eldergod-1 Reviews

Eragon (2006)

Action packed fantasy masterpiece

[10/10 · 11 December 2006]

This is possibly the fastest fantasy movie in history. The characters are likable and the villains are terrifying and scary, especially King Galbatorix. Jeremy Irons does a magnificent job as Brom, the old storyteller. It is true that the movie is very different from the book, but it is the same with "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter". Books are one thing, movies another. The book is long epic fantasy, the movie is fast, hearth-stopping action. Now I heard predictions that the movie won't be as huge as Narnia or Harry Potter. Maybe this is true, but this means nothing. Eragon is a great movie and fantasy -fans will love it.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Very good movie

[10/10 · 1 January 2006]

As a long-time fan of "Narnia" I was thrilled to understand that there'll be a new "Narnia" movie and in the same way I was weary - it's like this when you expect a movie, based on a fave book. Fortunately, the new "Narnia" movie is terrific. The movie has vision, wonderful actors - from the kids to the fascinating White Which, terrific battles, excellent visual effects and which is most important - it has the magic atmosphere of the books. I might even go as far as saying that the movie is no inferior, even superior to the book. It has the feel of wonder from the books, but the kids are definitely cooler in the movie and some wonderful combat scenes are added. Overall, third best movie of 2005 (after Episode III and Harry Potter IV).

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Brilliant!!!

[10/10 · 28 November 2005]

The tradition is not broken - the 4th Harry Potter movies is the best one yet, full with terrific action, dazzling plot twists, stunning visionaries and typical ironic British sense of humour. Dan Radcliffe is great. I have always liked how he portrays Harry Potter, but in the 4th movie he is simply amazing. If he is so young and can shows so well the emotions of his character, he has a bright future ahead of him. I wish him well. He deserves it. But the other actors were very good, too. As a Bulgarian I can't help, but feel proud with our boy Victor Krum. He looked like a tiger in this movie, dark and dangerous. And the dragon, oh, the dragon! Finally someone to show how a dragon should be made! His chilling fight with Harry was extraordinary. My only complaint is about Voldemort. He looked too disgusting in my opinion. On the other hand this is what Voldemort is - a wizard, who thinks himself great, but actually is a pathetic cruel creature, which takes pleasure only in suffering. Overall, the 4th Harry Potter is the best one yet and tied with "The Revenge of the Sith" as a movie of 2005. Kudos for Dan Radcliffe, Mike Newell and the others, who created the magic!

Batman Begins (2005)

Well, not as good as the Burton's vision, but better than the last two.

[6/10 · 27 August 2005]

"Batman Begins" is yet another movie about the dark night, but, fortunately, it is not a sequel to the much-maligned "Batman & Robin", it is the old story, told again. Which is not too great either, because Tim Burton's movie was very good and this one isn't better. But still it is very good. Christian Bale is a very good Batman, Liam Neeson is truly great and the plot is interesting and original. There are few things which were not really good however - the movie is more about Bruce and less about Batman and the battles aren't really well made. Still, the movie is cool and has a great vision, unlike "Batman & Robin".

Halloween II (1981)

Could have been better, but not bad at all

[7/10 · 27 August 2005]

The second part in the long-running "Haloween" series is maybe not a horror masterpiece, but it is a very decent horror movie, very creepy, with good actors and well shot. It is a direct continuation of the first movie and the unstoppable and seemingly immortal murderer Michael Myers is still chasing his sister, the poor Laurie, while followed by Dr. Loomis, who is fulled with grim determination to stop the maniac. The movie is predictable and not very original, but still very entertaining. Michael Myers is really scary, the murders are hideous, but not too gory and Donald Pleasance is excellent and very convincing as Dr. Loomis. in conclusion: a must for horror fans.

