Dungeons & Dragons (2000)
Directed by Courtney Solomon
The Empire of Izmer is a divided land: elite magicians called “mages” rule while lowly commoners are powerless. When Empress Savina vows to bring equality and prosperity to her land, the evil mage Profion plots to depose her.
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11 films that influenced Dungeons & Dragons
What critics say influenced Dungeons & Dragons
And the scenes in which Ridley must solve the riddles of a labyrinth are more than a little reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
In the early 1980's, after the popularity of Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark , dozens of cheap imitators sprung up like Jake Speed (1986) and Space Raiders (1983) to cash in on their success.
The balance it is drunkenly striving for can be achieved; An American Werewolf In London, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, and its dumb younger brother The Mummy all prove that.
Maybe because it seems to be more inspired by the likes of Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark than any fantasy-based game.
However much of the movie feels like an episode of TV's "Xena: Warrior Princess," however much its script is pilfered from a wide array of other big-screen fantasy adventures, from "The Wizard of Oz" to "Raiders of the Lost Ark," I didn't feel cheated by "D&D."
What goes on in between involves TV-trained performers yelling at each other, second-rate computer-generated graphics failing to conjure up an enchanted world and Marlon Wayans doing what can only be called a heartfelt tribute to Butterfly McQueen, the screechy-voiced actress best known for her role as Prissy in "Gone With the Wind" ("I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies, Miss Scarlett!").
Ron Howard's "Willow" is likely the best to date due to a lack of competition.
Rounding out the main three players is Zoe McLellan (1997's "Inventing the Abbotts"), who may or may not be a good actress; from the evidence presented here, I would guess the latter.
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The balance it is drunkenly striving for can be achieved; An American Werewolf In London, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, and its dumb younger brother The Mummy all prove that.
Jeremy Irons, usually a good villain, chews the scenery every chance he gets, which is practically every moment he's on screen; he sounds and acts like Christopher Lloyd from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," but this isn't a comedy.
Glaring and gnashing teeth, Irons blusters and growls like Kenneth Mars' incoherent inspector in "Young Frankenstein" -- just more loudly.
However much of the movie feels like an episode of TV's "Xena: Warrior Princess," however much its script is pilfered from a wide array of other big-screen fantasy adventures, from "The Wizard of Oz" to "Raiders of the Lost Ark," I didn't feel cheated by "D&D."
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The set design, while not approaching that of Conan the Barbarian, is also a plus.
Irons chews his way to a career low point, while Birch -- so terrific in American Beauty -- is forced into the role of dinner theater Princess Leia.
Poor Thora Birch (from American Beauty ) plays Natalie Portman's princess part from The Phantom Menace and can barely register any emotions at all.
Thora Birch, so good in "American Beauty" a year earlier and "Ghost World" a year later, here seems like an eighth grader in a school play.
Finally, Thora Birch (1999's "American Beauty") is severely wasted as Empress Savina.
After all, Jeremy Irons did too, as did another exceedingly wonderful Hot New Talent, Thora Birch (American Beauty).
The beautiful empress is Savina (played by Thora Birch of "American Beauty").