The dragon is one of the most recognizable of the mythological creatures and probably is the one that has fascinated the human mind the most for many centuries. For some cultures they represent evil, and for others they represent goodness, but the constant is that they have been in our mind in one form or another since the beginning of time. We all have wondered at some point, what if the legends were true? what if dragons actually existed? Now to satisfy those questions, from the creators of "Walking with Dinosaurs", this movie presents a fictional documentary on what would happen if dragons were real.
"Dragons' World: A Fantasy Made Real" chronicles the adventure of a group of scientist who discover the fossils of a real dragon, finally proving the existence of the mythical beings. Dr. Tanner (Paul Hilton) is the leader of the expedition, a dreamer and Cryptozoology enthusiast who is decided to prove the existence of dragons even if his reputation as scientist gets destroyed in the process. Katrine Bach and Aidan Woodward play the other members of his team, the Biologist and the Data Analyst respectively; they are less convinced than Tanner, but Tanner's enthusiasm is contagious and they find themselves following this man to the top of the Carpathian mountains.
To call this movie a documentary would be seriously wrong, as it is a fantasy tale told in a documentary way. As Tanner's adventure unfolds the last days of a family of Carpathian dragons, we are told the hypothetical theory of Dragon's evolution by Ian Holm's narration (Patrick Stwart in the U.S. version). With vivid Special Effects by the makers of the "Walking with Dinosaurs" series, Dragons came to life in some of the most fantastic scenes depicting Dragon's lifestyle.
The visual work is terrific, and while some scenes were a bit weak (particularly scenes involving humans and dragons interacting), most of the scenes were of outstanding quality, with the unforgettable scene of two dragons flying together as they mate. The writing was very clever, as real animal characteristics were added to the dragon myth to make it feel "real". In fact, at times the movie feels very convincing and one begins to wonder if what they show is actually true.
Sadly, it is not, and that's not only it's great virtue, it is also it's great flaw. At times it takes itself too seriously that becomes either ridiculous or misleading; two different extremes that I'm sure were not the ones intended by its makers. Still, the movie is a very interesting example of a false documentary, and the hypothetical theory on dragon's biology is very well thought.
The acting was OK for the most part, although Paul Hilton overacts a bit. The rest of the cast played minor roles but the performances were very good. The movie is all about the dragons and Tanner's adventure. Ian Holm did a very good job with the narrative and gave the film a good dose of credibility although, due to the script, at times what he says walks the fine line between brilliant and ridiculous. Probably a stronger distinction between real life and fantasy would have helped to make the story more enjoyable.
To summarize, "Dragons' World: A Fantasy Made Real" is a very entertaining film that fans of fantasy and dragons should not miss, if only for the stunning visuals. It may be misleading if one is not aware it is a false documentary, but suspension of belief is part of the fun here. Still, it is an enjoyable movie despite its flaws and really makes one wish that dragons were real and not just fantasy. 7/10
"Dragons' World: A Fantasy Made Real" chronicles the adventure of a group of scientist who discover the fossils of a real dragon, finally proving the existence of the mythical beings. Dr. Tanner (Paul Hilton) is the leader of the expedition, a dreamer and Cryptozoology enthusiast who is decided to prove the existence of dragons even if his reputation as scientist gets destroyed in the process. Katrine Bach and Aidan Woodward play the other members of his team, the Biologist and the Data Analyst respectively; they are less convinced than Tanner, but Tanner's enthusiasm is contagious and they find themselves following this man to the top of the Carpathian mountains.
To call this movie a documentary would be seriously wrong, as it is a fantasy tale told in a documentary way. As Tanner's adventure unfolds the last days of a family of Carpathian dragons, we are told the hypothetical theory of Dragon's evolution by Ian Holm's narration (Patrick Stwart in the U.S. version). With vivid Special Effects by the makers of the "Walking with Dinosaurs" series, Dragons came to life in some of the most fantastic scenes depicting Dragon's lifestyle.
The visual work is terrific, and while some scenes were a bit weak (particularly scenes involving humans and dragons interacting), most of the scenes were of outstanding quality, with the unforgettable scene of two dragons flying together as they mate. The writing was very clever, as real animal characteristics were added to the dragon myth to make it feel "real". In fact, at times the movie feels very convincing and one begins to wonder if what they show is actually true.
Sadly, it is not, and that's not only it's great virtue, it is also it's great flaw. At times it takes itself too seriously that becomes either ridiculous or misleading; two different extremes that I'm sure were not the ones intended by its makers. Still, the movie is a very interesting example of a false documentary, and the hypothetical theory on dragon's biology is very well thought.
The acting was OK for the most part, although Paul Hilton overacts a bit. The rest of the cast played minor roles but the performances were very good. The movie is all about the dragons and Tanner's adventure. Ian Holm did a very good job with the narrative and gave the film a good dose of credibility although, due to the script, at times what he says walks the fine line between brilliant and ridiculous. Probably a stronger distinction between real life and fantasy would have helped to make the story more enjoyable.
To summarize, "Dragons' World: A Fantasy Made Real" is a very entertaining film that fans of fantasy and dragons should not miss, if only for the stunning visuals. It may be misleading if one is not aware it is a false documentary, but suspension of belief is part of the fun here. Still, it is an enjoyable movie despite its flaws and really makes one wish that dragons were real and not just fantasy. 7/10