Dragonheart (1996)

Directed by Rob Cohen. Starring Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Dina Meyer, Pete Postlethwaite, Julie Christie, Jason Isaacs, Lee Oakes, Peter Hric, (voice) Sean Connery. [PG-13]

Modestly entertaining fantasy adventure set in a distant dark age when humans and dragons co- existed…although the numbers of the latter are dwindling fast. Bitter, raspy dragon hunter, Bowen (Quaid), reluctantly joins forces with one such dragon, Draco (voiced by Connery), to help rid the realm of a tyrant (Thewlis) Bowen once mentored; trouble is, because of an implausible event many years ago, the baddie and drake share pieces of the same heart, so to kill one would mean the death of the other. Script issues, a reliance on musty medieval tropes, and a lack of truly rousing action hold it back, but the special effects are usually pretty special, the production design is good for its type, Quaid is amusingly grouchy, and Connery’s warm Scottish burr gives the dragon more personality than most of its flesh-and-blood “co-stars”. Postlethwaite brings more to his monk “sidekick” part than writer Charles Edward Pogue does, but it’s a shame his character sorta comes and goes as the movie progresses. Majestic, soaring score by Randy Edelman is another highlight. John Gielgud provides an uncredited voice cameo. Several sequels and prequels followed, none with theatrical releases or participation from the main players here.

64/100