Alien 51 (2004 Video)

Pathetic excuse of a movie

[1/10 · 27 August 2005]

Well, I'm a horror fan and like good movies about monstrous aliens, but this is possibly the worst movie I have ever seen. The story is non-existent, the actors are very bad and the number of the mistakes is appalling. In the middle of the night you can see everything. In one moment it is day, the next it is night. In one moment a guy is shot and dies, the next he fights with the monster. And the monster... this is some kind of a joke. But it wasn't funny. It is so painfully obvious that it is a guy in a rubber suit, with rubber mask. The infants of the alien 51 (who actually was not an alien) were even more pathetic. In conclusion: do not watch this movie. To the directors: try better next time.

War of the Worlds (2005)

Very good, if not great.

[8/10 · 3 July 2005]

This is the best movie about alien-invasion I have watched. It has a fascinating vision, a chilling atmosphere and great action, which is destined to stay as a classic. Based on H.G. Wells' masterpiece, it tells the story of malevolent aliens, who attack the world. The main character, played very well by Tom Cruise must save his kids from the apocalypse, unleashed by the aliens. The film is really great. I think that its strongest point is the atmosphere of lurking doom and despair, which floods from the movie. If aliens really attack humans, we'll be like this. Without stupid heroics like in "The Independence Day". Just stunned and very scared people.

Star Wars: Revelations (2005 Video)

Stupid plot, great atmosphere

[7/10 · 4 June 2005]

This is the first fan "Star Wars" movie I have watched and I was quite pleased. Truly, the plot is a little bit stupid, because Vader is clearly the Emperor's hand, not this invented Zhanna and the whole "Revelations" thing was quite naive. Still, the movie has the special "Star Wars" atmosphere and this is the most important. The lighsaber duels were very cool and the actors who portrayed Darth Vader and especially Emperor Palpatine were very cool. The main heroine is also cute and likable. Overall, a good movie and great fun if you are wondering what to do after "The Revenge of the Sith". I hope that Lucas will use the people who made this film in the upcoming Star Wars series.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Possibly the best "Star Wars" movie

[10/10 · 19 May 2005]

"The Revenge of the Sith" is, I believe, the best movie in the entire series, full with fascinating characters, breathtaking visual effects and a complex and interesting plot. Hayden Christensen redeemed himself after mediocre performance in "Attack of the Clones" - here is excellent as the falling hero Anakin Skywalker, future Darth Vader. Ewan McCregor is also very good as the coolest Obi-Wan Kenobi in the whole series and Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine), the arch-villain of the series is terrific. The fights between Jedi and Sith in the movie are terrific, but what is the best in this movie is the atmosphere - you feel the impending doom and sometimes the sadness of story chokes you like Vader himself! Overall, a great movie, a must for every fan of fantasy and science fiction.

A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Very entertaining, but not a match for "Harry Potter"

[8/10 · 12 April 2005]

First, I admit that I haven't read any of the Snicket books, but I have heard that they rival "Harry Potter", so I was eagerly anticipating the movie. I was not disappointed. The film is well made, with cool visual effects, very interesting plot and funny atmosphere. The actors are very good, Jim Carrey was hilarious and spooky as the villainous Count Olaf and the kids were cute and likable. The movie should have been longer, though, because it was too action-packed sometimes. If you compare this film to "Harry Potter", you might be disappointed, because it is not that good, but it is very cool nevertheless. I recommend it for fans young and old. Overall, great fun.

Batman (1989)

The best superhero movie ever

[8/10 · 1 April 2005]

Superhero movies are usually dumb - freaks with funny clothes fight save the world for loonies - but "Batman" is actually a very cool movie. It is shot very well, the actors are great, especially Jack Nicholson and the story is very interesting. What is more important, "Batman" has the feeling of the original cartoons and comic books, unlike its sequels or other adaptations. It is dark, nervous and Gothic, the main character is almost as bad as his enemies and the villain, the infamous Joker is absolutely psychotic and inspiring. The action scenes are fascinating for their time and the music of Danny Elfman is terrific. The only complaint is that the story is too slow-moving in the beginning, but after the first half the film is hearth-stopping. Recommended for fans of superheroes and good action.

