Dragon Hunters (2008) User Reviews

A Nutshell Review: Dragon Hunters

[DICK STEEL · 8/10 · 12 October 2008]

My first impression would be this is Beowulf only with all the good bits of fighting Grendel and dragons intact, making it one thrill ride from start to end. Written by Frederic Lanoir and Arthur Qwak, the two of them had created a fantastical landscape that becomes a character in itself within their story, with its ever changing environment made up of small spheres of land floating around, which can either be wastelands, or globes of greenery.

The story's a simple one, which tells of a land which is cowering in the expectation of a mighty dragon's unwanted visit to plunder and destroy, and the resident knights have all but been annihilated. Enter the king's granddaughter Zoe (Marie Drion) who gathers Lian-Chu (Vincent Lindon), a huge brute with immense strength but truly a gentle giant, and his partner-in-arms Gwizdo (Patrick Timsit), who balances the partnership with his cunning brain. Lian-Chu and Gwizdo (together with their pet creature which too proudly spews incipient fires) share a common dream of owning a farm land and spending idyllic days tending to their farm animals in retirement, but in order to do that comes the requirement of being financially free, hence their career in monster-extermination which doesn't exactly pay off.

That's basically the whole gist of it, but what makes this film a spectacle, is its CG graphics, which is solidly rich, detailed, and an eye-popping marvel to behold. It has some wonderfully crafted set action pieces that were painstakingly designed to draw you into the thick of the action,, and during those fight sequences, there's nary a boring moment. Photo-realistic moments of non-existent landscapes make you put aside the fantasy of make-belief, and it's easy to be in awe of the landscape which goes beyond the usual three-suns and a kaleidoscope of flying thingamajigs (here's having at you George!) And I couldn't get enough of the finale battle as well, though the usual brick-bats will find some fault at the indestructibility of the principle characters.

I guess this film had opened my eyes that there are many more computer-animated companies out there around the world that have quality in their product to match that of Pixar's. And this is definitely a movie that the local filmmakers of Zodiac: The Race Begins and Legend of the Sea can learn from – to keep the story effectively simple, and let your moving artwork do all the talking. Definitely highly recommended!

Artistically beautiful, but the script could be better

[thebackofmyhouse · 6/10 · 20 September 2008]

I really liked the art style and concept in the movie. But as far as the story goes, it's not very engaging. It lacks the polish that the visuals have. The character art reminds me of the game "Mark of Kri". And the floating lands in which the story takes place is breathtaking.

But the story is just too simple. They try to build it up by making the characters fight bigger dragons each time, but this only works if the fight choreography was actually good or if the characters' dragon fighting skill improves over time, but neither of it was the case.

They tried to make it about character development at times but it was too brief and shallow to have any impact.

Then there's the case of the relationships between the characters. There just isn't enough back story to get the viewer into them. But the little girl's character, Zoe, was too cute not to like. Without her character, the movie wild been much worse.

So overall, the art and the Zoe character was reason enough to see this movie. Kids might not mind the simplistic story, because they are young and haven't watched enough movies to see it as a cliché.

Really enjoyable

[AlexMLehmann · 8/10 · 25 July 2009]

After watching the trailer I was surprised this movie never made it into theaters, so I ordered the BluRay. I had a great time watching it and have to say that this movie is better than some major animation movies out there. Of course, it has its flaws but I can still really recommend it. The animation is well done, very entertaining and unique and the story kept me watching it all the way to the end. Some of the backdrops are just drop-dead gorgeous and you can see the French talent behind it. I thought that Forest Whitaker's performance feels a bit lifeless but that is how the character Lian-Chu is depicted in this movie. So overall, thumbs up, I liked it a lot and I hope it is successful enough for all the studios involved to continue making great movies like this. I would recommend to give it a chance and be surprised how great a movie can be with such a small budget. Hektor alone is worth watching the movie since some of his moments are Stitch-like hilarious.

Awesome! Love it!

[paulclaassen · 7/10 · 30 May 2019]

Wow, how I absolutely love this film. I've seen it a few times and every time I pick up on something new, or simply admire the completely unique animation. I love the characters and it has a great story, too. This is funny, action-packed and adventurous.

This is unlike any other animated film, and wonderfully imaginative. The sheep are simply adorable! The film also sends out a strong message about loyalty, trust and friendship. Love it!

