Eragon review

In the old days Eragon would have been called a B-movie, and twenty years ago it might have had some success as part of the new home video revolution. That's the problem with this mish-mash of a dragon movie which mixes Lord of the Rings and Star Wars to largely unconvincing and hugely formulaic effect: it's so old-fashioned in sentiment and execution that it just seems out of place in this day and age.

Based on Christopher Paolini's best-selling children's novel, the film version has the life squeezed out of it by first time director and former special effects supervisor Stefen Fangmeier, who opts for safety every time and never veers into anything that might give the film an edge. A star-studded cast presumably thought they were on to the next big fantasy franchise, but hopefully they will have the solace of large cheques to comfort them after the experience.

Set in a mysterious land in a mysterious time, Jeremy Irons' ominous voiceover reveals a complicated political set-up involving an evil King named Galbatorix (a preening and ridiculous John Malkovich), who rules the vast land of Alagaesia with an iron thumb from a large dingy castle and who fears the return of the notorious dragon-riders who may threaten his reign. Aided by the evil Durza (an even more ridiculous Robert Carlyle), the king hunts down enemies with names such as Arya, Garrow and Roran, and you can't help wondering if rebels called Weetabix and Readybrek are going to wander into the story.

In wanders Eragon (Ed Speleers), a soporific teen who finds the last dragon egg in the kingdom and after nurturing his new charge sets off with Brom (Irons) to seek an ancient people - possibly known as the Vada although my attention was straying by this point - who may present a viable challenge to nasty Galboratrix. Brom is a one-dimensional Obi-Wan Kenobi and after training Eragon in the art of dragon-riding, they have another hour of supposed adventure before an inevitable showdown with the king.

Adults taking their children may well wonder what crime they committed this year to have to endure what is frankly third-rate stuff which seems to exist only to exploit the popularity of a vogeuish genre. Very young children may enjoy the baby dragon sequences, but even they are likely to eventually succumb to boredom. There's a lamentable effort to suggest a possible sequel, but it's more likely that someone will actually discover a real dragon before such an event.

Paul Hurley