I noticed this DVD for sale at Wal-Mart but being impecunious at the time I passed it by. It haunted me so a few days later I went back and spent the not inconsiderable asking price. Prepared to be disappointed, I sat down to watch it. Utter glee followed. I had seen the previous Animal Planet shows on dinosaurs and was suitably impressed. The hard edge of "nature red in tooth and claw" had surprised me in the earlier productions - perhaps I was expecting "Bambi" - and this degree of reality was welcome. Now for "Dragons' World". Is anyone old enough to remember the first Christopher Reeve "Superman" movie? It's tagline was something like "You will believe a man can fly." After watching "Dragons' World" I can only paraphrase, "You will believe that dragons lived." Produced in the exact manner of its real-life predecessors, including the use of some scenes several times, the flashbacks, the astonishing CGI and a strangely familiar T. rex, the verisimilitude is perfect. Above all the dance and mating of the doomed mountain dragons is alone worth the price of admission. The nearly convincing zoological speculations anchor the whole production. From the beginning we know, as with the dinosaurs, that the dragons are doomed so no one should be surprised by the sadness and tragedy of the story. However, if you love palaeontology, legends and have even a hint of imagination, "Dragons' World" will prove a fine way to spend some time.
28 Reviews
Dragons: Fact or Fiction
michael-rauser2 December 2004
The plot of this movie is about a scientist who believes dragons to be real. The first indication is a scorched skull of a T-rex in his museum. Then he is able to explore a cave in the Romanian mountains where the frozen bodies of medieval knights and the remains of an unknown creature were found.
By examining the carcass he finds evidence for an unknown animal that can fly and spit fire. They cococt 'scientific' explanations for these impossible abilities. Everything is underlined by views on the dead bodies and very realistic computer animated scenes of the life of 'real' dragons.
I have to admit having some problems with the genre of this movie. Despite being called a 'documentary' it is pure science fiction. The scientific explanations for a dragon being able to fly and spit fire sound good but do not stand close examination. There is no space here to give detailed comments on this topic.
However I liked this film, because it is innovative despite a simple plot and above all the animated scenes are very realistic. They are at least equal to 'Jurassic Park'.
Altogether everything looks so real and sounds so rational, people without scientific background may think that it is a true story.
The end of the movie is open, we might see Dragon's World II sometimes in the future.
By examining the carcass he finds evidence for an unknown animal that can fly and spit fire. They cococt 'scientific' explanations for these impossible abilities. Everything is underlined by views on the dead bodies and very realistic computer animated scenes of the life of 'real' dragons.
I have to admit having some problems with the genre of this movie. Despite being called a 'documentary' it is pure science fiction. The scientific explanations for a dragon being able to fly and spit fire sound good but do not stand close examination. There is no space here to give detailed comments on this topic.
However I liked this film, because it is innovative despite a simple plot and above all the animated scenes are very realistic. They are at least equal to 'Jurassic Park'.
Altogether everything looks so real and sounds so rational, people without scientific background may think that it is a true story.
The end of the movie is open, we might see Dragon's World II sometimes in the future.
Imaginative entertainment ...............
merklekranz22 October 2009
Dragons appear in the histories of many distant civilizations, enough to raise the speculation of their existence. This film documents in a very logical way, the finding of a dragon frozen in a Carpathian Mountain ice cave. The wildly imaginative story of how this dragon lived and died is the basis for this wonderful film. The c.g.i. images of dragons in their imagined habitats is simply outstanding. Though based on legend, "Dragon's World" is far more entertaining than most reality shows, which are limited by facts. These are not merely bones in a cave, they tell a story that spans the ages, and lets your imagination take flight with the magnificent flying, fire breathing beasts. Highly recommended. - MERK
Perfect for those that adore dragons and want to believe the myth, a very mixed bag for everyone else
bob the moo6 May 2007
A skiing accident in Romania uncovers a series of ice caves. The police are called as bodies are found which look like they date back centuries but this discovery is nothing compared to what appears to be a large, comparatively intact beast preserved in the ice. News reaches the London museum about this discovery and it peaks the interest of one Dr Tanner a man mocked by his peers for claiming that attack marks on a T-Rex skull could have come from a dragon. Tanner and his team investigate and find more than they could have ever expected; meanwhile the documentary shows us the history of the beast.
OK, lets get the pointless moaning out of the way "it's not even real". Well, of course it isn't and god love anyone who thought it was. Of course the subject not being real is hardly a criticism given that 99% of the films in cinemas tend to be fictional and the genre of documentary style dramas is hardly something new. However what it does mean is that the documentary style relies very heavily on how interesting it is and also how engaging it is as it folds in with the drama part of the film. In this case the subject is nothing to do with fact or reality at all but yet the special effects in the "nature documentary" side of the film make it interesting enough.
