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Eragon Review

Movies.com Critics

2.5

Dave White Profile

… totally dull … Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 2.0
    38

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Generally unfavorable reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 40

    out of 100

    Variety Justin Chang

    Appropriating all the external trappings of big-budget fantasy but none of the requisite soul, this leaden epic never soars like the CG-rendered fire-breather at the core of its derivative mythology.

    Read Full Review

  • 40

    out of 100

    Los Angeles Times

    Eragon is likely to center on its place among the likes of "Dragonheart," "Reign of Fire" and the rest of the mediocre dragon flicks.

    Read Full Review

  • 40

    out of 100

    The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

    If some of the characters won't be returning for the sequel, no matter. In all likelihood, neither will the audience.

    Read Full Review

  • 42

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly

    Though the movie, which was adapted from a book written by Christopher Paolini when he was a teenager, aims high by ripping off the classics (even down to Eragon's murdered uncle), what it most recalls are the cheesy lost sword-and-sorcery epics from the '80s, awful movies in the vein of "Yor: The Hunter From the Future" and "The Blade Master."

    Read Full Review

  • 50

    out of 100

    Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

    The star of this fantasy adventure for young audiences is a charmer from the moment she is hatched (from a huge blue egg that starts to rock like a Mexican jumping bean). Her name is Saphira, she speaks with the voice of Rachel Weisz, and it doesn't matter that she's too young to breathe fire -- at first -- or that she waddles a bit on the ground, because she lives and breathes the joy of flight, which is exactly what was missing from most of Harry Potter's solos on a broom.

  • 50

    out of 100

    The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

    There is little complexity in the social, cultural or political shape of this world. So this film, directed by visual effects master Stefen Fangmeier and written by Peter Buchman in a straightforward manner, cannot escape the rote nature of such a fantasy.

    Read Full Review

  • 63

    out of 100

    USA Today Claudia Puig

    It's a pleasant enough fantastical adventure, but it does feel naggingly derivative.

    Read Full Review

  • See all Eragon reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

OK for kids 9+

Dragon fantasy falls flat, but kids won't care.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that the movie's content is just right for the target 'tweener audience. It has its scary moments, with several scenes featuring dark woods, eerie wind, abrupt violence, big battles and a frightening evil wizard with red and black makeup. Swords, arrows, and spears produce some bloody wounds and several dead bodies, and one-on-one fight scenes include kicking, punching, swordplay, and falling. Eragon confronts and feels guilty about a family member's death (the corpse is visible, with a bloody face).

  • Families can talk about how the movie differs from the book. What worked better in the book and what in the movie? Why?
  • Those who didn't read the story might talk about Eragon's response tobeing "chosen" by the dragon.
  • Why are dragons such fascinating creatures in fiction and legends?
  • Families can also talk about the movie's similarities to (anddifferences from) other fantasy and sci-fi classics, like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. What elements of Eragon's story areunique? Which ones have you seen before?

The good stuff
  • message true0

    Messages: Bad king and wizard want to stomp out all independent thought; dragon rider and his friends want their land to be prosperous and free.

  • rolemodels true3

    Role models: Not an issue

What to watch for
  • violence false3

    Violence: Violence pushes the PG edge, with bloody injuries and faces, brief sadness following a character's murder, and wraithy figures who swoop around in darkness; battle scenes include huge armies wielding multiple weapons (spears, arrows, flames, swords, knives); battle between two flying creatures (good dragon and bad smoky dark beastie) has them biting at each other, resulting in bloody wounds; riders fall from horses; magic spell leaves victim with black spidery veins and debilitating "illness."

  • sex false0

    Sex: Mutual attraction between Arya and Eragon is established -- without much spark but with some sensual glances; Eragon's relationship with the dragon is "romantic," though it stops short of being sensual (some lines are comic, whether intentionally or not, as each declares their mutually interdependent "power").

  • language false0

    Language: Not an issue

  • consumerism false0

    Consumerism: Not an issue

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

© Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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Fan Reviews provided by

Average Rating: 3.459
Read all reviews Write a review at Fandango
1

happened to have the same name as the book. by macpon
Yeah so this movie was a alright if u didnt read the book. but so many things were left out did anyone notice there was absolutly no mention of the dwarfs. and the urgals were pretty much a bunch of body builders. not the 8 foot monsters they were sopossed to be. They didnt even have horns. the elf didnt have pointed ears. which someone could mistake as a human and the girl that he blessed wasnt mentions which is starting to become a major charicter in the later books so they really cant explain her. the razac never died, so that might be a little agaisnt the book. and the fight with durza was wrong as well. the only thing right was they cut his back and durza died. wtf was he riding on anyway. Did the producers or even anyone working on the movie read the book? im guessing not. or this might be just some random movie and it so happened that they had a dragon and a boy named eragon.

4

When the Preview is better than the Movie! by monkeybeans
The movie was disappointing after the preview promised wonderment and finally when it opened? wow! What a let down. The effects were not even that great. My kids liked it and they were happy, so, I am happy. I don't go to the theaters much and wait for things to come on DVD, but after I saw the preview.... couldn't wait to spend lots of money to bring the whole family, but should have waited. I am going to have to be careful of the big previews because they don't always deliver. Should have known! I guess overall it cost me a lot of money for a cute movie. Even Charlotte's Web was better... and I knew the ending.

2


5

loved it by dej
great movie

3

by sorrathes

5

Eragon by 1movie goer1
Excellent movie! My 11 year old son just loved the action.

4

by Bella89

4

Fun Flick by scifi_dudester
Intersting movie. Good story and character development. I wouldn't mind seeing it again.

Read all Eragon reviews at Fandango
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