Spider-Man (2002)

Enjoyable, but not a "true" Spiderman

[6/10 · 1 April 2005]

"Spiderman" was an enjoyable flick, with a decent visual effects and some nice moments, but overall it was not very impressive. The first big NO-NO in the movie is Toby as Peter Parker. Nothing personal against the actor, he actually played quite well, but he is not for this character. He is more fit for Harry Osborn and John Franco would have been an ideal Spiderman. Kirsten Dunst was not too great, too. The bad guy was OK, although he was too intense from the beginning, while in the comic books Norman was just a corrupt businessman. Apart from this, the film is quite good. The story is slow-moving but interesting, it is well shot and the battles between Spidey and The Green Goblin were very well made. Also there were some classic moments as the Goblin disguised as an old woman or the people, turned into skeletons and then killed. Unfortunately, the sequel of this film is quite stupid.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Not very good

[4/10 · 1 April 2005]

"Spider-man 2" was one of the biggest hits last year, but, at least in my opinion, it is not very good. Basically I didn't like anything in this movie, except maybe the performance of the actor who played Harry Osborne. Actually he should have been Spiderman and Toby should have been Osborn jnr. Sadly, this is not the case, so we have a whining fragile super-hero, who is a complete loser. Why? In the comic books Parker isn't like this. He is almost a humorous character. This Parker is pathetic. About Marry Jane... nothing personal against Kirsten Dunst, but she is not for this character. Mary Jane from the comic books is witty, clever and very beautiful, in the movie she is an ordinary girl, who knows only to cry. Molina as Dr. Oc... he played well, but where is the costume? In the movie he looked like a fat worker. I'm a fan of the comic books and the TV series, especially Spiderman Unlimited, but this movie wasn't good, it didn't capture the spirit of the hero. More it was a copycat of the first movie as story. I give it 4/10 just because it's Spidey and he is my fave comic-book hero.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Terrific new start to Star Wars franchise

[8/10 · 31 March 2005]

"Phantom Menace" gave a glorious new start to the legendary "Star Wars" series. It is a prequel to the old movies, but still the viewer doesn't know what will happen while watching the film and, honestly, he doesn't have time to wonder - "Episode I" is full with gorgeous action-scenes such as fight with lightsabers - here much better than in the old movies, race with supersonic machines, space battles etc., etc. The characters are well made even if younger Obi-Wan is slightly irritating and Padme is very annoying. Quan-gon is however a very interesting and charismatic character, little Anacin is cute and likable and Jar-Jar is hilarious. The villains are even cooler, from the devious racer Sebulba through the merciless killing machine Darth Maul to the cunning and ruthless Darth Sidious. The plot is well made, the special effects are still stunning, after so many years and the story moves with good pace, neither too fast, nor too slow. Overall, one of the best scifi movies, ever.

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

My personal favorite

[10/10 · 31 March 2005]

Of all "Star Wars" movies this is my favorite. Lighter and faster than its predecessor, it contains marvelous action scenes, excellent plot, a lot of humor and in the same time drama. It is the conclusion - at least for now - of the long running scifi saga and it has everything in it. Luke finally becomes a very cool and charismatic character, like his teacher Obi-Wan. Han and Leia are again likable and the Ewoks are hilarious. Darth Vader, the ultimate villain in the series finally reveals his better side and to look his personal dilemma, hidden behind his vile looking skull mask is fascinating. but fans of bad guys, do not worry. Hell has a new face as Emperor Palpatine, the true arch demon of the series and it is a great new face. The emperor is cunning, evil, dangerous and almost terrifying. The action scenes in the film are excellent and the tension is very high. Overall, a classic. I love it.