Pretty graphics, rather average story

[siderite · 7/10 · 29 November 2008]

The world of the Dragon Hunters is a 3D gravity challenged world. Planetoids, bits of buildings and strange flat plants float around in the atmosphere while the ground towards most of the characters are falling is nowhere to be seen. It is a world reminiscent of Neverending Story, when the Nothing came to eat the world away.

Funny enough, the villain here is the World Gobbler, as well. This time it is a huge skeleton dragon with fiery eyes. The heroes are a big yet taciturn warrior, an annoying and greedy sidekick managing the entrepreneurial side of the duo and a strange useless animal. They are joined by the most talkative little girl in the world who, to my chagrin, did not die a horrible painful and hopefully early death.

The animation is great. The voices and the sounds are top notch. Too bad the story is as simple as one can possibly imagine. They go to stop the World Gobbler, they reach him almost immediately, they defeat him. The end. No real character development or story twists. Not even the ones I would expect from a movie with such a plot.

Bottom line: it's a cute thing to watch, kids would probably enjoy it, but that's about it. No depth to this world (pun intended).

A timeless fairy tale

[PenOutOfTime · 7/10 · 30 August 2010]

Many reviews of this film seem to weigh the mass of content and the quality of the animation.

A better way to evaluate this movie is to consider the quality and purpose of the story elements and characterization, and the artistic vision and mood of the story and its environment.

What is different about the story and characterization of this movie, is not that it tells a tale that is thoroughly unique and surprising, but is rather that a classic and simple quest tale is executed in what you could call an artistically minimalist fashion.

Many animated films aimed at the family market are operating like a three-ring circus, containing a story for the children, veritably bulging with overripe characterization to distract us from the boring or poorly plotted story, and last, but certainly not least, containing a never-ending series of distractions for parents and adults who desperately do not want to be watching the film.

The mass of all this material can give such a film a cluttered appearance, and the swarm of pop-culture references stuffed in the film as jokes are doubly anachronistic, not fitting with the content of the film, and serving as a subtle irritation by constituting either yet another reference to tabloid-not news, or if the film is old enough, being simply altogether out of date.

Dragon Hunters is very different. You have to be able to appreciate a fairy tale; this film will not give you a variety show to go along with the fairy tale that you do not really want to see, but that story is beautifully and cleanly laid out.

In many cases, when evaluating an animated film; the latest Pixar release for example, we marvel, or at least listen to other people marvel, at the quality and sophistication of the animation.

What stands out about Dragon Hunters is not that film looks like it could only be made in a top-secret laboratory on the world's largest computer. This is not to say that the animation is backward either; the film is up-to-date, but what stands out about Dragon hunters is how well the tools of computer animation are used for artistic effect.

The overall look of the picture for example, is very well done, providing plenty of detail, yet lending a somewhat dreamlike quality to the movie that is very appropriate to a fairy tale. Having done a good job, the filmmakers also take their achievement in stride, and do not hobble the production with scenes that only serve to celebrate their own achievement.

Finally, I would note how this production stands out not so much in introducing a brand-new special effect, but rather in that the tools, the 'brushes' as it were, of computer animation, are wielded with verve and to artistic effect. All animated shows are affected by the fact that the characters in their world move in a particular way, which does not wholly conform to reality. In the Dragon Hunters, you feel more like you are watching a skilled marionettist, and less like you are seeing a great special effect that wasn't quite good enough.

So to sum up, Dragon Hunters is a minimalist story, and is a great one as long as you are able to accept that choice. The animation is of good quality, but more importantly, is artistically done within the level of technology in use. Like the Disney film "Snow White" Dragon Hunters is likely to retain its value after technology permits more spectacular effects, unlike say "King Kong" which can only be appreciated if much is ignored. The result, is a classic and timeless movie.

