Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2966 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-04-16
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 100 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
While it owes much of its appeal and appearance to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Eragon can stand on its own as an enjoyable fantasy for younger viewers. Faithfully adapted from the bestselling novel by teenage author Christopher Paolini, this boy-and-his-dragon tale offers clean, fast-paced family entertainment without compromising the darker qualities of Paolini's novel (the first in what is known as the "Inheritance" trilogy). The plot centers on 17-year-old peasant farmboy Eragon (played by appealing newcomer Ed Speleers) who discovers a mysterious blue object that turns out to be an egg that eventually hatches to reveal Saphira, a blue-scaled dragon that quickly grows to full-size. According to prophecy, Eragon is destined to be a dragon-rider like those who once protected a benevolent kingdom, thus reviving an ancient conflict against the army of King Galbatorix (John Malkovich), a former dragon rider who turned to evil, now in alliance with a dark-magic "Shade" sorcerer named Durza (Robert Carlyle).

While the movie serves up familiar fantasy elements and offers little if anything new to fans of the genre (or anyone who's read the books of Anne McCaffrey and Ursula K. Le Guin), it's visually impressive (especially the dragon scenes, with Rachel Weisz providing the telepathic "voice" of Saphira) and full of timeless wisdom, much of it delivered by Eragon's heroic mentor Brom (Jeremy Irons), himself a former dragon rider with memories of past battles and hope for Eragon's future. Add a fair warrior-maiden named Arya (Sienna Guillory) and you've got all the ingredients for a worthwhile (if not particularly original) fantasy that points directly to a sequel. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is up to individual viewers to decide. --Jeff Shannon

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 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.

Customer Reviews

Excrutiating
Eragon the movie. The book is utterly amazing, this film is utterly disastrous. Why take everything that makes the book and entire series brilliant and either kill it off or cast Joss Stone as one of the best characters. Chris Paolini should be shot for allowing it all to happen. Do not get me started on Ed Speleers acting abilities, or, lack of. A vegetable could have given a more believable performance.

In summary, read the book, ignore the very existance of the film as it almost successfully tarnishes the achievements and enthralling heights of the book.

eragon
shame the sequel will not happen. watched this with my 7 year old and loved it. good effects, good baddies. great wee film.

Don't watch if you've read the books
Having read the books beforehand, and really liking them, I advise that you do not watch this film - it will destroy the books.

The story moves too fast and overall the whole experience of the film was pretty mediocre. The acting wasn't bad, the Eragon actor carried off the character from the book pretty well but certain scenes (for example Saphira growing up, the relationship between Brom and Eragon) were dealt with in a few minutes, depicting many, many pages in the books and so after reading the books the entire film seems very rushed.

The open ending made it possible for a sequel - of which I very much doubt will happen as the majority of people who watched 'Eragon' did so on the basis of hearing good reviews/reading the books.

From Lord of the Rings' adaptation into a very succesful film series, we all do know that decent book to film adaptations can be made - but Eragon is really not a good example of that. At all.

On a good note, younger audiences do and will enjoy the film (I have proof) and it is for this reason that i ahve rated the film a 2 star intead of a 1 star rating.

My advice, Read the books, Enjoy the books and send the film to a young child, or a unwitting stranger.