It is all very "Walking With Dinosaurs" but it looks good and Ian Holm's delivery is a good choice for the style of thing that the film is aiming for. Unfortunately though, the "drama" side of the film is roundly poor. It focuses on Dr Tanner excitedly following the modern discovery of our dragon and discovering (rapidly) all manner of things from one corpse right down to "proving" an entire family of dragon species or coming up with an extreme rating ritual from a few burns in the rock! The explanation of how the mythical figure worked and lived is pretty detailed but I found it impossible to forget that it was entirely made up! This is only part of the story though because whatever potential the theorising had is completely undercut by the delivery of the drama part.
The dialogue and acting is average at best, with Hilton miscast and unable to do anything with what he is given. Tanner's narration is also poor; the American accent doesn't help but it is still poor regardless. Hardy's direction clearly focuses on the effects rather than the overall product (as does Foley's script) and he can't help this part of it. This leaves the viewer with the only value being offered from the curio nature of seeing the dragons as if they were real and this was a documentary.
This was barely enough for me although I admit at times I was interested. The drama is terrible nonsense that is badly delivered in many aspects and it is only the novelty of seeing the dragon as a subject of a "Walking with Dinosaurs" nature programme that makes it engaging at all. Perfect for those that adore dragons and want to believe the myth, a very mixed bag for everyone else.
OK, lets get the pointless moaning out of the way "it's not even real". Well, of course it isn't and god love anyone who thought it was. Of course the subject not being real is hardly a criticism given that 99% of the films in cinemas tend to be fictional and the genre of documentary style dramas is hardly something new. However what it does mean is that the documentary style relies very heavily on how interesting it is and also how engaging it is as it folds in with the drama part of the film. In this case the subject is nothing to do with fact or reality at all but yet the special effects in the "nature documentary" side of the film make it interesting enough.
It is all very "Walking With Dinosaurs" but it looks good and Ian Holm's delivery is a good choice for the style of thing that the film is aiming for. Unfortunately though, the "drama" side of the film is roundly poor. It focuses on Dr Tanner excitedly following the modern discovery of our dragon and discovering (rapidly) all manner of things from one corpse right down to "proving" an entire family of dragon species or coming up with an extreme rating ritual from a few burns in the rock! The explanation of how the mythical figure worked and lived is pretty detailed but I found it impossible to forget that it was entirely made up! This is only part of the story though because whatever potential the theorising had is completely undercut by the delivery of the drama part.
The dialogue and acting is average at best, with Hilton miscast and unable to do anything with what he is given. Tanner's narration is also poor; the American accent doesn't help but it is still poor regardless. Hardy's direction clearly focuses on the effects rather than the overall product (as does Foley's script) and he can't help this part of it. This leaves the viewer with the only value being offered from the curio nature of seeing the dragons as if they were real and this was a documentary.
This was barely enough for me although I admit at times I was interested. The drama is terrible nonsense that is badly delivered in many aspects and it is only the novelty of seeing the dragon as a subject of a "Walking with Dinosaurs" nature programme that makes it engaging at all. Perfect for those that adore dragons and want to believe the myth, a very mixed bag for everyone else.
Still Standing...
firespell-112 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This "fiction-documentary" was kind of weird,I first saw it in Discovery Channel with my cousin.But i had to change the channel to E! because the Choise awards were in motion, but anyway when it finished I switched to Discovery Channel but the "fiction-documentary" had already finished.So I rented it.When I first saw the movie i really liked it!But that is because I thought it was real!I couldn't believe it,they had actually founded a real dragon.But then i stopped to think..If it is real why hadn't I heard from it before?So i started a web-search,and then I found out that it was a fiction story really.First i felt weird, as if i had been tricked,then i felt stupid and finally as many of you I felt anger. They had tricked me with they're stupid advertisement which was "Dragons,a fantasy made real".They had never said that it was fake.Anyway, I totally agree with Iggimarco.I would like to sue them.But what the F^%$^...Anyway, the movie has really good camera effects.Thats why a 7/10 is the most suitable rank for this movie.But I really hated the movie to be fiction.If I had been warned that the movie was a "What if..." fantasy I would have liked it much more.
Still I was left with one question.."How is it that the Aztecs,the Nordics,the Greeks,the Chineses and much more civilizations talked about the same creatures when there was no way they could have related to each others??"(this question was mentioned in the movie)..Well,I guess it's one of those questions which makes the world a little more interesting and exciting.Anyway,if archeologist's one day discover a Dragon,It wouldn't be the first time that the Miths came real.Let me remind you that some decades ago a giant squirt was found which some years earlier was considered a Greek Myth.There is one chance in a million that the dragons did exist, and if they did eventually we will know.
Still I was left with one question.."How is it that the Aztecs,the Nordics,the Greeks,the Chineses and much more civilizations talked about the same creatures when there was no way they could have related to each others??"(this question was mentioned in the movie)..Well,I guess it's one of those questions which makes the world a little more interesting and exciting.Anyway,if archeologist's one day discover a Dragon,It wouldn't be the first time that the Miths came real.Let me remind you that some decades ago a giant squirt was found which some years earlier was considered a Greek Myth.There is one chance in a million that the dragons did exist, and if they did eventually we will know.
