DRAGON RIDER

Germany, 2020, 100 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Thomas Brodie-Sangster?, Felicity Jones, Freddie Highmore, Patrick Stewart, Nonso Anozie, Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Stephen Hogan, David Brooks.
Directed by Tomer Eshed.

During the action of this film, the audience sees a cinema with a huge poster for How to Train Your Dragon. It actually leads to a young man, a young thief, to be mistaken for the hero of that film, leading him to become the Dragon Rider.

However, this film is based on a story by German writer, Cornelia Funke (author of Inkheart, Thief Lord, both of which were filmed).

While the opening of the film goes back to the old days of dragons, it moves up to the present. The dragons are trying to survive, hidden away from humans, but they watch with growing alarm, the encroaching clearing of forests and the building of houses and industry. What are they to do to survive? Should they attack the humans? An old veteran Dragon does remember the story of the Rim of Heaven, a haven for dragons.

The central character of this story is Firedrake, a young and awkward dragon, late for meetings, but actually inspired by the story of the Rim of Heaven. His friend is a young brown creature, Sorrell, who has a loathing for any human. Firedrake decides that he will go to explore and find the Rim of Heaven.

And so, this turns into a quest, Firedrake and Sorrell, swooping over the countryside, into the city – which is where they see the poster for How to Train Your Dragon and see young Ben, who is being pursued after stealing a necklace from a jeweller’s shop. Firedrake puts it to Ben (over Sorrell’s anti-human objections) that he is the Dragon Rider who can lead them to the Rim.

For audiences who enjoy this kind of quest, an encounter with an archaeologist in the desert, a visit to a genie who grants wishes only after the correct question is asked, who does give them an indication of where they might search for the Rim. There is also a long detour to India (with some stereotypes of Indian characters and accents) and an indication that they fly into the mountains.

In the meantime, there is a mechanical Dragon created in past eras who is also on the quest, using a little human creature as a spy travelling with the group – and, this is a 21st-century, they use iPads mission (and the Dragon, Nettlebeck, has been using it for dating sites!).

So, finding the Rim, Ben walking out to Sorrell’s disgust, returning, helping with the fight against Nettlebeck, finding the Rim – and finding that it is truly a Heaven for dinosaurs.

There is a top-quality British voice cast: Thomas Brodie-Sangster? as Firedrake, Freddie Highmore as Ben, Felicity Jones rather fierce as Sorrell, Patrick Stewart as Nettlebeck,

Entertaining for younger audiences.

1. An animated entertainment for all audiences? German production? German author? British voice cast? Universal appeal?

2. The connection with How to Train Your Dragon? The image of the Dragon Rider?

3. The animation style, the characters, the humans? Bright colours? Variety of locations? Action sequences? The blend of the magical and the real? The British voices?

4. The environmental message? The dragons on the side of good? Human encroachment? The centuries, development, buildings, reclaiming forests…? And in the present? The threat to the dragons? The threat to humans?

5. The world of the dragons, familiar, yet friendly? Living hidden in exile? The leader and his speeches? The rallies, the range of characters? The old Dragon remembering the Rim of Heaven? The bellicose Dragon?

6. Firedrake, silver, awkward, getting into trouble, late for meetings? Unable to breathe forth much fire? His friendship with Sorrel, a Brownie, her parents? The female friend? Firedrake and his listening to the stories of the Rim of Heaven, a place of refuge for the dragons?

7. Firedrake and his going on mission, a quest? His courage? Going with Sorrel?

8. The introduction to Ben, the crowds, the jeweller’s shop, the robbery, the chase, lost in the crowd? Hiding? The later revelation about his parents killed in the accident? His being alone?

9. Firedrake, swooping, the advertisement for How to Train Your Dragon? The central character, Ben, being mistaken? His going with them, a means of escape? Sorrel and her hostility to all humans? Antagonism?

10. Going on a quest, Ben becoming a Dragon Rider, calling Firedrake Scales? Fire Drake able to breathe some fire?

11. The story of Nettlebeck, the old myth, the scientist and his creation, the gold artificial Dragon, swallowing his maker? His quest, antagonism towards the dragons?

12. The introduction of the Internet, a 21st-century animation story? Nettlebeck and the use of the Internet, dating! The small creature, acting as a spy, communicating? And the Scots and his accompanying Metal back?

13. The search for the Rim, going to the archaeological site, the encounter with the professor, his range of creatures, his welcome, learning the truth about Ben, urging him on?

14. Experience of the genie? Asking the right questions? Ben and his asking where the Rim was not? The confusion for the genie? The screen, Ben watching, absorbing, later
use? Sorrel and her mistake? The results?

15. The visit to India, the old woman, her husband, the caricature of the Indians and their style, speech, food? The mystical experience? Information about the Rim?

16. The discovery of the spy, pleading for his life, offering to help, the Internet communications, the accident and Nettlebeck discovering the truth? Pursuit?

17. Sorrel, strong-minded, gradually relenting towards Ben? Firedrake and his continued enthusiasm? Ben urging him to have confidence in breathing fire?

18. The pursuit, the mountains, the snow, the clashes with Nettlebeck? Finding the entry, the frozen room? Ben, giving up, leaving, sorrel and her anger? Ben discovering the truth,
the images from the genie? His return?

19. Conflict with Nettlebeck, the fight, his dissolving, the melting gold, Sorrel discovering the key? Opening the door, the beauty of the Rim?

20. Firedrake and his return, the dragons all ready to go to war with the humans? The revelation of the Rim? Sorrel and her return to her parents?

21. Ben, his returning the stolen jewellery? His going to work with the professor and his family? The dragons flying by, the happy ending for everyone?