Today’s quick review: Reign of Fire. Christian Bale plays Quinn Abercromby, a boy who was there when the dragons awakened under London. Twenty years later, he leads a small band of survivors in a world devastated by dragon fire. Their rough but peaceful existence is interrupted by Denton Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey), a ballsy American soldier who has a plan to end the dragon menace once and for all. But Denton’s soldiers disrupt the stability of Quinn’s settlement, and his plan to fight the dragons could bring the dragons’ wrath down upon them all.
Reign of Fire is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie that follows the efforts of the last of humanity to fight or simply survive the unstoppable dragons. Bale plays a sympathetic leader who must balance his own fear and hatred of the dragons with the good of his followers. McConaughey plays against type as a bald, jacked soldier, dropping his usual charm in favor of a dangerous edge and a reckless streak. The setting has a few nice touches as to what life post-dragons might be like, including Star Wars as an oral history, and Gerrard Butler shows up in Quinn’s colony in a supporting role.
Despite a strong premise and a good cast, Reign of Fire is a mediocre film. The CGI features detailed dragon models but shows its age in their integration into their surroundings. The story spends most of its time in Quinn’s settlement, focusing on the clash between Quinn and Denton to the detriment of the actual plan to defeat the dragons. The action scenes are fun but not breathtaking, and the supporting cast is not particularly memorable. Reign of Fire delivers on what it promises, but offers little extra in terms of drama, style, or creativity.
Overall, Reign of Fire is a decent post-apocalyptic movie with two strong leads, credible execution, and a bunch of dragons. Watch it if you’ve ever wanted to see what a bunch of soldiers trying to harpoon a dragon from a helicopter look like. Skip it if you’re looking for something with a bit more polish.
6.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I rate it at 6.5, a good popcorn flick for when you’re in the mood for some dragons, but not a must-see.