Dragons as if they were real
AirraptorXRC21 March 2005
The Carpathian Mountains of Romania: hikers exploring this fabled range have stumbled onto a unique find, one that requires an official investigation. Paleontologists arrive to find an ice cave in a glacier, revealed by unseasonably warm weather in the region. Inside, they find the corpses of several 15th century knights and make an amazing discovery; a frozen, yet perfectly preserved body of a creature once thought to be only a myth: a dragon.
So begins the latest foray from the BBC and the Discovery Networks, "Dragon's World: A Fantasy Made Real", with effects by Framestore, the same company that gave us "Walking with Dinosaurs". The story takes a simple concept - what if dragons were real - and runs with the idea, using science to explain how these animals might have existed.
I'm a big fan of the dragon, perhaps the most powerful and inspirational beast of myth, legend, and literature. As a fan of these spectacular beasts, I was practically salivating when I first saw the teaser in January for this program on Animal Planet and have been checking out their website since. It was an exciting thought to think that I would be seeing wyverns taking on T-Rex and winged drakes soaring over snow capped mountains. Dragons were coming to life in the real world.
Personally, I enjoyed the program I saw on Animal Planet, narrated here in the US by Patrick Stewart. Stewart is an excellent narrator, and even he apparently got caught up in the action of the program, actually missing a cue at one point. His narration will be missed when I get the actual program, which I hear is narrated by Ian Holm. The program transitions smoothly between the dragons scenes and the scenes involving the investigation into the dragon corpse. Even the autopsy scenes are done well; I wasn't tempted to go look for a snack during these scenes.
This program is not without it's faults. While I can believe how an animal that can get to be 900+lbs took off, I'm not quite as sold as how they breathed fire. I can see why the writers and producers went with this method - ancient manuscripts describe the dragons' fire in this way - but I prefer the "Reign of Fire" method. I'm also a little wary about how dragons warmed their eggs; somehow, the idea of dragons "cooking" their eggs doesn't appeal to me, but again, according to most ancient literature, this is how it was done. I also felt that the program should have paid more attention to the aquatic and marine dragons, the fabled "wingless" dragons of China.
Perhaps my favorite scene was the mating dance of the mountain dragons, inspired by the rituals of eagles. To see these dragons grasping their claws together and free falling is a sight that anyone would have been awestruck to witness. I was also impressed with the scenes involving the dragon corpse, which actually looked real in many scenes. Usually, when Framestore uses latex models, they somehow can't seem to make them look like anything other than rubber puppets; this was not the case here. In a program where the majority of the dragons were CGI productions, this is a plus.
I would recommend this program to anyone who is a fantasy aficionado, or someone who likes dragons and a good story. I've read one reviewer's comments that maybe that this should have been on the Sci-Fi Channel instead of Animal Planet, but I disagree. As one producer said, this is the ultimate animal, one that is known by nearly all human cultures, from the Inuit in the north to the Aboriginies of Australia. It would have probably been more at home on the Discovery Channel, but considering that the BBC has a contract with Discovery's parent company for programs like this, I'm not complaining. And one must remember that while it is done in the style of a documentary, it is a story; but then, isn't that what a documentary is anyway?
So begins the latest foray from the BBC and the Discovery Networks, "Dragon's World: A Fantasy Made Real", with effects by Framestore, the same company that gave us "Walking with Dinosaurs". The story takes a simple concept - what if dragons were real - and runs with the idea, using science to explain how these animals might have existed.
I'm a big fan of the dragon, perhaps the most powerful and inspirational beast of myth, legend, and literature. As a fan of these spectacular beasts, I was practically salivating when I first saw the teaser in January for this program on Animal Planet and have been checking out their website since. It was an exciting thought to think that I would be seeing wyverns taking on T-Rex and winged drakes soaring over snow capped mountains. Dragons were coming to life in the real world.
Personally, I enjoyed the program I saw on Animal Planet, narrated here in the US by Patrick Stewart. Stewart is an excellent narrator, and even he apparently got caught up in the action of the program, actually missing a cue at one point. His narration will be missed when I get the actual program, which I hear is narrated by Ian Holm. The program transitions smoothly between the dragons scenes and the scenes involving the investigation into the dragon corpse. Even the autopsy scenes are done well; I wasn't tempted to go look for a snack during these scenes.
This program is not without it's faults. While I can believe how an animal that can get to be 900+lbs took off, I'm not quite as sold as how they breathed fire. I can see why the writers and producers went with this method - ancient manuscripts describe the dragons' fire in this way - but I prefer the "Reign of Fire" method. I'm also a little wary about how dragons warmed their eggs; somehow, the idea of dragons "cooking" their eggs doesn't appeal to me, but again, according to most ancient literature, this is how it was done. I also felt that the program should have paid more attention to the aquatic and marine dragons, the fabled "wingless" dragons of China.