Visually stunning and cute if nothing particularly special at the end

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 21 September 2011]

I have been a big fan of animation for as long as I can remember. Dragon Hunters is not among the best I've seen, that said I have seen much worse. The film does have a lot of cuteness and charm particularly in the animation, characters and voice work. The story though is very simplistic and never really seems to rise above average, the characters do have personality but not development and the script has some fun and poignant moments but some of the comedic elements could've done with being more focused. However, the voice acting is solid across the board and the music compliments the film very well. The best asset is the animation, which is simply gorgeous, especially in the backgrounds where attention to detail is clearly evident and the colours are plentiful. One or two of the character designs are on the blocky side, but most are fine. In conclusion, nothing particularly special but it is cute and the visuals really make it work. 6.5/10 Bethany Cox

Very pretty graphics with a weak story

[DrLex · 6/10 · 24 November 2010]

Well, my title sums it up. The computer graphics are top-notch, I dare say they can compete with Pixar's. There are some scenes in there that are jaw-dropping, especially when combined with the musical score. The only thing that bothered me is that the choreography of some scenes is so spastic that only people with severe ADD could enjoy them. One can only sweep around the camera so much and so often before it becomes annoying.

The story however is not top-notch. The characters all give the impression of being mish-mashes of predecessors from various older animated films. One particular character's personality suddenly changes completely without any valid reason. The result is that none of the characters are particularly interesting, because they just try to be so much at once that they end up being compromises.

Children will probably love this just for the awesome visuals and the simple story, and will not notice the inconsistencies. Adults can enjoy this by turning off their brain and letting themselves be awed by the stunning visuals. If you don't care about eye-candy, you may want to stay away from this one.

P.S.: Yes, this film features floating islands very reminiscent of Avatar, but remember that Dragon Hunters is one year older.

Animation demo reel

[mail-3247 · 4/10 · 31 August 2010]

A French animation company decided to do a passion project, to show off their animating skills and make a few bucks along the way. They get some financial backing from French government and do everything in-house, using own resources and hiring few American voices to have international appeal.

At least, that how this movie comes across.

It has awesome visuals, landscapes and lighting effects are very imaginative and top notch. I guess that's what these guys do for living. Everything else is half-baked: characters are flat and uninteresting, story is done with the use of Disney cookie-cutter and the world they created lacks any logic or believability.

OK for Netflix Blu-ray rental (again, those landscapes!), but your kids will probably forget about it right after the end credits stopped rolling. Mine had.

What a beauty!

[DerRalf · 9/10 · 27 April 2008]

This is a real eye candy. A world made of floating islands and flying ancient cities. Huge monsters whose preferred method of attack is hurling cathedrals at their opponents... Who can resist that? An ancient prophecy, a bunch of underdog heroes and a cute princess in search of her hero... sounds familiar...? Yes we heard that song before. But You will forget that while looking at the spectacular scenery.

This movie is fun to watch while it lasts. But after leaving the cinema You'll be longing for a little bit more story.

What is behind the 30-years-circle? What drove the knight crazy? Who built all these fabulous monuments, castles and cities... and why are they falling apart? And apart from that one bunch of farmers, where are the people? Really, this picture looks so intriguing, but it's no Lord of the Rings.

Visually remarkably good, a quite unusual fairy tale cartoon.

[TxMike · 23 July 2009]

I always browse the new additions in my public library's DVD collection and in doing so came across this one. With Forest Whitaker in the lead role I figured it must be good. The film is a French production so there are two sets of voice actors, one for the French track and the one I watched, with the English track.

The movie is visually remarkable. The animation is very complex with a lot of interesting motion, and images are very sharp and attractive. But the world depicted is remarkable in its own unique way. There are land masses, some with and some without buildings, that float among the sky and clouds in seemingly random directions much like objects float in the weightlessness inside a space ship. But characters walk and jump and fall, so it is not a weightless world. And they talk about traveling to the end of the world, but it is not the world that we know.

There is a dangerous dragon in this world and it is predicted to make its appearance after some period of dormancy. A dragon-fighter is needed. Forest Whitaker voices the lead role of Lian-Chu who happens to be a dragon fighter, but of rather small dragons. This world-eating dragon is going to be a great challenge.

The story is easy to follow, but for me that was secondary. The entertainment was the style in which this movie was made, with the fantastic and weird world the characters are in. I would love to see the Laws of Physics that applies to this world!

