Reign of Fire

Amazon.com

The Road Warrior meets Dragonslayer in the briskly entertaining post-apocalyptic action thriller Reign of Fire. Reign of Fire exists primarily to give us a bigger and better dragon than the Vermithrax Pejorative of 1981's classic Dragonslayer, and in that regard, the special effects are mightily impressive; the reptilian fire-breathers are stupendously convincing. While the earlier film offers a richer, more whimsical medieval adventure, Reign of Fire is a fast-moving tale of man versus dragon that takes place in the charred England of 2020, after Earth has been scorched by rapidly multiplying dragons and the aftermath of a futile nuclear counterstrike. Mixing high-tech gadgetry with primitive survivalism, X-Files alumnus Rob Bowman makes the most of his midlevel budget, establishing a lavish castle base for the rugged, adversarial teaming of Christian Bale and Matthew McConaughey as dragonslayers on the brink of extinction. With a steady supply of crowd-pleasing highlights, Reign of Fire is a pyrotechnical treat. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Matthew McConaughey (U-571) and Christian Bale (SHAFT) star in an explosive action-packed adventure with bone-charring special effects that will have you glued to your seat! When workers in a London tunneling project awaken an unearthly fire-breathing beast from centuries of slumber, all hell breaks loose. Twelve-year-old Quinn (Bale) sees his mother, one of the workers, die trying to escape this new terror. Twenty years later as a "fire chief," he tries to keep a group of refugees alive with fierce dragons dominating the air, burning the land and feeding on the ash. Unexpectedly, Van Zan (McConaughey), a hotshot American militia leader, shows up with a ragtag group of slayers on a perilous crusade to hunt down and destroy the beasts. Tempers flare when there is a struggle for leadership -- until both men realize only one species is getting out of this alive.

Customer Reviews:

4 Stars for 4 Reasons.......2007-09-06

1. Matthew McConaughey; 2. Christian Bale; 3. Originality; and 4. The Production Aspects - special effects, light, direction, sets, et. al.

Two of the stars I gave are for McConaughey's performance. He takes the character of Van Zan and breathes life, and yes fire, into him, without crossing into pardody or cliche. The movie's title could refer to Van Zan, as easily as it refers to the dragons' destruction of human civilization. Christian Bale gives a fine performance as Quinn, steely resolve tempered with overwhelming concern for the welfare of those he leads. The two characters make an interesting pair. Van Zan is all about killing the dragons. Quinn is all about protecting the few remaining humans in the area. When Quinn and Van Zan are at loggerheads, they inadvertantly tear apart the resolve of the remaining humans in the area. When Van Zan and Quinn act together, the dragons truly have something to fear.

There are lots of movies with, and/or, about dragons. The take on dragons in this movie isn't new - dragons during modern times - but the strength of the characters, writing, and sets put this movie into the realm of "well done" (something about the movie's title has my pun gland working overtime). The movie avoids a lot of in depth explanations about the dragons origins. I think this is a wise decision. The viewer, like the characters, are torn from the every day normality of modern life, into a world where dragons are real. Go with the flow, and enjoy the movie. The sets are amazingly well done - pun intended. The remnants of modern human civilization left after the firestorm of the dragons are vividly portrayed. The dragons are magnificent - simultaneously majestic and loathesome; as well as immortal and vulnerable. Kudo to all who worked on the movie's special effects.

I didn't give the movie five stars because there are some faults. With the exception of the character Creedy (who single-handedly keeps the movie from being 100% grim), the supporting characters, while necessary, are not well introduced. My impression is that some of the supporting characters, especially Alex and Jared, while essential, had a lot of their scenes end up on the "cutting room floor". This left a disjointed feel to Alex and Jared's screen time. I also think that the flow of the movie was interrupted too often with scenes of vehicles traveling on roads. During such scenes I kept thinking, "I get it, I get it! Grim world. Grimy world. Tough world. Technically, a nice shot. Now, get back to the movie!" The traveling vehicle scenes went on just a little too long, losing the momentum of the action.

Overall, I recommend this movie for a great viewing experience.