Perhaps my favorite scene was the mating dance of the mountain dragons, inspired by the rituals of eagles. To see these dragons grasping their claws together and free falling is a sight that anyone would have been awestruck to witness. I was also impressed with the scenes involving the dragon corpse, which actually looked real in many scenes. Usually, when Framestore uses latex models, they somehow can't seem to make them look like anything other than rubber puppets; this was not the case here. In a program where the majority of the dragons were CGI productions, this is a plus.
I would recommend this program to anyone who is a fantasy aficionado, or someone who likes dragons and a good story. I've read one reviewer's comments that maybe that this should have been on the Sci-Fi Channel instead of Animal Planet, but I disagree. As one producer said, this is the ultimate animal, one that is known by nearly all human cultures, from the Inuit in the north to the Aboriginies of Australia. It would have probably been more at home on the Discovery Channel, but considering that the BBC has a contract with Discovery's parent company for programs like this, I'm not complaining. And one must remember that while it is done in the style of a documentary, it is a story; but then, isn't that what a documentary is anyway?
If only the script were as imaginative as the concept....
MorganX-121 August 2014
I stumbled across this on youtube, and being a bit of a dragon freak, I gave it a watch. Firstly, the dragons are fantastic and the Walking With Dinosaurs style documentary sections are beautifully done. It's just a shame that when it comes to the humans that the worst actor was given the most screen time! I have seen a thousand B-movie actors who could do a better job than Paul Hilton. In fact, just about every other actor in this film could have done a better job! He was like a private investigator out of the least classy B rated crime flick ever. For me, he honestly let the whole film down. I guess his script had a lot to answer for too. Surely someone must have said during the recording of Dr Tanner's dialogue and voice-overs "there is no way any self-respecting biologist would speak/act in this way". Every time he came on screen I cringed. That said, Ian Holm's Attenbourgh-esque narration of the dragon's evolutionary journey was fantastic and the special effects and dragon designs were marvellous. And yes, the theories put forward wouldn't stand up to any real scrutiny... but if you are watching a fictitious documentary about the evolution of dragons throughout the ages, I think you can afford a little suspension of disbelief...
This would have received a 9 from me if it weren't for Dr Tanner's character.
This would have received a 9 from me if it weren't for Dr Tanner's character.
Not as good as it could have been.
beeryusa7 February 2006
This film was done by the same folks who gave us the 'Walking with Dinosaurs/Prehistoric Beasts' shows, and the sequences involving the dragons are mesmerizing, but the bits with the supposed modern paleontologist's quest to find evidence of a dragon are contrived and very badly acted indeed. This was simply not the right way to present this show - it's just too much of a stretch to make dragons scientifically plausible, and I feel the production company would have been better served by hiring some real scientists to play the roles of scientists - rather than giving second-rate actors a horrible script. Just imagine if real scientists had been interviewed and allowed to imagine the plausibilities of dragons having been real, and then intercutting the CGI stuff, rather than contriving a modern scientific 'discovery' plot and hiring actors to play it out.
Basically, this film would have been better if it had included less of the modern storyline and just allowed us to suspend disbelief as we watched dragons soaring over plains and mountains and doing the things that dragons did in legend. They made an overly-serious effort to convince us that dragons were real, but they did it by using a simplistic Indiana Jones style plot full of holes you could fly a dragon through.
I like the DVD overall - I even own it, but I wish I didn't have to fast-forward through the appalling dialogue, the bad acting, the soap-opera plot and the pseudo-science in order to get to the good stuff.
Basically, this film would have been better if it had included less of the modern storyline and just allowed us to suspend disbelief as we watched dragons soaring over plains and mountains and doing the things that dragons did in legend. They made an overly-serious effort to convince us that dragons were real, but they did it by using a simplistic Indiana Jones style plot full of holes you could fly a dragon through.
I like the DVD overall - I even own it, but I wish I didn't have to fast-forward through the appalling dialogue, the bad acting, the soap-opera plot and the pseudo-science in order to get to the good stuff.
Dragon lover's favorite "document"
North_Ranger13 September 2005
I rented this movie tonight out of curiosity. First I thought this would be some lousy action movie with even lousier effects (think Ice Planet, for example). But I was positively surprised to find out that this science fiction quasi-documentary was actually thoroughly enjoyable.
I am a fan of "Walking With Dinosaurs", and as a fantasy enthusiast, this documentary was right up my alley. Sure I know that dragons weren't real, but the theories provided seemed sound enough to me. And I have to admit, I was touched by the tragedy of the mountain dragons as well as awe-struck by the beauty of the dragons mating, taking the plunge and scorching the ground as they pull up.
As a "what if" documentary this was a 10/10. If somebody wants to complain that this isn't a "real" documentary, they should pay in mind that it was not planned as such. Dragon's World is a different and enjoyable document to see, as long as you don't take everything too seriously.
Besides, you never know...