Prequel to an excellent TV series

[tamsin-parker-262-538925 · 6/10 · 26 October 2019]

This movie is a prequel to the excellent TV series of the same name. It was co-written and co-directed by the series' creator, Arthur Qwak (Lordy, what a name), but it's whole different beast. It takes place about ten years before the TV show, so the heroes haven't met Jennyline yet and Zaza doesn't exist yet either. Gwizdo (Rob Paulsen) and Lian-Chu (Forest Whittaker) are professional dragon hunters, but far from the best. Gwizdo can read and write and has a talent for business, but is a terrible coward. Lian-Chu isn't the warrior he'd become in the series, but he's a kind soul, sensible if a little naïve, and knits, to Gwizdo's chagrin (in the episode "A Fistful of Veggies", he finally says, "Lian-Chu, remind me to never make fun of your knitting again"). While Gwizdo is giving Lian-Chu a pep talk one morning, they meet a little girl named Zoe, who is an orphan (like the heroes) and has a rich uncle. She mistakes them for knights and Gwizdo goes along with the lie. I can't understand why. They'd win just as much of her admiration by admitting that they're professionals, stone-cold mercenaries. And in the end she doesn't mind anyway. Honestly it reminds me of Maurizio's lie in 'Der Satanarchäolügenialkohöllische Wunschpunsch' (and by coincidence, both he and Gwizdo have been voiced by Rick Jones). The lord of the place offers the dragon hunters a huge sum of money for killing the World Gobbler, which eats masses of land (in the show, the islands are dead dragons). They have to sucker punch it even though, like the dragon in "A Fistful of Veggies", it has a weakness that even a knitting needle can penetrate. The story itself is very simple. Reminds me of 'All Dogs Go to Heaven', actually. You have a cynic (Charlie/Gwizdo) and his sensible best friend (Lian-Chu/Itchy) who "adopt" a little girl (Zoe/Anne-Marie) and the cynic grows to care about her. Zoe seems annoying, but don't worry, when Jennyline adopts her in the series, she grows up to be the awesome dragon hunter Zoria. Somehow it doesn't make sense. This little idealist who believes in fairytales is Zoria? Somehow I find it hard to believe. There's Sir Lensflair, who's an elderly Prince Charming if he went nuts. And yes, in the series there is a character named Prince Charming. Rob Paulsen is a riot as Gwizdo. He has a lot of funny lines and is a match for Rick Jones. However, the movie makes him look uglier. The TV series version is a bombshell by comparison. Maybe his design didn't translate well to CGI. His character in the movie can be annoying but he's shown to love Lian-Chu no matter what. He loses a bit of charisma from the TV series, somehow. Forest Whittaker's voice is deeper than Harry Standjofski's but is just as gentle and mature. And finally there's Hector (who was also voiced by Jones in the series and is voiced by Dave Wittenberg in the movie), who provides some cute comic relief. The film has excellent visuals, good action sequences and one excellent scene where Gwizdo is tormented by his guilty conscience; Paulsen is on top form in that scene, which recalls one in "Gland of the Mimikar" where he tries to make up excuses for why he can't go and save Lian-Chu himself (which he does anyway), and in "The Strange Taste of Cocomak" where Gwizdo's constant bad luck sends him into a depression. It's worth watching for pretty visuals, but especially if you're a fan of the series.

Graphics don't make a good story

[violinisthamel · 3/10 · 11 February 2012]

(may have slight spoilers) The only reason this has a 3 is because the graphics are good. The story is very simple, the characters lack development and aren't interesting enough to care about them, most of the scenes don't make sense to what the "story" is striving at and flash backs/supposed sad moments lack the feeling because of how lacking the characters are. The Music is good and definitely puts you into the mood of the scene but because there are no feelings for the characters, it destroys it. What really bothers me about this movie is the lack of any information. The world seems like it could be interesting but there is no explanation for why it is the way that it is and really such a shame. Desolate and broken is understandable but the lack of gravity and why the world is broken seems to have gone completely untold.

A nice visually stuning movie

[yogeshevolution · 7/10 · 1 December 2020]

The movie has everything in it stunning visual, a nice story line and all the ingredients of animated movie. A good watch for childrens.

A below-average animation

[MihaiSorinToma · 6/10 · 29 August 2017]

In a fairyland where everything seemed to float in the air, Lian-Chu saves a runaway girl (Zoe) from imminent danger and finds out from her uncle that a giant dragon is going to wake up and bring chaos and destruction to their world. He hires Lian-Chu to kill this dragon promising him and his friends a lot of gold. Together with Zoe, Gwizdo and their awkward dog, Lian, set out to accomplish his almost impossible task.