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-24

A post-apocalyptic thriller that substitutes dirt and grime for any inkling of logic and probability, Reign of Fire features shirtless one-upmanship at its finest. The cigar stub chomping Matthew McConaughey is finally chiseled into Mt. RiffTrax, making a gutsy bid to become the hardest working shirtless man in show business since The Swayze himself. Playing the Keanu-esque foil to McConaughey's Swayze, Christian Bale returns every hardened stare, lets no machismo go unanswered, no muscle flex go un-flexed back at, and he'll be damned if he puts a shirt on either. For good measure, the writers also toss in a few dragons, and hint at the existence of thousands more. It's an old fashioned post-apocalyptic dude-off, both on the screen and in the recording booth, as Kevin Murphy joins Mike Nelson for what is sure to be your newest favorite RiffTrax involving dragons.

Entertaining.......2007-07-31

This movie was silly, but I enjoyed it anyway. Can you really get enough when it comes to good-looking men fighting dragons?

Decent movie, but back desc is deceptive.......2007-07-18

I went into this movie having known nothing about it but what the blurb on the back said. The blurb gave the distinct impression of damsel-in-distress gets rescued....which this movie thankfully avoids. The plot is so basic it could have been written over breakfast one day...the dialogue is so so, the special effects are decently done, the overall package is nice and short. In truth, the movie pulls very few surprise moves which is refreshing. The characters aren't super developed but they've got a bit of life and backstory to them.

For an end of world type movie, it did all right in my eyes.

Ok movie but I was Dissapointed.......2007-06-30

Ok as a typical monster type movie. Effects were great!
I was disappointed in the story line. After viewing all of the trailers, I expected there to be a lot more about the dragons.
I was really looking forward to the sections of the movie where they discover more about the dragons, like their biology, how long have they been around, more science stuff. But it didn't really come.
What you got was a narrator who just dumped all of the interesting facts on you, just to transition you to the end section where they could have the final conflicts.
I enjoy the discovery, where certain characters investigate and after a lot of work they find that final piece of the puzzle that helps them in the end. The process of discovery, picking up on small details that allow your imagination to piece together and fill in the full story. Not just a quick info dump, skip all of the cool stuff, and jump back into the action.
Not that action is bad, in fact I like it best when they intersperse the action scenes with the investigation and discovery scenes.
So I guess it's an Ok Monster Movie, but not great Si-Fi!

Average customer rating:

Better than some say
Drag.on & on
Awesome Movie
Reign of Garbage!
Flame Retardant

Reign of Fire [Blu-ray]
Starring: Christian Bale , and Matthew McConaughey
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000L212HW
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Description

Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale battle terrifying beasts -- and each other -- in REIGN OF FIRE on Blu-ray Disc(R). Packed with action, this thrilling adventure is hotter than ever in this explosive new format! All hell breaks loose when an unearthly creature is awakened after centuries of slumber. Twenty years later, "fire chief" Quinn (Bale) tries to keep a group of refugees alive with ferocious dragons dominating the air and burning the land. But tempers also flare when Quinn clashes with a hotshot American militia leader (McConaughey). Gasp at the bone-charring special effects in spectacular 1080p and cower as fire-breathing dragons roar in thunderous 5.1 48 kHz, 16-bit uncompressed audio. Feel the heat with Blu-ray(TM) High Definition!

Customer Reviews:

Better than some say.......2007-09-03

It may not be the best action movie about dragons ever, but it has some great moments with top sound and picture to show of you're 1080p system!!

Drag.on & on.......2007-08-07

If you love fantasy, dragons etc. then ok RENT this movie first before wasting good bucks on buying. Previous comments, bad plot, ham acting etc all true One of the all time great BAD fantasy movies.

Awesome Movie.......2007-03-25

This movie is really great. The dragons are the best since vermithrax in Dragonslyer. Dragons are meant to be mean not friendly and these sure portrayed mean!! I was dissapointed in the way this film was recieved and it's box office take. I think Bowman did a great job.