I am a fan of "Walking With Dinosaurs", and as a fantasy enthusiast, this documentary was right up my alley. Sure I know that dragons weren't real, but the theories provided seemed sound enough to me. And I have to admit, I was touched by the tragedy of the mountain dragons as well as awe-struck by the beauty of the dragons mating, taking the plunge and scorching the ground as they pull up.
As a "what if" documentary this was a 10/10. If somebody wants to complain that this isn't a "real" documentary, they should pay in mind that it was not planned as such. Dragon's World is a different and enjoyable document to see, as long as you don't take everything too seriously.
Besides, you never know...
Surprise! They aren't real! What a twist?
lordzedd-326 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
That's what gets my goat, when they advertised this on the Discovery Channel or the Learning Channel which ever it was, they implied that they really discovered the corpse of a dragon. I didn't want to see it, but my brother talked me into it. Then we sat and watched it, then near the end, they said in essence, "SURPRISE! We were just kidding!" I mean, all that hype over finding a real dragon then to spring on us that it wasn't real is just cruel, I believe in the existence of dragons and not telling us that this was just scientific conjecture from the get go was just mean. I mean, if we knew that ahead of time, we wouldn't have watched it. Even though I half suspected it myself. A real dragon discovery would have made the news. The second thing, I don't buy the theory of platinum to create a spark, I think it's more of a nature electric spark in the back of the throat. As a fantasy, this gets 7 STARS but shame on those people who promoted it as real, for shame. I expect more honesty from the Discovery Channel.
"Walking with Dragons"
memberrw20 March 2005
Discovery Channel/Animal Planet must be ashamed of themselves. This Fantasy is modeled after the "Walking with Dinosuars" series. Even though this is 100% fantasy it is presented in the same factual and archaeological way. Even mixing the fantasy dragons with T-rexs and the extinction of the dinos. Added to being shown on an educational channel instead of say Sci-Fi it gives an air of factual authenticity to this show.
On its own the show is about an 7.5/10 far as entertainment goes. But the way in which it is presented I have to give it a 1/10. Don't get me wrong I have no problem with fantasy but they way they put this out is so wrong. I can really see young kids and slow adults believing that they did find a dragon and that this is real.
I also think this weakens the great "Walking with Dinosuars" series because now you have to view that with a mind of how much is fantasy on that mini-series.
On its own the show is about an 7.5/10 far as entertainment goes. But the way in which it is presented I have to give it a 1/10. Don't get me wrong I have no problem with fantasy but they way they put this out is so wrong. I can really see young kids and slow adults believing that they did find a dragon and that this is real.
I also think this weakens the great "Walking with Dinosuars" series because now you have to view that with a mind of how much is fantasy on that mini-series.
"What if Dragons existed?"
Angelus230 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Dr. Tanner has been fascinated by the myth of the Dragons, and then one day this myth becomes reality as archaeologists uncover a 'Dragon Skeleton'.
This is a brilliant docu-drama, that makes one forget that it is all 'fake', the writing, acting and directing is simply brilliant, as great detail is placed upon the myth of the Dragon and what a real Dragon would look like, as well as function, with wings and the fire breathing.
I simply fell in love with this as it grabbed my attention, at the very first moment and held it, the special effects are also very good and make this show well worth the watch.
This is a brilliant docu-drama, that makes one forget that it is all 'fake', the writing, acting and directing is simply brilliant, as great detail is placed upon the myth of the Dragon and what a real Dragon would look like, as well as function, with wings and the fire breathing.
I simply fell in love with this as it grabbed my attention, at the very first moment and held it, the special effects are also very good and make this show well worth the watch.
If only it were true...
jluis198422 May 2006
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
All credits to the CGI, story implausible at least
the_king1711 August 2009
Let me begin by saying I am a big fantasy fan. However, this film is not for me. Many far-fetched arguments are trying to support this film's claim that dragons possibly ever existed. The film mentions connections in different stories from different countries, but fails to investigate them more thoroughly, which could have given the film some credibility. The film uses (nice!) CGI to tell us a narrated fantasy story on a young dragon's life. This is combined with popular-TV-show-CSI-style flash-forwards to make it look like something scientific, which it is definitely not. In many cases the arguments/clues are far-fetched. In some cases, clues used to show dragons possibly existed, or flew, or spit fire are simply invalid. To see this just makes me get cramp in my toes. Even a fantasy film needs some degree of reality in it, but this one just doesn't have it. Bottom line: it's a pretentious fantasy-CSI documentary, not worth watching.
Interesting speculation, not what I expected
jruwaldt4 April 2005
I was expecting a show about the mythological origins of dragons, as well as the observations of real animals or misperceptions of other natural phenomena that may have inspired the myths. Instead, I was presented with a proposed account of the evolution of dragons, as if they were real. The narrator did mention in passing that dragons didn't exist, with such clauses as "if dragons were real," and there may have been a disclaimer at the beginning, which I missed. However, the program gives the impression that dragons did exist at one time and that hikers in the Carpathians actually did discover bodies of dragons and scorched knights. Perhaps the producers weren't really trying to deceive, but the program does seem like a hoax in the making. In any case, whether it had been presented purely as a work of fiction or as alleged science, it didn't belong on Animal Planet. Animal Planet is supposed to be about real animals. The show Animal X tends to push the boundaries a little too much as well, particularly with its spooky narrator who tries to encourage viewers to lower their skepticism. The Sci-Fi Channel or The History Channel would have been a much better choice for broadcasting this show.
