Eragon Review
Got back from finally seeing Eragon, as a self-gift for finishing a commission (forgot to *scan*, but it was a portrait and boring and nomissingit).
Summary?
1. Formulaic
2. But, ooooh, pretty, pretty dragon.
Simply to get it out of my system, here's
Maybe I'm just hardwon. Maybe, unlike Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, I haven't read the books and subsequently haven't had my fanaticism fuel fountains of glee. (And I can totally sympathize with those who are upset that the movie screws up important points in the books, argh!!)
So Fox was all "holycrap we need to cash in on this fantasy epic franchise holycrap it's a popular book lets go now monies!" That premise, that rush to catch the money-train, leaves a bad aftertaste, so to speak.
Oh man, I wish I was little again, I would've *died* to see this movie. I got crappy dragons growing up (did get Jurassic Park though :D).
As someone who, obviously, spends a good deal of time imagining things, it was delicious to see Saphira totally realized. We all want our headfriends to move and shake and fly and kick ass. That was the biggest highlight. I'm really, really envious of the author.
Their design, with the swan necks, fluffyness, and mammalian-ish faces reminded me alot more of artists I see online, which gave me warm fuzzies :3 . I, personally, really liked the wing design, with the 'featheres' rationalised as derived from scales, and the wing fingers poking out beneath them was a nice touch. And thank gawd they didn't wimp out and go all wyvern on us! For gawd sakes, I want hexapodal dragons! None of this skimping out with wyvern shit.
But like, besides that, I was having "fun" translating elements from Eragon to LotR and even Star Wars (lol sunset), both plot- and visual-wise. (Good lord don't make me list them). Which isn't what I wanted to do. I understand, however, that the fantasy genre is built upon LotR and the hero quest, if not outright *identical*. So it's good if you really enjoy worlds set up that way, and want more of the same (and plenty of people do). But for me- not so much. I am very much biased, once again, towards creativity. So sue me.
At least the dragon was pretty.
Also not a big fan of having it so every time the word "dragon" is used there feels like there should be intense reverence and, like, sparkles. It's like just using that word sends fans in to a orgasmic frenzy. So someone could make a movie like where that's "all" people say and it'd be a hit. Seriously though, that's how the genre works. We're all drago-tards. I know I am. But don't always give it to us like that! x_x
I digress. Because the dragon was pretty.
Also not happy with the anthropocentric point of riders not dying when the dragon dies but the dragon dying when the rider dies. Dragon=tool, like a sword. That has the stench of the old traditional "animals are here for us, so we might as well use'em how we please!" I despise. Thank gawd Brom felt so bad after losing his.
Vardan? Did not care for their design with the circle-helmet things. I don't think they could move very fast in those dresses XD. Elf/drawf? Wtf? How are we supposed to tell those are different races? Omg, was that a gratuitous money shot?And holycrap how did she *grow up so fast*? Disconcerting. Weird to see a like, few-month-old-thing talk well and wise and junk, tho. But it's magic, so I'll shut up. (And according to Shurtugal.com they can, like, mate when they're like 5-6months, whoa).
But pretty, preeeetty dragon.
There were parts I did, thankfully, get caught up in. There were emotional ups and downs. (Weird slow sad beginning with Roran leaving but erm okay). The shot from behind Eragon with him in his armor looking out on to everything was fantastic. Flying- holy crap, flying- that's what I wanted to see, fast and furious. The power could be felt from Saphira's wings. Her attitude, and their not getting along at first, was startling and great fun. Brom- I loved his character, so of course, he's offed. That's my luck.
Baby Saphira, ohmygawdohmygawdohmygawd squeee.
get hyped for the HIS DARK MATERIALS MOVIES! These ain't no effing knock-offs.
I MEAN FUCK, do armored polar bears mean nothing to you?
And, ohyayyayay, they're not going to change the religious undertones to just an evil government. (That would kinda kill the main *motivation* in the first movie x_x). I think the movie will make it harder to see, however, although the connection between the plot and Eden can't *not* be apparent. It's like Anti-Narnia (and so it's pro-thought, pro-growing up) There's angels though, although two are gay, but angel's don't have genitals. I mean really. I think. And good witches. And bad heaven. And single moms... Oh shit. It's a republican nightmare!
Expect angry christian demonstrations this time next year. Those'll be fun.