It's a story which starts with a stupid idea and ends disappointingly. I mean, Lian-Chu is hired as a dragon hunter to save the world without any kind of test. Just because he had muscles and the stature of a warrior was enough for the great uncle to hire him. And his great plan? To kill a great an powerful dragon (from which his brave and noble nights didn't even return) while it was still asleep! Brilliant! Furthermore, Lian's friends are utterly useless all the way. The don't do anything to help him, just some "moral support" from time to time...Not to say that the way the all feared dragon was killed is simply stupid...why was it so scary if it had such a weakness? All knights were so stupid that they couldn't figure it out for themselves? The ending is so disappointing...no fame, no money, no recognition, no nothing. Saving the world for what? You get the idea, the whole plot is simply rubbish and the characters are mostly annoying managing to make the film boring most of the time. On the upside, I liked how it looked and how it was animated, making that world pleasant and enjoyable. It also had some nice action sequences which I liked.

Overall it's an average movie, and that's a big word. If it wasn't for Lian-Chu's character and the animations, it would have been simply pointless.

Absolutely Brilliant!

[Mr_Saxon · 9/10 · 18 September 2008]

Have you heard the story about the reluctant heroes who were hired by a King to slay a dragon? Oh, you have? Was it set in a world entirely composed of small islands floating above clouds, and did the heroes have to make dangerous leaps from one island to the next on their journey? Did water flow upwards and remnants of great cities levitate on the horizon? I didn't think so.

I stumbled onto this movie by accident and I'm really glad that I did! It's one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. Much like the Pixar movies, it's a piece of computer animated art that could only be possible in today's world. The animators have invested thought into almost everything that appears on the screen, and this attention to detail is staggering (the scene where the mushrooms in the foreground belch green smoke whilst the characters walk obliviously in the background is one of my favourites). The monsters are also fully realised and wonderful to watch in action.

Although the plot may not be entirely unique, the movie has enough charm to make sure you keep watching. Our protagonists are likable and interesting, ensuring the audience is behind their almost impossible quest to reach the end of the world and destroy the dragon which might otherwise devour everything in its path. Of course, Hector is the character most will fall in love with. A small blue creature with a crazy grin and a tendency to speak a mixture of nonsense and English, Hector provides comedy relief in a way Jar Jar Binks could only dream of.

In summary, I'd recommend watching The Dragon Hunters if you get the opportunity. Watch it for the incredible animation, the breath-taking battle scenes and for a glimpse into a world that's unlike anything else you've seen on a cinema or television screen. At the very least, it's a fun way to spend an hour and a half - no matter if you're nine or twenty-nine (which, in fact, I am)!

Truly awful!

[Takenu · 2/10 · 7 January 2009]

Oh my. How can they make movies of such beauty, but that are so terribly bad. I mean, even Uwe Boll doesn't make crap like this. There is not even a hint of a decent story, multi-layered characters, or attraction. It's just a random sequence of pointless chatter joined together to make a 'movie'. I suppose only children up to 3 years of age could enjoy it, given the world is so utterly dimensionless and the story so incoherent, that anyone older would be annoyed by it. But then again, it's far too scary for anyone under 6 years of age, that there's probably no one that should watch this movie at all.

Take my advice and stay far, far away from this movie. Your little daughter can make a better storyline, and though she probably isn't able to draw pictures this pretty, her tales are much more worth listening to. And please, in the name of whoever you believe in, do not expose your children to this piece of ****. I'll give it 2 out of 10, and that's exclusively for the graphics, because the story and character development are so awful they'd deserve a negative rating.

And if you decide to watch it anyways... remember that I warned you.

visually stunning and pretty funny, thumbs way up!

[partner55325808 · 9/10 · 4 May 2008]

this is my first review on IMDb, i didn't really want to write one but since there are only 2 for this great movie right now, i feel compelled to add my perspective...and no, i'm not associated to the movie makers in any way (yeah yeah how often did you here that before ;-) ) FYI i'm in my late 20s

1st of all i have to admit i really like animated movies, because what you see is only limited by the imagination of the creators and they were pretty imaginative on this one. Not so much in terms of story but in achieving a very unique and imo fresh visual style. The characters look good but far from real and it works well for the movie, after all it's a fairytale-like world. But the backgrounds and the world in general is filled with awesome visuals that my jaw dropped several times while watching this. The blue, bunny-like mini-dragon steels the show and has easily some of the funniest moments of the movie, he is already an instant classic, much as Scrat from Ice Age. The story is not too surprising (a bunch of anti-heroes have to go out and slay the biggest dragon you can imagine) but who cares if the movie looks and sounds THAT good ;-) 1 thing i have to point out, imo the movie is not suited for VERY young children because it has some darker scenes in it and maybe frightening for kids under 6-8 i would say, these are only very few scenes but worth mentioning imo. Anyway i had a great time watching this and can't wait for it to hit the stores in high def to watch it over and over again just for the sheer beauty of it.