All that said, however, this was a very fascinating program. The production values were excellent, and the science behind dragon evolution appears sound. As a "what if" program it's excellent.
All that said, however, this was a very fascinating program. The production values were excellent, and the science behind dragon evolution appears sound. As a "what if" program it's excellent.
Not proper to have no proper disclaimers
magarameen6 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This Show was telecast in 2006 in India.Since there was no proper disclaimer that,the show was only a "Mocumentary" (some of the graphics and enactments were good but had flaws that can be seen by a trained eye.)I now have a tough task in my hands to explain to the 8 year old guy,a dragon enthusiast,that it was only a mocumentary and no dragon remains were found in the Carpathaian mountains. Carpathian,hmmm.. (The next day I was viewing the "Titanic" and a ship appears to save some survivors,with the name "Carpathia" written on its bow. I suggest that,the creators of these kind of "made real" shows,must play all over,but with a suitable disclaimers.Kids believe.
I loved this movie !!
sauteangel5 August 2005
I just loved this movie. It was well done for it's genre. The special effects were magnificent. The dragons are beautiful. If you love dragons this is a must see movie. My daughter saw part of a commercial for this movie and was all excited that they had found a dragon. She was, and is, very upset that they "lied" to her. She thought it was a real documentary. We have rented this movie 6 times now and I am looking for it to purchase. This movie actually made me think, what would it take to enable such a large creature to fly? I like their explanation. The movie actually seems to incorporate new dinosaur findings as far as preferred habitat, social interactions, and mating rituals.
Unacceptable style
garrovillos18 February 2006
This film is wonderful as a science fiction spoof documentary but I am appalled that it would be shown on a documentary channel. It is deliberately misleading to do so. Children, and a large majority of adults would not recognise this as a spoof and the narration does not imply clearly enough that this is a "what if" film. Why Animal Planet or the Discovery channel would choose to utilise such sensationalising tactics I do not understand. We watch those channels to broaden our knowledge base and do not expect to spend vast amounts of time counseling our children because they have been misled. This alone made me furious enough to spoil what would have been a fun film given in the right context.
Interesting
ironlungs71615 August 2005
As a Dragon lover I completely enjoyed this movie. It was very interesting from the moment it started until it ended. I KNOW it was only fiction, but it was made to look so real. The level of special effects were superb and very convincing. And why is it not possible that Dragons might not have existed ? Millions of years ago is such a long time ago. The movie made it seem all so possible that their existence was a reality. Anyone who loves Dragons will enjoy this movie and I highly recommend it. Patrick Stewart as the narrator was an excellent choice as well. He has such an authoritative voice and commands attention. I personally wish they would make more movies like this about Dragons. My only complaint is that they dealt only with the fire breathing race of Dragons and did not include some of the other races common amongst Dragons.
A pile of perfectly sculpted crap
chuckles-1821 June 2005
I think that most everyone wants to believe that extraordinary things exist and this film shows no restraint in trying to exploit that to the fullest. The presentation is very interesting, well presented and the graphics are state of the art, but from a scientific point of view it just doesn't work. Hydrogen filled flying bladders? They would need to be the size of a Mack truck to be useful. And then there's the ever-present possibility of a catastrophic explosion. I have no problem with fantasy, just don't try to pass it off as fact. Some folks will always misunderstand. All in all the film is entertaining, but I constantly found myself saying "oh brother, what a load of ....". If you want a FAKE documentary, watch This Is Spinal Tap instead. Or at the very least turn the sound off.
Mock documentary
Sherrill77710 March 2016
This takes the premise that dragons one existed alongside humans and creates a 'documentary' of those long-lost creatures. It treats the subject matter seriously...but in a way that the viewer knows that the film isn't actually describing any true history.
It's a creative work, describing the habits of various types of dragons (Chinese, frost, etc.) and how they interacted with their environment, hunted, nested, and how humans affected their futures. Obviously it's all pure fantasy, but it's incredibly fun to see these magnificent beasts treated as if the legends were true and they once existed (and that we knew something about them).
The special effects, while a bit dated now, still stand up well without detracting from the experience.
This is perfect for people to who'd be interested in the subject matter (dragons or myths) or for anyone looking to see an alternative to the usual film style (neither strictly a documentary nor a narrative fantasy or adventure story). It's safe enough for children (if they're old enough to see a lion hunt down a zebra in a nature documentary, then they can handle this!), and would probably interest a child who doesn't normally like non-fiction, since it straddles the line.
It's a creative work, describing the habits of various types of dragons (Chinese, frost, etc.) and how they interacted with their environment, hunted, nested, and how humans affected their futures. Obviously it's all pure fantasy, but it's incredibly fun to see these magnificent beasts treated as if the legends were true and they once existed (and that we knew something about them).
