddley) had great potential. He even=20
has a big lightsaber battle at the with Darth Maul. (Check
out the manner in which he wins).
It all added up to a big cheesy rip off. I mean at least
try and disguise your sources.
To close, I've picked out some quotes from film reviews=20
out there that summarise the movie so much better more=20
succinctly than I.
=A0=A0"The disconnects are so strange that with a little more effort, =
they=20
could have become a style."
-- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
=A0=A0"One of the worst movies released in a year already notorious=20
for bad movies."
-- Gary Thompson, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS
=A0=A0"This film's only hope is to reach an audience too young to =
recognize=20
its blatant rip-offs."
-- E! ONLINE
=A0=A0"Gamer geeks, I speak your language! And I warn you: Flee!"
-- Cody Clark, MR. SHOWBIZ
=A0=A0"Sinks in a sea of cheesy effects, cheap clich=E9s, dispiriting=20
narrative and the one thing an action fantasy can't afford: boredom."
-- Bruce Westbrook, HOUSTON CHRONICLE