George and the Dragon (2004)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

The acting in this movie is really good.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

George (James Purefoy) is returning home after the Crusade. He parts way with his Moorish friend Tarik (Michael Clarke Duncan) in France. Tarik encounters and beats legendary mercenary El Cabillo. Tarik becomes the new El Cabillo. George returns to his village to settle down. His father is an old comrade of King Edgaar (Simon Callow) and joins the quest to find his missing daughter Princess Lunna (Piper Perabo). Lunna is betrothed to the arrogant Garth (Patrick Swayze). Lunna was taken by a dragon who dies after laying an egg. She stays to guard the egg against the local Picts.This is a loosely reworked version of the medieval tale of Saint George and the Dragon. This is an odd unwieldy mix. It's violent but it's not good enough for any adults. The special effects and sets are lower quality. The action is not that good. I doubt kids would like this either. It turns jokey when George meets Lunna. It tries to be an action rom-com but it's tiresome.

I rented this one for some evening's mind pablum and my wife and I enjoyed it thoroughly. OK. It's not St. George and is full of anachronisms, goofs and puns and is more slapstick than sandals and slice 'em up. But, the cast is delightful and even the villains are having a good time. If you're familiar with the several versions of George and the Dragon, there are lots of good puns and carry-overs to amuse it but the amazing thing is it works. It doesn't lapse into stupidity or overdone, ham-bone theatrics. The pace is quick, regular and interest is maintained throughout the story. I plan to show it to my grandkids as it is a jolly romp through one of our grand old myths.

There was a lot to complain about in this film - the editing was awkward, the fight scenes poorly shot (they were well choreographed, but poorly filmed), and the special effects were mediocre.Still, I'd watch this movie again, simply because the characters were so much fun, and the movie made the point of not taking itself seriously.I saw this movie on Sci-Fi channel, and didn't realize it was any thing other than a made- for-TV movie, and so thought that many elements were better than average. James Purefoy and Piper Perabo were wonderful - and had a good chemistry. Piper was absolutely delectable as a spunky, confident woman. Certainly not 'period,' at all, but then the really good princesses never are.James Purefoy was equally enjoyable - he seems very much the natural, whether on horseback, wielding a sword, or doing a classic double-take. He makes every scene his own with great charm.Michael Clarke Duncan, while having a small role, was enjoyable, and would have liked to see have seen his character more fully developed.Patrick Swayze was very, very weak - he didn't seem interested in what he was doing, unless it was a fight scene. An English accent wouldn't have killed him either.But I had fun with the movie - I laughed out loud more than once, and really, really enjoyed the jokes. I thought that they kept the tongue-in-cheek quality at just the right level.

This is the one movie that represents all that is bad in the movie business. The actors are pathetic and the script is awful. The special effects, if there are any, are so badly done that it would have been better to do it with cartoons instead. Besides that it's great! I think the creators of the movie meant it to have humor, but the only time i was laughing was when I saw Patrick S. with long hair and the colorful costumes that every one had. The scenes at the end were good but they were not a part of the movie. In the end you will ask yourself "why did I waste my time and money with that crap when I could have watched the plants growing or the clouds moving". I don't think that I am some critic or anything but this is a truly lame movie! DO NOT WATCH! DANGER OF STUPIDITY OVERLOAD!