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The darkest Star Wars movie

[9/10 · 31 March 2005]

"Empire Strikes Back" is definitely the darkest and possibly the best "Star Wars" movie. It has a spectacular atmosphere, a very well developed characters and stunning - even now after two decades - action scenes. The movie is interesting, breathtaking and very cool. Darth Vader is very evil and ruthless in this movie, Luke is almost desperate and the Empire seems invincible, unstoppable. The final battle between father and son (sorry for the spoiler, but I don't think that anybody is unaware of that) is one of the greatest moments in cinema and very well shot too - the young, almost fragile Luke against the menacing, dark figure of Darth Vader. Truly a great movie.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Very good movie, but not the best in the series

[8/10 · 31 March 2005]

The legend begins with this old, but great movie - Star Wars. It is obviously made with love and it is a very nice introduction to the magnificent world of George Lucas, full with humor, terrific action, very likable characters and creepy villains, including the notorious Darth Vader, probably the coolest character in the series. The movie begins like a typical faerie tale, on a small planet, and the main character Luke Skywalker is just an ordinary boy, caught in extraordinary events. Ben Kenobi, the wise old man with mysterious past is really an interesting and charismatic hero, Han Solo and his friend Chewbakka are hilarious and even princess Leia is nice - not with striking beauty, but likable and human. And the villain... Vader. When I was young I dreamed to be like him. He is a symbol of the true evil - big, black, menacing, ruined and with this skull-like mask. His voice, his powers and his attitude made him possibly the greatest movie villain, even if in this film we saw a glimpse of even greater evil in the face of the hideous old Emperor. The story is good for a beginning, but a bit slow. However, it becomes better in the next two movies.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

The best scenes of the series are in this movie; sadly, the worst, too.

[6/10 · 31 March 2005]

The long-awaited sequel of the new Star Wars sequel arrives, and honestly, it was not what I have expected. The grown up Anakin, played by Hayden Christensen is nothing more than a very irritating teenager and for me it's tough to imagine him as a future Darth Vader. His teachers, Obi-Wan and Yoda are not better - Kenobi looks like a beggar, not like an old warrior and for Yoda the less I say, better. Padme also is very unpleasant young woman and with ALL good guys annoying the movie loses much. The love story between Anakin and Padme is horrible. It is pathetic, slow and cheesy and I personally hope that awful things will happen to these two in the next installment. However, the movie has its strong moments and they are delivered by the bad guys. Darth Sidious proved again his malice and cunning characters, Jango Fet was extremely cool and count Dookoo, played by the legend Christopher Lee is simply the best. The action scenes in the movie are spectacular, maybe the best in the whole saga and the visual effects one more time are outstanding. This almost made the film great, but with so unlikable main characters it is just OK. I hope for a better Episode 3.

The Beach (I) (2000)

Beautiful, original and... pointless

[6/10 · 28 March 2005]

"The Beach" is a movie which left me with mixed emotions. It was really a beautiful and well-made film. the beaches, the sea, the jungle, the kisses- all was beautiful and cleverly shot. On the contrary, when something bad happens, like shark attack, it is really gory and nasty. The contrast was brilliantly made. The actors played very well. I'm not a great fan of Leo Di Caprio, but he proved his talent again. The plot was original and interesting. But after all this strong points of the movie, I wondered - what's the point of "The Beach". It is obviously not "just for fun" and I really tried to figure its message. But I didn't find any. People go to a secret beach, live happily, than with shark attacks and drug farmers the dream becomes nightmare. Few of them die, they leave the beach. This is the film. A beautiful, well made, original, but... pointless. Still I recommend it and maybe you will find something I didn't.

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)

Very good monster movie

[7/10 · 26 March 2005]

"Godzilla vs Megaguirus" is another breathtaking scifi action, which includes the popular monster Godzilla. This time he fights with a very large and malicious insect and it's hideous spawn, while humans are creating a new dangerous weapon, with which they hope to get rid of this big ugly beasts. While no masterpiece, "Godzilla vs Megaguirus" is a very entertaining scifi action with great battle sequences, decent plot and likable characters. Megaguirus, the new evil monster is one of the toughest - if not the toughest rival of the Big G I have seen and his abilities are extremely cool - especially when he cut buildings with his razor-sharped wings or created supersonic waves. Godzilla himself is also very impressive with his great fire breath and cunning methods. Overall, very enjoyable movie for fans young and old.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)

Great ideas are wasted

[5/10 · 18 March 2005]

