Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8633 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-05-19
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 86 minutes

Amazon.co.uk
Stunning computer-generated special effects are the main selling point of Dragon Wars, a Korean-made fantasy about ancient monsters wreaking havoc in modern Los Angeles. The complex plot, based on legend, pits an evil serpent and its demonic army against a young woman (Amanda Brooks) who is the reincarnation of a young woman imbued with the heaven-sent power to transform the creature into an all-powerful dragon. Jason Behr (The Grudge) is the reporter who discovers that he too is a reincarnated warrior bound to prevent Brooks and her power from falling into the wrong hands. The elaborate premise isn't helped by the script, which delivers absurd dialogue and situations with child-like naivete. Thankfully, the presence of Robert Forster (as another reincarnated hero) and solid actors like Elizabeth Pena, Craig Robinson and Chris Mulkey, help smooth over the frequent moments of unintentional humour. But this won't matter much to fantasy fans and (especially) younger viewers, who will tune in for the film's riot of special effects. Director Shim Hyung-rae and his talented team offer scene after scene of exceptional CGI creations, most notably an aerial dogfight between helicopters and winged lizards in the skies above downtown L.A., and a climactic battle which makes good on the title's promise. The DVD includes a making-of featurette which outlines Shim's four-year struggle to complete the project, as well as storyboard galleries and an animatics display. -- Paul Gaita

Synopsis
East meets West, and ancient myth meets modernity in this creature feature from Korean director Hyung Rae Shim (REPTILIAN). A TV news reporter (Jason Behr, SKINWALKERS), an antiques dealer (Robert Forster, FIREWALL), and a beautiful young woman (Amanda Brooks) all play a role in an old Korean legend coming to life. A giant snake is slithering its way through the streets of Los Angeles, and the trio must keep it from reuniting with an ancient spirit that will turn it into an evil, even more destructive dragon. DRAGON WARS is a throwback to classic monster movies, but this time around, there are much better special effects than audiences saw in those films from both Japan and the U.S. DRAGON WARS follows hot on the heels of fellow Korean monster movie THE HOST and features an impressive amount of action, as well as incorporating nods to creature feature favourites such as KING KONG and GODZILLA.

Customer Reviews

Almost great

I don't know why this movie is getting such bad reviews. Man, do you really think that a film named Dragon Wars is going to win an Oscar? An apparent 75million dollars was spent making this, which I'll agree sounds a bit suspicious considering it's just a big shoot-em-up B-movie. Still, shame on the people who bout the DVD just because it mentioned a massive budget in the blurb.

The writers have tried to create some kind of long and complicated plot-line / back-story, but it's not that important... Basically, a load of dragons attack a city. The effects are pretty good, but sometimes they look a bit off- which is understandable though, as they take up about half the running time. There are a few half-famous faces on show here too, who play their roles quite well.

While not being in the same league as King Kong, but also not sinking to the level of AvP2: Requiem, Dragon Wars sits comfortably in the middle: it's not great, but it's certainly not terrible, either.

Jarring
Jarring was the feeling I came away most with from this film. While its no where near the worst film ever as many people seem to say, it has some major problems. The main reason why it only gets 3 stars from me is that it jumps from one thing to the next at such a speed without really finishing what was going on in the other scene while other scenes (like the back story which is about a third of the film and in a different language) seems overplayed and make themselves overly complicated. Its this imbalance that makes it frustrating to watch. The acting isn't too great either but then they aren't helped with some awful dialogue and some laughably dreadful lines.

But there is a period when all havoc breaks looses in which the film works and keeps you entertained and that's the great shame - the action isn't bad at all but its everything else around it that falls apart. Sure you switch your brain off for these types of films but even something this crude can get your back up.

Not that great but not the awful film everyone seems to say it is.

The film definitely has some flaws, but I loved it anyway
When I see such things as a litany of hilarious "things I learned from watching Dragon Wars" and complaints that there is really only one dragon and he appears only at the very end, it does make this film seem pretty stupid - but despite all of the oddities, gaps, and other problems with the plot, I had a ball watching it. Maybe it's just the fact that I've tried very hard to never let the kid in me fade away, but dude, there's destruction on the level of a good Japanese Godzilla movie, the CGI effects are a wonder to behold, and I don't know where else you will ever find gigantic sloths with missile launchers on their backs in the year 1507. It also doesn't hurt that the lead actress is pretty darn hot.

Admittedly, the backstory is incredibly long, complicated, and foreign (as in Korean legend), but let me break it down for you. Let's start with Imoogis, giant serpents who lived in the heavens long ago. Every five hundred years, one good Imoogi is rewarded for its good deeds by receiving the Yuh Yi Joo, which allows him to become a celestial dragon. Among these Imoogis was an evil one named Baruki, who lusted for the Yuh Yi Joo. To keep him from getting it, the Yuh Yi Joo was hidden on Earth - but it wasn't hidden very well, as Baruki knew it would be borne inside the body of a twenty-year-old woman who was born with the image of a red dragon on her shoulder. An old warrior and his protégé are sent to safeguard the Yuh Yi Joo and make sure the girl is sacrificed to the good Imoogi once her twentieth birthday comes. Last time, back in 1507, there was a problem, as the young warrior fell in love with the girl. To cut a long story short, both the good Imoogi and Baruki were forced to wait another five centuries for a chance to ascend into the heavens.

In 2007, the Yuh Yi Joo resides in the body of Sarah Daniels (Amanda Brooks), and a TV reporter named Ethan Kendrick (Jason Behr) comes to realize that he is the reincarnated young warrior destined to protect her. He has to find her first, which isn't easy given the fact that Baruki and his hordes of servants set out tearing Los Angeles apart to find her first. Will Ethan be able to save her from Baruki? Will he seek to change their fate once again or deliver her to the good Imoogi?

Director Shim Hyung-rae reportedly spent several years trying to make this film a reality, so all of the criticisms of the plot are more than valid. One would think, for example, that even the most star-struck of L.A. residents and tourists would actually notice a giant serpent tearing its way through the city. You also have to wonder why the FBI would so readily accept the "ancient legend" explanation of the monster - or how they figured out so quickly that the serpent was looking for Sarah Daniels. The list goes on and on. Having enjoyed the film so much, though, I just think all of these things are funny. In fact, they almost make me want to watch the film again to see what other goofs I can find. I'm sure the epic scale of the action and the incredible special effects wouldn't diminish very much on a second viewing, either. I really don't understand how so many people can label Dragon Wars one of the worst movies ever made - they obviously haven't seen a lot of the obscure B-movies I've suffered through.