Cambodian styled 'Lord of the Rings' rip-off starring 'Stargate' alumni Chris Judge and veteran Chinese action star Ling ('The Crow') as a pair of elite warriors who accompany a family of hobbit-like people as they try to locate their mother whose been abducted and enslaved by savages.
The CGI dinosaurs and special effects are better than usual, but the painful dubbing mars what could've almost been a modest 'Mysterious Island' esque adventure (it otherwise bares little relationship with the hobbit franchise, aside from the diminutive cast members).
Co-star Ling's obvious fitness and athleticism belies her age, and she looks and acts like the real deadly deal, but the acting is otherwise stilted and amateurish (the extras in many of the Javan warrior scenes invariably act too casually or too intense). The cave-dwelling, elf-eating cannibal queen with the bad teeth is a pretty scary sight, alas she gets too little screen time to make a lasting impression.
Too bloody for juvenile fare, and likely too low-budget to appeal to a mainstream audience who may have arrived expecting something akin to a JRR Tolkien epic. Attractive set design and costumes demonstrate some care and expense, but it's still strictly B-grade material.
The CGI dinosaurs and special effects are better than usual, but the painful dubbing mars what could've almost been a modest 'Mysterious Island' esque adventure (it otherwise bares little relationship with the hobbit franchise, aside from the diminutive cast members).
Co-star Ling's obvious fitness and athleticism belies her age, and she looks and acts like the real deadly deal, but the acting is otherwise stilted and amateurish (the extras in many of the Javan warrior scenes invariably act too casually or too intense). The cave-dwelling, elf-eating cannibal queen with the bad teeth is a pretty scary sight, alas she gets too little screen time to make a lasting impression.
Too bloody for juvenile fare, and likely too low-budget to appeal to a mainstream audience who may have arrived expecting something akin to a JRR Tolkien epic. Attractive set design and costumes demonstrate some care and expense, but it's still strictly B-grade material.