"Hellbound", the second part of the horror series "Hellraiser" is full with great ideas, which are, sadly, badly portrayed by the poor script. The movie is a direct sequel to the original and is telling the story of a nightmarish voyage in hell. The plot resembles the third movie in the rival "A Nightmare on Elm Street" series because the action is set in a hospital and the main characters travel trough a disgusting netherworld. Although the cenobites are not as funny as Freddy Krueger, the movie vision of hell is very original, especially the evil Leviathan and the gruesome Channard. Sadly, the plot makes little sense and it is quite chaotic; also the film is needlessly gory and deserves an X-rating. SPOILER ALERT: The final of the film is also VERY stupid because it ruins the whole idea of cenobites getting back to humanity in their death - the scene in which Channard killed Pinhead and his band was surprisingly strong and almost touching, exceptionally when the Chattering cenobite was revealed as a teenage boy. All is ruined by the stupid closing scene, though, and - which is worse - more sequels are promised. In conclusion, I must say that the movie has its qualities, strong ideas and great, almost "The Shining"-quality vision, but it is way too gory, very chaotic and with too many cheesy moments. In the hands of a better director, it might have been a classic. It is, however, a mediocre, although bizarre horror film.

Hellraiser (1987)

Shocking

[6/10 · 14 March 2005]

Clive Barker's "Hellraiser" is really a shocking horror-movie, full with gruesome images, tons of gore and hideous creatures, which will make you flinch while watching the movie. It is faithful to the novel, of which it is based ("The Hellbound Heart") and has very interesting ideas and, I believe, strong message about the errors of humanity, about cruelty, about life and death. The atmosphere in the film is very dark, it is not exactly scary, but the viewer feels uneasy during the whole movie. The film has his low points,though. It is quite slow-moving and if you have read the book (like me), boring. Also the images in "Hellraiser" are too gruesome, I think. I have watched many horror-movies, but nothing I have seen, including "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movies matches the nastiness of "Hellraiser". I think that sometimes there were needless cruelty shown. However, like it or not, I must admit that this is a must for horror fans.

Split Second (1992)

Gruesome, but enjoyable

[6/10 · 25 February 2005]

This is an OK sci fi horror movie, similar to "Predator 2", but of course, not as good. The main character (played by Rutger Hauer) is a policeman, who is chasing a cruel murderer, who killed his old partner. But he doesn't know that the killer is not a man, but a terrible monster from hell. Set in the near future, the movie has a cool dark atmosphere, interesting characters and intelligent, even if unoriginal plot. The gore in the movie, however, is extreme, which I didn't like. The monster itself is not viewed well trough the whole movie, but it's appearance resembles closely an Alien (especially the one from the 3rd movie). Overall, interesting and entertaining movie, but not a match for any of the "Predators".

Equilibrium (2002)

Not very good.

[5/10 · 20 February 2005]

This "Matrix"-style scifi action offers a very good action scenes and good idea, mixed with slow-moving plot and not very clear message. The main character in the movie is a member of an order, who fights the feeling and kill all people, who are "sensitive" in a chilling future after World War 3. After he kills a friend, however, something in him breaks and he starts to fight the tyrannical rulers of the unemotional society. The actors in the film are surprisingly good, especially Sean Bean in the beginning of the movie. The fights in the film are also very good, even if too gory sometimes. That said, the action is a bit slow-moving and the end is quite stupid. The main character is also frustrating from time to time. The visual effects are OK, but nothing stunning really. In conclusion: a decent action-flick, but for some reason I couldn't really enjoy it.

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Quite chaotic.

[4/10 · 15 February 2005]

The last movie in the popular "Matrix" trilogy concludes the series with a lot of action and battles, which, sadly, does not make a good plot. As in the second volume, there are many annoying kung-fu battles and people, who try to look cool just for the sake of being cool - goggles, long coats, you know. The two main characters are as distasteful as in the previous two movies and the bad guy is even more laughable. That said, the battle for Zyon was very entertaining, even if unrealistic and the last combat between Neo and Smith is the best moment in the whole story - not because of the fight itself, but because of the creepy atmosphere in the Matrix. The finish also is not candylike, which was a pleasant surprise. But after three not-that-great movies, I was too tired to enjoy it.