The special effects, while a bit dated now, still stand up well without detracting from the experience.
This is perfect for people to who'd be interested in the subject matter (dragons or myths) or for anyone looking to see an alternative to the usual film style (neither strictly a documentary nor a narrative fantasy or adventure story). It's safe enough for children (if they're old enough to see a lion hunt down a zebra in a nature documentary, then they can handle this!), and would probably interest a child who doesn't normally like non-fiction, since it straddles the line.
Anyone who does not care Science will love this
lfcalderari12 October 2007
This documentary (or I should say mockumentary) is the perfect example of how ridiculous can the people be, when they have full enthusiasm on something like that. Honestly, I hate Cryptozoology. It is unscience, it just destroy it. However, something positive in this was the visual effects (dragons were beautiful), but some of the information in this mockumentary was totally fake, and that is really disappointing because it was coming from scientists, so that is the reason why it deserves a 1 of 10 and not a 0. An example of false information would be the hydrogen idea: It is true that, according to Chemystry, the hydrogen is produced in the stomach but it is impossible to be produced in that proportions, so in that case, you need a good explanation of what really happens in a dragon stomach. There are a lot of substances whit hydrogen in the nature but not the necessary to aloud an animal like that to fly, and the hydrogen does not appear from nothing, so it is impossible. Anyway, there is actually something worse, the idea of the platinum: This element is more difficult to find than gold, and I cannot explain myself how dragons survive depending of that. It is ridiculous, they present dragons like creatures with low chances of conquering the planet Earth, but off course at least that explain why they got extincted. Probably cryptologist's call themselves scientists, but they are not. People like them say lies like in this mockumentary, and what is worst, some people buy them. But I do not think that a person who cares about Science would believe in dragons after watching this. Those fake scientists waste their time.
"Edutainment"
prestonm199315 June 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Just watch this, before the controversial Mermaid Documentaries, Animal Planet made a convincing Dragon documentary featuring Tyrannosaurus rex and Chinese Tigers being second the the reptilian fire-breathing serpents and still falling short against their battle with mankind. We see a supposed discovery of a dead Dragon in Romania among the Carpathian Mountains. The dragons may be a lie, but the rest of the aspects of Biology, Zoology, Evolution, Ecology, and Paleontology are accurately used in the description of a mythological beast as they challenge our beliefs in the beasts. Look for someone who hasn't seen or heard of this film, then see their face change as they watch it. You, too may feel this way. Even knowing the story was only that, I was convinced and started looking through dragon stories for any connections as well as searching though different animals for cases of convergent evolution. I especially recommend that you show this to kids, as they will certainly be fascinated and start to wonder.
More convincing (and even more true) than a Politician's speeches, take your friends and family into the Last Dragon's World, and experience this fantasy made real.
More convincing (and even more true) than a Politician's speeches, take your friends and family into the Last Dragon's World, and experience this fantasy made real.
Very well done
patrick_dunne26 January 2006
Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real is (I believe) a continuation of the "Walking with Dinosaurs" Trilogy, with a lesser known "Sea Monsters" at the following this.
"Walking with Dinosaurs" was interesting. However, it was WAY too long. (If you watch the episodes as if they were a whole movie. That adds up to 180 minutes.) "Dragons: A Fantasy made Real" has luckily been cut down to about 99 minutes, which is a great and short run time.
So, here's what "Dragons: A Fantasy made Real" really is: It blends folklore and science together to make up how dragons would probably have lived if they existed.
The people who made this took parts and abilities from real animals to create our dragons. For example, the dragons in this movie spit fire exactly how the Bombadeir Beetle does.
What else is interesting is how they blend in folklore. After the massive death of the dinosaurs, most of the survivors were aquatic creatures, such as Colecanths and Crocodiles. Therefore, science says that the dragons must have gone aquatic if they wanted to survive. When the dragons in this movie do somehow evolve to become aquatic, they end up looking very similar to the Water Dragons that were rumored to exist. When the dragons emerge from water, they keep their snake-like form, and move to the forests. This is similar to the Chinese dragons in myth.
"Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real" does get boring, but it ends up looking very smart too. It blends fact and fiction to make up one wild ride for the viewer. The special effects are amazing too.
I think I would give this something like a 6.5 out of ten, but since it is so well-done, it ranks higher than that.
You will believe.
8/10
"Walking with Dinosaurs" was interesting. However, it was WAY too long. (If you watch the episodes as if they were a whole movie. That adds up to 180 minutes.) "Dragons: A Fantasy made Real" has luckily been cut down to about 99 minutes, which is a great and short run time.
So, here's what "Dragons: A Fantasy made Real" really is: It blends folklore and science together to make up how dragons would probably have lived if they existed.
The people who made this took parts and abilities from real animals to create our dragons. For example, the dragons in this movie spit fire exactly how the Bombadeir Beetle does.