8,5 for me

Indescribable beauty

[blackninja-2 · 9/10 · 29 March 2008]

For a long time i haven't seen so beautiful animated feature. Having healthy respect for Pixar, i must say that Ratatouille or any other movie made by 'em can not be compared to this. Animators have created an incredibly beautiful world here. The graphics is amazing, the background surroundings are mind-blowing, almost every object in every frame is drawn perfectly. Sometimes i felt tingles down my spine - so much i loved what i've seen.

The plot is absolutely romantic. As romantic as the animated film plot can possibly be. The characters are lovable, especially Hector, the blue rabbit, he owns, pawns, rocks and rules! The other char-s are very nice also. The humor is top-notch.

Generally it seemed that creators didn't invest much effort into this. I mean it looked like it didn't take em too much in difference from people of Pixar&Dreamworks who try hard every time to think on something new. And i'm very glad that a product of European animation studio turned out to be SO great. They've made a magnificent, touching movie, a candy for eye and heart.

The only minus is stupid beginning and that's why it's 9of10 not 10/10

Spare Yourself

[SaraSeantae · 1/10 · 12 November 2013]

The reviews for Dragon Hunters are glowing, but I found it to be literally one of the worst movies I have ever seen (and probably the worst animated film I've seen).

The thing reviewers seem to go on about the most is the animation, writing and writing about how beautiful and breathtaking it is and how it gives Pixar a run for the money. I disagree so strongly! The animation of the setting is mildly interesting, but more in idea than actual visual stimulation and lacks a lot of detail. The characters are anatomically clunky and their movements don't even seem natural to that clunky design - they just flat out don't work for me. All in all, I would say that visually this movie looks more like a draft...it lacks so much that it seems entirely unfinished.

The voice acting is mediocre at best and utterly fails to emote, but that isn't even my biggest beef with it! The voices themselves are so grating and obnoxious that they go beyond being caricatures, as animated characters are expected to be, and simply irritate. Speaking of "character" and "emoting"...

...the story itself lacks any substance at all! Yes, the bare bones idea is a bit cliché, but that doesn't really matter. It's all about the meat you put on those bones, after all, and unfortunately this meat is lean, stringy, and crude. There is no real...anything here. No true journey. No character development. It's an as of yet unformed idea that tries to parade as fully formed, and I hate it for that.

Honestly, I feel angry that I watched this movie. Disgusted. Writing this review civilly took a lot of self-control. If I could have given Dragon Hunters no stars I sure would have (and that's still more than it deserves).

A wonderful animated story which breaks free from American cartooning

[pezgandhi · 10/10 · 18 September 2008]

I voted this a 10 out of 10 simply because it is the best animated story I have been able to see in quite some time. The animation is stunning. The artwork behind each and every landscape was beautiful. From the colors to the lighting to the not standard fare of artistry. I was amazed. Moving beyond the beauty on the screen, you are immersed in a storyline that is at once timeless and at the same turn fresh. Character development is brief yet these touchstone moments are exactly what is needed to clue the viewer in to what and why and how the character has come to where they stand. I'm impressed with the entire affair and think this is a must see for the entire family.

Great avatar world rip off, decent monsters, poor characters, zero story

[jseagles · 2/10 · 22 June 2010]

