Eragon

Name: Eragon
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Family
Released: December 15, 2006
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 38
Cast: Djimon Hounsou, Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Sienna Guillory

2006

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 358 Ratings

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3.5	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 358 Ratings

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Eragon

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox 2000 Pictures | Release Date: December 15, 2006 | PG

Starring: Djimon Hounsou, Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Sienna Guillory

Summary: When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it's the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest inWhen Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it's the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. (20th Century Fox)… Expand

Director: Stefen Fangmeier

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 104 min

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Critic Reviews

Peter Hartlaub

Eragon may not be a big Oscar contender, but in a movie season filled with blood diamonds, fascist soldiers and Idi Amin, it provides a much-needed afternoon of PG-rated family-friendly adventure. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

This likable adventure is basically "Lassie" with scales and should appeal to the books' large audience of adolescent boys. Read full review

Premiere Laine Ewen

You're most likely find that Eragon is less a gem and more cubic zirconia -- nice to look at but not as preeeecioussss as its recent fantasy bretheren. Read full review

Keith Phipps

If Eragon proves anything, it's that not all dragons produce magic. Read full review

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

J.R. Jones

With the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy completed and the next "Chronicles of Narnia" movie two years away, fantasy aficionados needing a Yuletide fix may have to settle for this dull sword-and-sorcery epic. Read full review

Pete Vonder Haar

Eragon is laughably bad, mind-bogglingly derivative, and easily one of the worst movies of the year. Read full review

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User Reviews

JamesB

Jan 21, 2010

This was the best movie that I have seen in a long time. I dont know why everyone says that it was, "Written by a teenager and its terrible." This was a great movie, and I rented it again just so I could see the details better. There should be movies of all of the other books that This was the best movie that I have seen in a long time. I dont know why everyone says that it was, "Written by a teenager and its terrible." This was a great movie, and I rented it again just so I could see the details better. There should be movies of all of the other books that Christopher Paolini wrote. BEST MOVIE EVER!!!!! :)… Expand

2 of 9 users found this helpful

ArielG.

Mar 9, 2007

I wish I hadn't been initially swayed by all the bad reviews for this movie. I watched it recently, and I didn't think it was all that bad. It's not the best movie out there, and it certainly doesn't stack up to any of the Lord of The Rings movies, but it was okay as I wish I hadn't been initially swayed by all the bad reviews for this movie. I watched it recently, and I didn't think it was all that bad. It's not the best movie out there, and it certainly doesn't stack up to any of the Lord of The Rings movies, but it was okay as entertainment for a lazy sunday afternoon. It reminded me a lot of the older fantasy movies from the 1980's.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

kyle20ellis

Apr 6, 2022

First things first, I have yet to read the book, but my brother absolutely loves it and says it is so worth the read. While the film could have been much better, there are redeeming qualities. Also, I do not think it is the worst fantasy film ever, that dishonour belongs to Dungeons &First things first, I have yet to read the book, but my brother absolutely loves it and says it is so worth the read. While the film could have been much better, there are redeeming qualities. Also, I do not think it is the worst fantasy film ever, that dishonour belongs to Dungeons & Dragons.

Starting with the redeeming qualities, the film is very assured visually and technically. The sets are wondrous and the costumes are very nice. Plus the cinematography was excellent, as was the sweeping score. The acting is uneven, but there were some good performances. Jeremy Irons, a great actor, does a good job as Brom acquiring a dry sense of humour, much better than he was in Dungeons & Dragons, somehow his overacting in that film managed to further bring it down. Also John Malkovich chews the scenery with glee as the tyrannical King Galbatorix, and Robert Carlyle is decent as Durza. The best thing though was the dragon Sapphira, very well designed with expressive voice work from Rachel Weisz, and the flying scenes and the CGI effects are a delight.

However, there are many things wrong with Eragon. One is that the film is too short, consequently the characters feel thinly sketched. This could be a reason why the relationship between Eragon and Sapphira came across as unconvincing. The story was a great idea, but due to the running time primarily it meanders all over the place and is unevenly paced(sometimes feeling rushed and sometimes it drags). Ed Speleers is rather bland as Eragon, handsome yes but bland. It is pretty much the same for Sienna Guillory, gorgeous but unconvincing. The actors though are burdened by a very hammy and lacklustre script that could've done with more intelligence and wit and there are parts where the direction is flawed.

Overall, not unbearably awful but I don't necessarily recommend it. 5/10 Bethany Cox… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ZachF.

Mar 29, 2007

TERRIBLE!!! It has nothing to do with the book except for the names of the characters and throws the plot out the window! Tthe dialogue was cheesy, the directing terrible. The only possitive point was the way the dragon looked. All in all a terrible movie that deserves to be toasted by the TERRIBLE!!! It has nothing to do with the book except for the names of the characters and throws the plot out the window! Tthe dialogue was cheesy, the directing terrible. The only possitive point was the way the dragon looked. All in all a terrible movie that deserves to be toasted by the dragon, if I was Christopher Poalini I would commit suicide for having my book portrayed in that matter!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

DominicM.

Jul 3, 2008

Eragon is one of my favorite books and when I heard that they were making a movie, I wasnt expecting much, considering most films generally arent very good. Not very good is an understatement for this film. Not only does it not follow the book in any sense of the word, even if you are not a Eragon is one of my favorite books and when I heard that they were making a movie, I wasnt expecting much, considering most films generally arent very good. Not very good is an understatement for this film. Not only does it not follow the book in any sense of the word, even if you are not a fan of the series, Eragon is still a very,very, disgustingly bad movie. I cant even begin to list the inaccuracies. One of the Ra'zac is killed by Eragon wielding a stick, nearly half the book is basically skipped. But my favorite part is at the end when Eragon fights Durza. Instead of having a sword duel, like in the book, Durza summons some dark cloud thing with a mouth on it. I guess the director thought it would be cool to have an air battle with Saphira and the cloud. That, on top of bad acting, and really cheesy moments all add up to a really bad movie. Avoid.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MarcoPolo

Dec 16, 2006

Yikes - It's a bad sign when the author obviously meant to name his "novel" Dragon but instead of typing the D, typed an E instead and stuck with it. He should have given up after the typo because the movie is just one long excrutiating typo. This movie is just awful. The second bad Yikes - It's a bad sign when the author obviously meant to name his "novel" Dragon but instead of typing the D, typed an E instead and stuck with it. He should have given up after the typo because the movie is just one long excrutiating typo. This movie is just awful. The second bad sign was I took my girlfriend and her 10 year old son to this movie and although my girlfriend was okay with it, her son (who this movie is obviously geared towards, also do not go to this movie thinking it's in the same league as LOTR or Narnia, it's not even CLOSE), was bored to tears with it. My "Error" is that I paid for a ticket to this movie at all. After witnessing about 35 minutes (believe me it felt like an hour) of Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich embarrasing themselves and just looking for an easy paycheck, we were "Gone". That's a bad sign. Never have I seen that before. I mean once in a while it's okay to see a high profile actor do a bad film just to collect a paycheck (Snakes on a Plane?) but two highly regarded actors in the same film? Me thinks Fox put some hocus pocus juju spell in both actors drinks before they handed them the scripts... Well we eventually left our seats after we could take no more and sneaked into the theater next door showing Unaccompanied Minors... that movie was not much better, but we enjoyed it much more than this poor excuse for the studio to cash in on the newly rejuvenated sword and soercery genre. Awful Film. Stay Away!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

[Anonymous]

Dec 15, 2006

Disaster. Nothing Like the Book. don't waste your time.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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20	#20 Most Discussed Movie of 2006
38	#38 Most Shared Movie of 2006