What else is interesting is how they blend in folklore. After the massive death of the dinosaurs, most of the survivors were aquatic creatures, such as Colecanths and Crocodiles. Therefore, science says that the dragons must have gone aquatic if they wanted to survive. When the dragons in this movie do somehow evolve to become aquatic, they end up looking very similar to the Water Dragons that were rumored to exist. When the dragons emerge from water, they keep their snake-like form, and move to the forests. This is similar to the Chinese dragons in myth.
"Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real" does get boring, but it ends up looking very smart too. It blends fact and fiction to make up one wild ride for the viewer. The special effects are amazing too.
I think I would give this something like a 6.5 out of ten, but since it is so well-done, it ranks higher than that.
You will believe.
8/10
Pleasant to watch, succeeding in fictional credibility.
DutchJohn23 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This one, another Documentary/movie combination, gives us a theory about the 'what if'. If dragon's were to be described from all over the world, and they had very distinct similarities in the ancient inscriptions and images, then 'what if' they actually existed. This movie combines the fictional find of a dragon's carcass and the slow unveiling of its features by a group of scientists, and an actual animation show going along the path of many dinosaur shows shown before on the documentary channel.
Some critics bash this one into the ground for being so unbelievable. Its pure fiction thrown into some actual believable scientific explanations. The scientists describe every great aspect and ability of the dragon's that make them unreal and impossible to exist. The excuse made up for breathing fire is not something a scientist, or just a highly educated scholar, would find credible enough to exist, but it does not turn you into someone hating the show from that moment that the actor drew his conclusion. Evolutionary there really isn't anything credible, but so what? One must understand the very essence of evolution and such to really bring all the shown theories down. And given the scientific level of most discovery/animal planet or NGC programs, these channels surely do not aim for scientists as their main goal. Plus the fact that it is compelled into a film there is nothing you should complain about.
The animation of the dragon's is very well done and albeit the fact that one, compared to the rest of the animation, very cheap scene is annoyingly often repeated, it stands its ground easily next to any other prehistoric documentary you would compare it with. The acting is not on the same level. The fake emotions and movements of the archaeologists are predictable and diminish the credibility of their story about the fossil's former capabilities. The lead investigator gives me a Daniel Jackson feeling (Archeologist from a famous Sci Fi series) in a way I do not like it. Therefore the usual pleasure of seeing people get astounded at something you, as the watcher, already know, is disturbingly absent.
If one would take another look at the scientific value, you could laugh at it. If one could ignore the most of the details and look at it in a mere entertaining way, the way a usual citizen would watch to a dinosaur documentary on the animal channel, it is truly a superb film. Something worth to establish your entire family for and enjoy the nearly 100 minutes of dragon theories. The early climax of the two mating dragons imitating the ritual of eagles clashes into your eyes and awakens your possibly slumbered attention by the water and jungle dragons, and keeps you attended to the rest of the show.
I would recommend this to anyone wanting a good show about dragon's. Do not expect too much and have yourself be awestruck by the visuals and pleasing story lines. The overall picture makes you forget the flaws and therefore I give this a nine.
Some critics bash this one into the ground for being so unbelievable. Its pure fiction thrown into some actual believable scientific explanations. The scientists describe every great aspect and ability of the dragon's that make them unreal and impossible to exist. The excuse made up for breathing fire is not something a scientist, or just a highly educated scholar, would find credible enough to exist, but it does not turn you into someone hating the show from that moment that the actor drew his conclusion. Evolutionary there really isn't anything credible, but so what? One must understand the very essence of evolution and such to really bring all the shown theories down. And given the scientific level of most discovery/animal planet or NGC programs, these channels surely do not aim for scientists as their main goal. Plus the fact that it is compelled into a film there is nothing you should complain about.
The animation of the dragon's is very well done and albeit the fact that one, compared to the rest of the animation, very cheap scene is annoyingly often repeated, it stands its ground easily next to any other prehistoric documentary you would compare it with. The acting is not on the same level. The fake emotions and movements of the archaeologists are predictable and diminish the credibility of their story about the fossil's former capabilities. The lead investigator gives me a Daniel Jackson feeling (Archeologist from a famous Sci Fi series) in a way I do not like it. Therefore the usual pleasure of seeing people get astounded at something you, as the watcher, already know, is disturbingly absent.
If one would take another look at the scientific value, you could laugh at it. If one could ignore the most of the details and look at it in a mere entertaining way, the way a usual citizen would watch to a dinosaur documentary on the animal channel, it is truly a superb film. Something worth to establish your entire family for and enjoy the nearly 100 minutes of dragon theories. The early climax of the two mating dragons imitating the ritual of eagles clashes into your eyes and awakens your possibly slumbered attention by the water and jungle dragons, and keeps you attended to the rest of the show.
I would recommend this to anyone wanting a good show about dragon's. Do not expect too much and have yourself be awestruck by the visuals and pleasing story lines. The overall picture makes you forget the flaws and therefore I give this a nine.
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