Eragon (2006)

	Directed by: Stefen Fangmeier	COUNTRY USA/UK GENRE Fantasy/Adventure NORWEGIAN TITLE Eragon RUNNING TIME 104 minutes
	Produced by: John Davis Wyck Godfrey
	Written by (based on the novel by Christopher Paolini): Peter Buchman

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Eragon	Edward Speleers
Brom	Jeremy Irons	½
Arya	Sienna Guillory
Durza	Robert Carlyle	½
Galbatorix	John Malkovich	½
Murtagh	Garrett Hedlund
Uncle Garrow	Alun Armstrong
Roran	Christopher Egan
Ajihad	Djimon Hounsou
Saphira (voice)	Rachel Weisz

Review

Eragon has an icky combination of sweet, juvenile innocence and cynical commercialism. In all likelihood, that is a characteristic that suits its nature well. Based on the book by copycat fantasy geek Christopher Paolini, Eragon is evidence that persistence and know-how about marketing in many cases can get you farther than talent today. That is not to say that Paolini should be categorically dismissed as a writer. His world is thorough and detailed, but also obviously unoriginal. There isn't a single character or plot twist here that doesn't owe its existence to previous works in the genre, and more often than not the inspiration comes from its most renowned works. Still, the fact that first-time director Stefen Fangmeier has major problems with the rhythm and pacing of his film is an equally substantial problem to the plagiarized storytelling. At the hands of Fangmeier, every crucial narrative turn feels like a parenthesis. Along with several unsubtle choices (like how the dragon comes to life through Rachel Weisz' preposterous "character"), it makes Eragon a lifeless experience. The film might work to some degree for buffs or youngsters who are new to the genre, but the future reputation of Eragon will be as a fairly industrious but completely insignificant pop fantasy.