Reign of Garbage!.......2007-01-31

This was a bad movie made worse by the fact that I was actually excited about it before it came out. I'm a big fan of dragons and the ones shown in the "behind the scenes" show that preceeded the movies release really had me looking forward to seeing it. Seeing this in the theater was like a kick in the teeth with a steel toed boot - although the dragons DID look good, the story was terrible (both in its concept and presentation) and the acting was, by far, the worst I've seen out of professional actors in a movie that was not made for TV. I watched the whole movie with a glimmer of hope, which was definitely extinguished when the credits started rolling by. This is now how I refer to any movie that I think is terrible (i.e. - "That's almost as bad as 'Reign of Fire'!). If you're expecting crap and only want some mindless action to play in the background, it might be passable, but if you have any expectations beyone total [explative], then avoid this atrocity like the plague. As for seeing it in 1080i - a piece of trash in any resolution is still trash!

Flame Retardant.......2006-12-31

Above average film starring Christian Bale and Mathew B. High def is gorgeous and you can't go wrong renting this flick, or blind buying it if you never saw it.

Average customer rating:

Reveling Production
The Burden of Sturla's Dream!
A Feast For your senses - A Must have - Must See
Exciting and helpful to understanding film.
Fabulous Documentary

Wrath of Gods
Director: Jon Gustafsson
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

Director's Cut, 72 minutes
2 hours of bonus material
1 hour exclusive interview with Gerard Butler
Additional and extended scenes
Exclusive interviews with the people behind Beowulf & Grendel

ASIN: B000V8VNUM

Product Description

Winner of 4 awards, this entertaining documentary tells the dramatic story behind the making of the epic movie Beowulf & Grendel, starring Gerard Butler, Stellan Skarsgard, Sarah Polley and Ingvar Sigurdsson. When Canadian director Sturla Gunnarsson and his cast and crew, including Gerard Butler and Stellan Skarsgård, set upon Iceland to film Beowulf & Grendel in 2004, they expected the usual complications involved in making a major motion picture. What they encountered was a ruthless Icelandic winter on a foreboding landscape, financing complications and a bizarre run of bad luck that led some of them to believe they were in an epic battle with the Norse gods themselves. Filmmaker Jon Gustafsson was along for the ride. Hired to play one of Beowulfs warriors, hes one set with his camera as the crew battles hurricane force winds and hes in the backroom as the producers scramble to shore up a collapsing deal, creating an intimate portrait of filmmakers fighting the odds in pursuit of a vision. For more information visit: www.WrathOfGods.com

Customer Reviews:

Reveling Production.......2007-08-27

high lelel of superiority and surprise. background enhancing events of beowulf + grendel. watching the human side of experiencs leads to heightened enjoyment

The Burden of Sturla's Dream!.......2007-08-24

Many MANY years ago, being a dedicated Werner Herzog fan, I went to see the documentary, "Burden of Dreams" which was based on the many trials and tribulations of filming his incredible movie, "Fitzcarraldo" in the jungles of Peru. "Wrath of Gods" could be its Icelandic cousin. There seem to be certain films that fight against their creators. Their directors, crew, and cast must give all they have, and sometimes even a bit more, in order to see their dream realized. Indeed, there are moments during WOGs when the forced smile on director Sturla Gunnarsson's face melts into something sad and desperate; those are among the most beautiful moments in this film, because that sadness and desperation added to the haunting (and I mean that in the most lovely and primal way) beauty of what became "Beowulf & Grendel". There is no happy, storybook ending here; the film did poorly by Hollywood standards, but so what?! The film is ultimately true to the prose, true to the raging, frozen, breathtaking Icelandic landscape where it was filmed, and true to the tale of its anti-hero, Beowulf. It is almost an anti-Hollywood movie, and sometimes, who could ask for more than that? Thank you to the director of "Beowulf & Grendel", Sturla Gunnarsson, to Jon Gustafsson, who filmed its filming, and to the extraordinary cast. Absolutely loved this movie. It has SOUL.

A Feast For your senses - A Must have - Must See.......2007-08-23

Finally the world has the light switch turned on and Wrath is lighting the world on fire.

Got My Wrath DVD ---WOW just does not cover it

I came home to Wrath in my mailbox and I just finished watching it ----WOW!!! Awesome just does not begin to be the tip of the iceberg. Simply a masterpiece. Bravo Jon.