I couldn't even make it through this film without using fast forward to speed things up. After just watching "Up" I was in the mood for more high quality animation with a great story and depth of character. That is not what "Dragon Hunters" is. The cinematic "scope" of the animated world is pretty and interesting, although meaningless. Looks like the producers of this movie saw avatar and either directly used some of the imagery or just ripped it off. I guess kids wouldn't care about the lack of any explanations about what's going on. In this movie, three luckless "friends" try to drum up some extra money hunting dragons, but end up being sent on an epic adventure across the "world" to kill the ultimate source of evil. The three dragon hunters are only mildly likable, being mostly one-dimensional. The little blue creature, as he doesn't really talk, is only good for sight gags, around three of them. The "leader" has no depth at all and might as well not exist. The large, samurai looking fellow is the only character in the movie who gets any back story at all, which revolves around a dragon destroying his village as a child, and why he took up knitting. (no, seriously) The movie tries to give a moral lesson about the value of friends and the meaning of honor and respectability, but mainly fails. There are only a few actual dragons, and the final ultimate world eater dragon is a huge disappointment. It's just a dinosaur skeleton with glowing eyes. The earlier dragons are more creative and interesting. Most of the movie is the characters journeying (no action or dialogue, just pretty rocks) through the contrived world, encountering a couple monsters every half hour or so. I hate journeying!!!! Conclusion: rent "How to train your dragon" instead, which is a good movie with an actual story.

Loved it!

[nieuwenhuis · 8/10 · 9 October 2008]

This movie took my breath away at some points, I simply loved it!

I admit that the character dialogs and storyline could have been done a bit better, but hey, this is just a simple (short) story of a couple of guys trying to slain a dragon, there's nothing more to it!

The overall design, atmosphere, the beautiful landscapes... it's all just magical!

They've put a lot of love in this movie. Character designs were great and funny. A bit Tim Burton-ish if you like. I can recommend this movie to anyone interested in great design, displayed in a simple small, but lovely story.

Solid proof that being able to do pretty CG graphics doesn't make you a movie-maker

[mark-4145 · 1/10 · 20 September 2008]

This is one of the worst-written movies I've ever had to sit through.

The story's nothing new -- but it's a cartoon, so who cares, as long as it's pretty and fun?

I'm not going to go as deep as the characterisations, or I'll be here all day (except to say that there aren't any; the characters change personality whenever it's convenient to the plot), but whoever wrote the script and visual direction should be forbidden access to so much as pencil and paper. Thumbs down? I'd vote to cut their thumbs off.

"Narrow in on an object/prop. Cut back to character close-up. Character gives a knowing look, which the audience will not even remotely understand. Repeat that several times, with different objects/props."

"Make the characters pay no attention at all the huge lumps of rock are floating around, crashing into each other, generally raining destruction all over, and which could kill them all at any moment -- but make them stop and gasp in fear when they see a harmless-looking, almost pastoral green rock in the distance."

The whole thing is a long succession of events, actions, and behaviour that are only there for the convenience of the writer, to save him having to think or make any effort at all to write the story properly.

This is the Plan 9 of CG cartoons, except that it doesn't have Ed Wood groan factor to make it fun to watch.

Do yourselves a favour: spend your cartoon budget on Pixar movies.

-Dragon Hunters.... Great CGI For 2008 FILM!!!

[Tony-Kiss-Castillo · 9/10 · 1 December 2023]

FIRST: Let us FOCUS on the Title´s Content and Context

...2,000 Characters??? Not nearly enough to do this film justice. In a perfect world, all CGI animated movies would be of this caliber. Also, we wouldn't be limited to only 2K characters to discuss a cinematic marvel. I'll call this a Pre(re)view of my complete review (More info later)

1st, to clarify: The real title is "Chasseurs de Dragon". Don't confuse this with another 2008 release, "Dragon Hunter". Name any specific area for evaluating or critiquing a CGI film and "Hunters" is flawlessly top-notch. Every frame is, quite literally, a work of art! Immediately after viewing my NF copy, I ran out & bought my own. In areas such as creative/artistic design and rendering, conceptualization, technical precision and execution, music soundtrack, and sound engineering "Dragon Hunters" sets a new CGI standard, & should serve as the yardstick by which all future CGI endeavors are measured.

In fact, at times, remarkably, I felt it was too good! The unparalleled meticulous detail was almost distracting at times. One example: The nerdy little side-kick/manager character had faint acne scars on his face! Can you believe that? After experiencing this surreal French production I'm prompted to issue this warning: Pixar & Dreamworks, you'd best stand up and take notice!

"Dragon Hunters" from an artistic viewpoint, has great highbrow appeal. If Salvador Dali had dreams at age 10, I'm sure they were reminiscent of "Hunters". Yet, there is something in "Hunters" for everyone. The acting, by the way, was delightful. Forrest Whitaker gave a firm but nuanced performance!...6******

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!