Yes, the movie by Uwe Boll staring Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Ron Perlman, Leelee Sobieski, Claire Forlani (who I've had a thing for since Mallrats), John Rhys-Davies, Matthew Lillard, and Burt Reynolds.
I understand how he got all these folks to do this picture, as it's actually a very simple process, but what's amazing is that this wasn't the worst thing I've ever seen. Don't get me wrong, this was no Lord of the Rings despite attempting to be, but it also wasn't as bad as some fantasy movies I've seen.
The writing was pretty straight forward. It's a simple story about a farmer whose family is put in danger by an evil wizard trying to conquer the kingdom. Thus the farmer journeys to help his family only to discover something about himself. There are some deeper elements in the plot, but they're never really touched upon.
For example, there is a love affair in the movie that is actually the key to the evil wizard's power, but it's barely touched upon. This is a huge problem and pretty typical of this film as you're supposed to care about these characters, but you can't because their stories are told so poorly or not at all. Another example is Brian White's character which seems to have been much deeper in whatever source material they took him from. The movie is littered with characters who suffer the same fate, interesting, but poorly told.
I assume the fault of that lies squarely on the director. You're shocked right? Uwe Boll is still very much a hack and it shines brighter here than in any of his other "movies". Why? Because here he had an all star cast and a potentially good story with deep characters. However, in his hands, he told a mildly entertaining LotR rip off with one dimensional characters.
I truly believe this is his greatest failure because he can't blame it on a bad story or cast. There was a story here that I would've liked to have seen told. Hell, I could see where this thing could've easily stretched out into a sequel or even a trilogy.
The acting was really interesting. Jason Statham is Jason Statham. I personally think he's an extremely underused commodity in the U.S. In this film he actually does more than one would expect with what he has been given. It wasn't just him though. Claire Forlani, Burt Reynolds, John Rhys-Davies, and Ron Perlman all put in performances that are far better than they should have been.
Things start going south at Leelee Sobieski. Her role could've been incredibly good and akin to the woman who ended up marrying Arragorn in LotR (what's her name?). The problem is that she wasn't given any time for the audience to learn her story. Thus, when she breaks down on camera, for good reason, you really don't care, nor do you really care about her actions after that, which are unbelievably even more destroyed by direction. That is really saying something too. How does one further handicap an actor's character after you've already made them as one dimensional as possible? Uwe Boll will show you here. Just a tremendous waste of a good actress and potentially good character.
That brings us to Ray Liotta. Ray was here for the paycheck. He didn't even seem to be having fun with the role. Can't say that I blame him. Although, I'm willing to admit that Uwe Boll's direction hamstrung him in a lot of scenes.
On a very positive note, Brian White and Matthew Lillard were fantastic. Matthew had a pretty poorly written role, but played it to perfection. Brian White brought a quiet intensity to his role, which was perfect for his character.
Overall, this isn't a movie you need to rush out to see because it's great nor because it's a train wreck, which can sometimes be just as entertaining. No, this lands squarely in the middle. It's a decent attempt, particularly for someone who is known for making bad films, but still more of a disappointment considering the cast and the potential here.
5 out of 10.
In the Name of the King - A Dungeon Siege Tale
Steven Tyler's kid, Liv?Leisher wrote:Her role could've been incredibly good and akin to the woman who ended up marrying Arragorn in LotR (what's her name?).
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Goddamnit, I can't even keep my Tolkien straight anymore. Been a long time since I seen them flicks.Leisher wrote:No. Eowyn played by Miranda Otto.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."