The Crown and the Dragon (2013)

The Age of Commercialism

Overrated and overhyped

A Major Disappointment

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Fantasy films with a female lead (particularly one as beautiful as Amy De Bhrún) are rare, hence I was keen to view this offering about a young noblewoman fulfilling her destiny, which involves a potty-mouthed Aragorn hero, some bad soldiers and a dragon.On the plus side, there is a plot, there are some fight scenes which are not bad, the acting is above average, Noblelady and Aragorn are likable characters and the dragon is rather well done.However, ultimately, the film is brought down by what appears to be simple directorial disinterest. It lacks pace, continuity (the condition of her dress and the whereabouts of his sword), wholesale copying of scenes from Ivanhoe but on a much cheaper scale, and a rather abrupt ending.To tell the truth, I had to re-watch this three times, because I kept falling asleep and it wasn't because I had had tiring days at the office.Don't expect much and you won' be disappointed.

Alright, this is my first review so bare with me. I picked up this movie at a Redbox machine having never heard of it and the summary kind of confusing, I obviously had to get it. This is what I personally thought of it.The graphics sucked, they did do their job though. When a dragon was needed, they had a dragon. So, for the low budget I'd say they were pretty decent graphics. Some actors were better than others. The two main leads did pretty well. So, the minor roles having some issues was okay. (They casted Kristen Stewart for the lead in Twilight, so, I will excuse minor characters.) The story had many plot holes. It left the viewer wanting more in both bad and good ways. But, through it all I kinda loved it. I don't know why. I don't really care all I know is that I would watch it again. Much like Rocky Horror Picture Show, somehow bad makes it good.

It is what it is. A rainy day kind of movie that never lost my interest at any moment. The major plot theme here that's well done is the relationship that grows between the heroine and her hero. People who rate this movie low are taking things way too seriously. I enjoyed it immensely with their ending kiss. Don't take other people's word for it. Give it a try. Just don't go in expecting blockbuster action and sword-fighting. It has sorcery, dragons and medieval themes but at the end of the day its about a charming heroine and the unlikely hero who decides to aid her and their time together unfolding into something special. I would buy it on blu-ray if it were available. The mistake I think is people trying to compare this to major blockbusters like titanic or terminator 2. Please don't even go there. Not that type of movie, but charming in it's own right. This is one of those movies I'll go the extra way in praising just because of the foolish people who would dare think to give it a low rating. That would be like harshly criticizing your five year old child's drawing instead of just hanging it on your fridge door end enjoying because it's special in its own way.

Add Dungeon & Dragons with Harlan Romance seasoning and stir in a bit of Game of Thrones, the end result is The Crown and the Dragon. Yes, the CGI-effects could been better and derivative factor is high but the Irish-Scots cast never treated the material with contempt - displaying admirable professionalism with director Anne Black keeping things tight as humanely as possible in this tightly-budgeted concoction.Young and naive Ellen Barethon (Amy De Bhrún) accompanies her aunt to a secret enthronement of the rightful king in a land taken over by foreign empire to deliver an ancient artifact to the royal majesty. Ellen soon become the sole guardian of the relic after tragic circumstances and had to rely on one Aedin (David Haydn). Aedin saves her from certain death and later cuts a deal to be her 'protector' as Ellen vows to finish what her aunt started. The artifact is merely a MacGuffin. The heart of the story lies in the burgeoning relationship between Ellen and Aedin from guarded suspicion into the inevitable you-know-what. Kudos to both Amy and Haydn for making the romantic entanglement authentic and grounded in reality with immeasurable help from no-frills script. The 'string' dance by the pair is beautifully choreographed and for me - one of the few highlights in the flick.It's eye-catching performance of Amy De Bhrún that keeps the proceedings lively. Her spunky character is someone you can hold on to during dreary parts and the anchor holding together the movie as it head towards obligatorily revelations and proper intro of traitorous Corvus (Tim Treloar) coveting both the relic and bewitching Amy.If you are looking for guts-ripping sword fights and battling mystical creatures, this is not the movie for you. The elements are there but purely on perfunctory level.