***1/2         Dragons Destroyed the Earth, and It's Time for Payback.

Post apocalyptic movie featuring computer generated fire-breathing dragons. They destroyed the earth, and what's left of it tries to fight back. Fairly original premise, but it does appear to be a mix between movies like "Dungeons and Dragons" and "Waterworld".

Found in a train tunnel below London, a horde of giant dragons pop out and light the world on fire, feeding off the ashes they leave behind. The have popped up before to bring mass extinctions (like the dinosaurs), and keep burning and feeding until they run out of food and go back to sleep. Try as they might, the humans don't stand a chance against the powerful swarm. What is left 20 years latter is a few small bans of people, one in England not to far from London (a very smart idea). They are visited by a roaming band of military people with tanks from America. Their idea is to kill off the only male dragon, which just so happens to have stayed in London. They bag one female dragon before heading out to get burnt to a crisp by the male. The three main characters (one who actually lived there), then head back there to sneak around and get to the male from his hiding spot. Their mission is to blow up a chunk of him using explosive crossbow bolts, and bring a quick end to the species (my biological training says the outcome would be otherwise though).

The movie features a pretty good post-apocalyptic plot with good acting and good scenery. It also has a few brief scenes with what looks like dragons. The movie as a whole is set up pretty good, but the main attraction is very short. Every time the dragons come along, it is a very dramatic scene, but those are far and few between. Still, they are good, and the in-between scenes are also pretty good (if usually bland). In general, it's the type of movie that has a few really great moments slapped in an average set of events. Plot-wise, the movie is pretty good because it keeps you reasonably entertained while you wait for the scenes. Everything is explained well, and the talking leads up to said scenes fairly well. The plot does have a few problems though, such as the main concept to kill the things. The goal is to kill the big (and I mean big) male, which would somehow make the dragons starve to death faster. In theory there should be a backup plan for the male. If they are like ants, then another male would be born from an egg (and there will be no dominant male to kill it). If they were like fish (which they mentioned), then one of the females would become a male. Either way they are left open for a sequel (as if that's going to happen).

The special effects are pretty good for the brief moments you see them. There is lots and lots of fire, which makes sense for the title. Things are burning all the time. The CGI dragons do their job well, for what I could see. Basically the movie has its moments, and they are usually pretty good. Such moments include: the skydiving battle with a dragon, the roasting of the tanks, the view of destroyed London with a flock of dragons overhead, and that one bald guy jumping off a roof with a big ax in hand. Non effects moments include a hilarious play based on the famous scene from "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" (hey, George Lucas is dead and so are copyright laws). Although the good moments are not as common as it would be liked, they still are good moments.

The movie as a whole is pretty good, but lacking. It could have been a lot better. For example: they could have showed action packed scenes of dragons attacking cities with the military shooting at them. Instead, they just showed pictures of the world's destruction from "Time Magazine" (good pictures though, wish I could find them on the net). The tanks rolling around in the movie didn't get to shoot the big guns themselves. Basically it seems their effects budget was lacking, and so there is only two humans vs. dragons battles. They are good, but it would have been better if there was more. If their budget were better the movie would have been to; but then again they do a good job with what they have. It's a good dragon movie and a good post-apocalyptic one to. It's a fun entertaining little movie, and those few moments are good to watch. It does lack a lot of things, but the few things they have are done very well.

Good plot

Great (if brief) special effects

Good concept

Great scenery

A couple of really cool battles.

A few good "moments".

FIRE!

Lack of dragon scenes.

Dumb attack plan that would never work.

Not enough city trashing or military bashing.

Wow, the dragon killed everyone except that one guy. Amazing.

Even in a destroyed world, gas stations are still open for business.

Although all the trees having been combusted, there is still plenty of oxygen on earth.

Credits