Eragon

This movie had an interesting premise that was kneecapped by a low budget and cheap looking production design. If the studio had more confidence in the project and had given it their full backing it would have been a rousing success.

The story is the sophomore debut of Christopher Paolini, and his youthful naivety really shows through in the derivativeness of the story. Its like lotr was merged with star wars, especially in the fallen lord Galvatorix who betrayed the dragon riders and became the tyrant king of Elegasia. Also in the former dragon rider bron who is now Eragons mentor. And finally in the rebel Varden, who have a secret hideout where they strike against the tyrants forces. At the end Eragon accidentally leads the Urgals to the secret hideout, and they must fight the enemy shade Durza and his monstrous demon bat. The story features a lot of pyrotechnic magic from the shade, and is fairly spectacular. But the dragon Saphira looks pretty blandly designed for a dragon.

Theres also the beautiful elf princess who carries the dragon egg at the beginning, which then enters Eragons custody and hatches into Saphira. The princess is captured by durza, and Eragon recieves telepathic messages sent from the princess that tell him where shes held. Against Brons advice he risks everything to rescue her, and Bron gives his life so they can escape.

The story may be derivative but its also fresh and fun, you soon overlook all the callbacks to other films and just enjoy the propulsive action. In order to find the excitement to write Paolini obviously had to draw deeply on his pop culture touchstones, and i envy his youthful enthusiasm to become a bestselling author at such a young age. When i was his age i was floundering with writers block, but he hacked George Lucas and knocked it out of the park. The story is very conventional and tropey, but that is what i like about it.