646f9e108c George, a noble English knight, returns from the First Crusade, where he befriended the Moor Tariq and took him to his ancestral Europe, rowing with rather worldly father Bernard aboard. George's father, Sir Robert, reminds him of his prediction that the son will finish his fight with the dragons. This story George never took serious, but still takes the "dragon horn" along when he travels north on the Pict border to settle in the small Christian kingdom of Crail. Here the beloved King Edgar has only one worry, the disappearance of his heiress Princess Lunna. Promised a plot to farm on as reward, George joins the quest with loyal royal retainer Elmendorf "Elf" and the Princess' haughty fiancé Garth, whose only priority is winning the throne while his guard is nearly worthless. They find Bulchar's gang of robbers is after her for ransom. She isn't kidnapped, but has taken upon herself to guard the egg of Adelaide, the last dragon, which she called Smythe, and is determined to protect the species from extinction. It's a long and perilous journey, while some friends prove foes and once the other way around, and opinions on the dragon's fate oppose even true friends. The first crusade to free the Holy Land has ended. A mass of weary knights, squires, soldiers of fortune and priests are making their way home across a Europe that has changed forever. George, a handsome English knight, unsettled by the horrendous bloodletting he witnessed in Palestine, desires to hang up his sword and settle down to a quiet, peaceful life. On returning to England, George heads north where he's heard the land is good and the population sparse and of a kindly King named Edgaar. He finds King Edgaar in a terrible state. His beautiful daughter, Lunna has recently disappeared. In return for a small plot of land, George agrees to search for Princess Lunna. With Edgaar's faithful servant, Elmendorf, George sets out. George discovers the princess and the truth behind her strange disappearance. The quest now set before them ends in a love, a lie, and a legend that has lasted a thousand years. I had been looking forward to seeing this movie through weeks of advertising and I was not disappointed.<br/><br/>The story was well written, with several interesting twists. The movie is a mix between legend and farce and is very well done. It is fast paced with just the right mix of seriousness and playfulness.<br/><br/>James Purefoy is excellent. His voice, his looks, his charisma are everything a knightly hero should be. His acting is extraordinary and his comic timing was superior. I had enjoyed him in his small role in "A Knight's Tale" and wondered if the promise he showed in that movie would carry over into others. His acting surpassed my expectations. The other actors and actresses play their roles well, too. They made an unbelievable story believable… well, almost.<br/><br/>The direction was not heavy handed, maintaining the lighthearted spontaneity of the movie. Costumes were great, sets were lovely, script was fun.<br/><br/>All in all, this is a movie I would recommend to my friends. I rented this one for some evening's mind pablum and my wife and I enjoyed it thoroughly. OK. It's not St. George and is full of anachronisms, goofs and puns and is more slapstick than sandals and slice 'em up. But, the cast is delightful and even the villains are having a good time. If you're familiar with the several versions of George and the Dragon, there are lots of good puns and carry-overs to amuse it but the amazing thing is it works. It doesn't lapse into stupidity or overdone, ham-bone theatrics. The pace is quick, regular and interest is maintained throughout the story. I plan to show it to my grandkids as it is a jolly romp through one of our grand old myths.
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321 weeks ago