I loved this 500-page novel and thought it was brilliantly written. I gave copies of it away for Christmas. It was #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list for 87 consecutive weeks, and deservedly so. It's been nominated for numerous Young Adult awards, published in 38 countries and sold millions of copies worldwide.
So I urge fantasy fans to go read the book. Alas, Peter Buchman's screenplay is just awful, a butchered and miserable romp through the basic plot highlights. It takes the best loved clichés from "Star Wars", "Harry Potter" and "LOTR" and duct-tapes them together, hoping we will fall in love with a string of cheesy quotes.
I also wonder if perhaps director Stefen Fangmeier isn't ready for directing. He has a long list of credits for special effects work (including for "Jurassic Park," "Twister" and "Perfect Storm") and to be fair, "Eragon" has marvelous F/X and lovely scenic vistas. But the film lacks characterization and coherency. It wastes the talents of Oscar winners Jeremy Irons and Rachel Weisz, as well as Robert Carlyle and John Malkovich. Finally, it is a sad debut vehicle for Ed Speelers (who might be decent, given a chance).
I think most adults and teens might be insulted by this film, but maybe the pre-teen generation will be more forgiving. The five minutes when baby Saphira are onscreen are the best part. ;)
So I urge fantasy fans to go read the book. Alas, Peter Buchman's screenplay is just awful, a butchered and miserable romp through the basic plot highlights. It takes the best loved clichés from "Star Wars", "Harry Potter" and "LOTR" and duct-tapes them together, hoping we will fall in love with a string of cheesy quotes.
I also wonder if perhaps director Stefen Fangmeier isn't ready for directing. He has a long list of credits for special effects work (including for "Jurassic Park," "Twister" and "Perfect Storm") and to be fair, "Eragon" has marvelous F/X and lovely scenic vistas. But the film lacks characterization and coherency. It wastes the talents of Oscar winners Jeremy Irons and Rachel Weisz, as well as Robert Carlyle and John Malkovich. Finally, it is a sad debut vehicle for Ed Speelers (who might be decent, given a chance).
I think most adults and teens might be insulted by this film, but maybe the pre-teen generation will be more forgiving. The five minutes when baby Saphira are onscreen are the best part. ;)