I loved the interview with Gerard, it is so raw and candid and shows alot of soul and gives us an inner glimpse of the many sides of Gerry. I like the part when he mentions how much Iceland means to him and how it has left such an impression on him, just like his homeland Scotland. For Gerry to make the interview while he had a raging headache says lot about him and his passion for Beowulf and Wrath.

Wrath is a must for everyone and you (Jon) must be so proud of your film because it is truly a work of art. It brought it all back for me when I was in Toronto for the World Premiere Of Beowulf and on the Red Carpet.

You go through so many different emotions in this film it is really a roller coaster ride that you hope will never end. It really gives the art of making movies a human touch and gives us all a bird's eye view of what can happen and what can go wrong. it is truly refreshing to get out of the "Hollywood" Mold and step into the real world. Just when you thought things could not get worse, they do and you wonder how everyone made it through filming alive.

So many extras that will leave you breathless and leave you in awe. I cannot believe the amount of extras included, it is amazing!!!

I am so happy Wrath is available in ALL REGIONS. It will become an instant treasure for you to watch again and again, except this treasure is not buried.

Bravo Jon!!!!

I know many more awards are ahead for you and Wrath, you so deserve it.

Alexandria

Exciting and helpful to understanding film........2007-08-22

Ihave always loved the story of beowulf. I was excited to see the movie when it came out, but by the end I was more interested in finding how they ever made the film. The documentary is wonderful. It lays out the reality of making movies and also about following your vision against great odds. The landscape, business, and unexpected pitfalls do not seem to sway people who are passionate about their art. I am so happy this film was made.

Fabulous Documentary.......2007-08-22

I was interested in BEOWULF AND GRENDEL for several reasons, first I'm a big Gerard Butler fan, second, I wanted to see how an updated film of the ancient epic poem would turn out and finally, I had been to Iceland and I wanted to see how it looked on film. Naturally, this documentary caught my eye and it did not disappoint. It was very interesting in just following the basic film making process. As a viewer, you are up close and personal with all the people working on the film, not just the cast and director. There was, of course, nothing basic in the making of this film. The weather was incredible, the backdrop of the Icelandic wilderness was breathtaking and the monumental difficulties that the filmmakers had to overcome was awesome. Though the weather and Mother Nature were by far the most dramatic problems, there were financial and business snafus to deal with as well. This documentary had a dramatic intensity of its own quite apart from the drama portrayed in the film. I unhesitatingly recommend this DVD to anyone who is interested in the process of filmmaking, as well as the beautiful landscape of the Icelandic coast and mountains.

Average customer rating:

4 Stars for 4 Reasons
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
Entertaining
Decent movie, but back desc is deceptive
Ok movie but I was Dissapointed

Reign of Fire (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: Christian Bale , Alice Krige , David Kennedy , Izabella Scorupco , and Matthew McConaughey
Director: Rob Bowman
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

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Accessories:

ASIN: B0008JFMFG
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Product Description

Reign of Fire UMD Movie From Buena Vista

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

4 Stars for 4 Reasons.......2007-09-06

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-24

Entertaining.......2007-07-31

This movie was silly, but I enjoyed it anyway. Can you really get enough when it comes to good-looking men fighting dragons?

Decent movie, but back desc is deceptive.......2007-07-18

Ok movie but I was Dissapointed.......2007-06-30

Average customer rating:

4 Stars for 4 Reasons
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
Entertaining
Decent movie, but back desc is deceptive
Ok movie but I was Dissapointed

Reign of Fire [Region 2]
Starring: Christian Bale , Matthew McConaughey , Izabella Scorupco , Gerard Butler , and Scott Moutter
Director: Rob Bowman
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006AGGY

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

4 Stars for 4 Reasons.......2007-09-06

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-24

Entertaining.......2007-07-31

This movie was silly, but I enjoyed it anyway. Can you really get enough when it comes to good-looking men fighting dragons?

Decent movie, but back desc is deceptive.......2007-07-18

Ok movie but I was Dissapointed.......2007-06-30

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