DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS

US, 2000, 107 minutes, Colour.
Jeremy Irons, Bruce Payne, Justin Whalin, Marlon Wayans, Thora Birch.
Directed by Courtney Solomon.

Dungeons and Dragons is based on the very popular computer game in wide use prior to 2000. This is one of the many films based on computer games – but is more younger audience-friendly despite an amount of violence.

The film received very poor reviews on its release. It is a strange mixture of the solemn and the farcical. On the one hand, Jeremy Irons overacts as the ambitious Profion with Bruce Payne, always a sinister villain in films, as his slave and assistant Damodar. On the other hand there is the very Americanised central story, with Justin Whalin as Ridley Freeborn, the hero, and, very disconcertingly, Marlon Wayans as Snails his associate. Wayans is acting as if he were in one of the films with his brothers, the very broad comedies that were very popular. His dialogue consists of a great deal of contemporary American slang. This is in stark contrast with the Irons- Payne style of acting. Thora Birch is the empress, obviously modelled on Padme in The Star Wars, but lacks vitality or skill that she showed in such films as American Beauty.

There are interesting special effects, the castle, the dragons and the dragon battles. There are also aspects of magic.

The film has a quest, Ridley Freeborn, a thief, trying to find the Devil’s Eye which Profion wants in order to take over the empire from the empress who wants to change the social structure with all people being equal.

The film is a bit difficult for adults to watch. However, apart from the violent touches, it seems to be geared towards boys, especially, from seven or eight to fourteen.

1.The popularity of the computer game? The visualising of the game, characters, quest, locations, costumes and décor?

2.The production design of the film, the castle and the rooms, the dragons and the special effects, the battles? The countryside? The tunnels, the caverns, the treasure room? On a par with other films of fantasy? The musical score?

3.Profion, Jeremy Irons’ performance (hamming and overacting?), his ambitions, Damodar as his assistant, using magic to control him? His wanting to destroy the empress? His power over the dragon, the dragon coming out of its cage, his killing it? His presence in the council, arguments against the empress, getting the council on-side? His later machinations, sending Damodar to get the Devil’s Eye? The return, the confrontation with the empress? The confrontation with Ridley Freeborn, the fight, his friends coming to his rescue? Profion’s death?

4.Damodar, his appearance, servant, enslaved, his head and skull, the blood? His confrontation of the enemies, of Ridley, his confrontation of Snails and killing him? Ridley’s friends? The pursuit, his capturing the friends, getting the sword, saying that he lied? The return to Profion, giving him the sword, his being healed, the fight with Ridley, his death and fall from the battlements?

5.Ridley and Snails, ordinary, thieves, their activity in the village? Their encounter with the women from the court? The discussion about the Devil’s Eye? Their going on the quest, the journey, the magic, finding the jewel? Ridley and his confrontations with Damodar? Snails, the jewel, using the magic, Damodar killing him? His grave?

6.The girl from the court, discussions with Ridley, the attraction? The warrior and the dwarf? Their help, the fights? Their being taken by Damodar, their escape? Snails and his personality, African American talk? In place or out of place in the film?

7.The sword, Ridley and his mission? Going to the cave, the others being excluded? His discovering the treasure, the statue, the skeleton talking about his destiny? Leaving, the confrontation, giving the sword to save the others’ lives? Following Damodar to the turret? The dragons, the fight, his losing, Damodar’s death? The final confrontation with Profion? The inevitable happy ending?

8.The empress, the council, her policies, equality? Profion and his defying her? Her determination, her decrees? Going to war, the dragons?

9.The dragon fights, the special effects for so many dragons? The attack?

10.The overall impact of the film? A fantasy? The appeal of this kind of post-Star Wars fantasy? And as a computer game?