Dragonheart: A New Beginning (2000) (V)

Director:

Doug Lefler

Writers (WGA):

Patrick Read Johnson (characters) and
Charles Edward Pogue (characters) ...

Release Date:

8 August 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

Plot:

When Geoff, an orphaned stable boy (Chris Masterson), discovers Drake (voice of Robby Benson), the world's last living dragon...

Plot Keywords:

Dragon | Poison | Betrayal | Secret | Friendship

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Christopher Masterson	...	Geoff (as Chris Masterson)
Harry Van Gorkum	...	Lord Osric of Crossley
Rona Figueroa	...	Lian
Matt Hickey	...	Novice Monk Mansel
Henry O	...	Master Kwan
Tom Burke	...	Roland
Robby Benson	...	Drake (voice)
Ken Shorter	...	The King
John Woodnutt	...	Friar Peter
Lubomir Misak	...	Lubo
Karin Hayduova	...	King's Attendant
Peter Hric	...	Sir Stefan, Osric's Henchman
Imrich Strunar	...	Miller
Gustáv Kyselica	...	Cowherd
Vladimir Oktavec	...	Abbott

Also Known As:

Dragonheart II (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:MG6 | Iceland:LH | Australia:PG | USA:PG (certificate #36963) | Finland:S | Germany:6 | UK:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Orava Castle, Oravsky Podzámok, Slovakia

Company:

Universal Family and Home Entertainment

Trivia:

The scene where Drake destroys the mill by accident is partly re-used from Dragonheart (1996) when Bowen and Draco attacked the first village - footage from the first film is used as the mill bursts into flames.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the very beginning, the camera shows a pig moving toward Geoff. When the camera angle changes, the pig is gone.

Quotes:

Geoffrey: It's not like pride's one of those seven deadly sins or anything.
Geoff: Actually it is.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Unnecessary and disappointing sequel

Four years after original Dragonheart movie, which I liked a lot Universal released on video this cheap and rather pathetic sequel. I saw it a few days ago and it was far below my expectations, although it wasn't completely a bad movie. If you don't expect too much and don't take it too serious it can be at least watchable and even entertained. But that's all about it.

There is no intelligent story and no true atmosphere of medieval age as it was in Dragonheart. Actually, the story is poor and it has the certain lack of emotional appealing. The characters development was totally forgotten and with pathetic villains, Asians and Kung-fu in the middle of medieval Europe, ice-breathing dragons, silly jokes and worst of all with ridiculous ending A New Beginning was unable to bring to its audience a memorable and well-constructed story.

The same was with the cast in the movie. It looks like the studio was counting every buck making the movie and no one actor and no one character from the original movie didn't return for the sequel. Even if I mostly liked Chris Masterson in his part in Malcolm in the Middle TV series, his choice for the lead character was totally ineffective. Maybe because of his lack of acting experience he was very unconvincing and unable to wake up the audience. Even visuals were unoriginal and poor. It's a case when the term "unnecessary sequel" instantly and unintentionally came to mind without any invitation. Dragonheart: A New Beginning is a typical example of making cheap, uninteresting movie sequel and burying the franchise.

Grade 4 out of 10.