Please excuse my fangirl rambles while I drool in to buckets in the corner. I am, howyousay, "passionate".
*hyperventalates*
Summary?
1. Formulaic
2. But, ooooh, pretty, pretty dragon.
Simply to get it out of my system, here's
Maybe I'm just hardwon. Maybe, unlike Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, I haven't read the books and subsequently haven't had my fanaticism fuel fountains of glee. (And I can totally sympathize with those who are upset that the movie screws up important points in the books, argh!!)
So Fox was all "holycrap we need to cash in on this fantasy epic franchise holycrap it's a popular book lets go now monies!" That premise, that rush to catch the money-train, leaves a bad aftertaste, so to speak.
Oh man, I wish I was little again, I would've *died* to see this movie. I got crappy dragons growing up (did get Jurassic Park though :D).
As someone who, obviously, spends a good deal of time imagining things, it was delicious to see Saphira totally realized. We all want our headfriends to move and shake and fly and kick ass. That was the biggest highlight. I'm really, really envious of the author.
Their design, with the swan necks, fluffyness, and mammalian-ish faces reminded me alot more of artists I see online, which gave me warm fuzzies :3 . I, personally, really liked the wing design, with the 'featheres' rationalised as derived from scales, and the wing fingers poking out beneath them was a nice touch. And thank gawd they didn't wimp out and go all wyvern on us! For gawd sakes, I want hexapodal dragons! None of this skimping out with wyvern shit.
But like, besides that, I was having "fun" translating elements from Eragon to LotR and even Star Wars (lol sunset), both plot- and visual-wise. (Good lord don't make me list them). Which isn't what I wanted to do. I understand, however, that the fantasy genre is built upon LotR and the hero quest, if not outright *identical*. So it's good if you really enjoy worlds set up that way, and want more of the same (and plenty of people do). But for me- not so much. I am very much biased, once again, towards creativity. So sue me.
At least the dragon was pretty.
Also not a big fan of having it so every time the word "dragon" is used there feels like there should be intense reverence and, like, sparkles. It's like just using that word sends fans in to a orgasmic frenzy. So someone could make a movie like where that's "all" people say and it'd be a hit. Seriously though, that's how the genre works. We're all drago-tards. I know I am. But don't always give it to us like that! x_x
I digress. Because the dragon was pretty.
Also not happy with the anthropocentric point of riders not dying when the dragon dies but the dragon dying when the rider dies. Dragon=tool, like a sword. That has the stench of the old traditional "animals are here for us, so we might as well use'em how we please!" I despise. Thank gawd Brom felt so bad after losing his.
Vardan? Did not care for their design with the circle-helmet things. I don't think they could move very fast in those dresses XD. Elf/drawf? Wtf? How are we supposed to tell those are different races? Omg, was that a gratuitous money shot?And holycrap how did she *grow up so fast*? Disconcerting. Weird to see a like, few-month-old-thing talk well and wise and junk, tho. But it's magic, so I'll shut up. (And according to Shurtugal.com they can, like, mate when they're like 5-6months, whoa).
But pretty, preeeetty dragon.
There were parts I did, thankfully, get caught up in. There were emotional ups and downs. (Weird slow sad beginning with Roran leaving but erm okay). The shot from behind Eragon with him in his armor looking out on to everything was fantastic. Flying- holy crap, flying- that's what I wanted to see, fast and furious. The power could be felt from Saphira's wings. Her attitude, and their not getting along at first, was startling and great fun. Brom- I loved his character, so of course, he's offed. That's my luck.
Baby Saphira, ohmygawdohmygawdohmygawd squeee.
get hyped for the HIS DARK MATERIALS MOVIES! These ain't no effing knock-offs.
I MEAN FUCK, do armored polar bears mean nothing to you?
And, ohyayyayay, they're not going to change the religious undertones to just an evil government. (That would kinda kill the main *motivation* in the first movie x_x). I think the movie will make it harder to see, however, although the connection between the plot and Eden can't *not* be apparent. It's like Anti-Narnia (and so it's pro-thought, pro-growing up) There's angels though, although two are gay, but angel's don't have genitals. I mean really. I think. And good witches. And bad heaven. And single moms... Oh shit. It's a republican nightmare!
Expect angry christian demonstrations this time next year. Those'll be fun.
Please excuse my fangirl rambles while I drool in to buckets in the corner. I am, howyousay, "passionate".
*hyperventalates*