NationStates Jolt Archive


And so the Dragons rise....

Londim
05-06-2007, 11:02
http://www.scifijapan.com/AFM/d00.jpg

D-War (http://youtube.com/watch?v=DZ2paDoZ--g)

Well just stumbled across this movie set to be released in the summer and I have to say it actually looks worth watching. It could be one of the biggest movies of the summer. What do you think?
Vegan Nuts
05-06-2007, 11:05
it could be worth watching. I'd have to see previews.
Londim
05-06-2007, 11:10
Click on the link for aforementioned preview good sir!
Cameroi
05-06-2007, 11:20
cute picture. all the dragons i know are just people with scales and wings though. most of them aren't even anarchists, let alone 'terrorists'. or any kind of pseudo-spiritual mumbo jumbo either.

the eternal theme of nature getting the last laugh on humanities self destructive environmental carelessness is a good, moral and legitimate one though, which is what classics like mothra and godzilla were all about, or at least that's how i chose to take them.

of course it seldom takes dramatic and entertaining form, rather the slow misery of famine is it's more typical course, occasionally punctuated by such events as floods, tornadoes, tsunamis and harrycanes.

things like mid ocean warming and the resaultant insane weather and universal shrinking of glaciers we are seeing as a reasault of excess carbon releasing do to the use of combustion to generate energy and propell transportation, being the 'dragons' our collective short sightedness seem to have given birth to.

=^^=
.../\...
King Phil
05-06-2007, 12:03
Sounds cool, dragons are always cool. Sounds kinda similar to Reign Of Fire but I can't remember if that was a movie or if it was just a game.
The Infinite Dunes
05-06-2007, 12:08
Films that feature dragons are destined to be awful. Their fate is inescapable.

Eragon, Dungeons and Dragons and Reign of Fire come to mind.
Arinola
05-06-2007, 12:13
Hmm, it doesn't look too bad. The only good movie I've seen recently is 28 Weeks, so I'm hoping this one's good as well.
The Infinite Dunes
05-06-2007, 12:19
Hmm, it doesn't look too bad. The only good movie I've seen recently is 28 Weeks, so I'm hoping this one's good as well.It's getting a panning from the critics. Think of it this way. Do dragons exist? No. What does this mean - that the special effects department is going to be getting a lot of attention. This is normally to the detriment to the rest of the film as the director gets so engrossed about how what the dragon will does and what it looks like.

If you liked Sparta and though the sfx were great then you'll probably enjoy this. If you were bored by Sparta and its lack of plot then this film isn't for you.
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 12:24
Films that feature dragons are destined to be awful. Their fate is inescapable.

Eragon, Dungeons and Dragons and Reign of Fire come to mind.

You should watch the first and third with Rifftrax. They become hilarious, though I think Casino Royale was their most hilarious yet. "Bond smash!"

Anyway, I disagree that a dragon means a movie must be awful. You can invoke whatever creatures you wish: just write a good story! None of those movies had good stories, and that's why they failed, not the dragon(s).
Cheeseopolis
05-06-2007, 12:39
Any dragon movie seems destined to end up where eragon did:
"Hey u wann go see Eragon"
"Yeah looks great"
5minutes later
'Dude that sucked:headbang:"
Maybe its just trying to take advantage of the dragon craze of people who actually liked Eragon, I cant see that beeing many people though.
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 12:42
Any dragon movie seems destined to end up where eragon did:
"Hey u wann go see Eragon"
"Yeah looks great"
5minutes later
'Dude that sucked:headbang:"
Maybe its just trying to take advantage of the dragon craze of people who actually liked Eragon, I cant see that beeing many people though.
You do know that movie is based on a novel of the same name written by a fifteen year old, right?

Or he was fifteen when he wrote it. I think he has other books in his little universe.

But basically it's Star Wars with dragons, hence the suckage.
The Infinite Dunes
05-06-2007, 13:11
You should watch the first and third with Rifftrax. They become hilarious, though I think Casino Royale was their most hilarious yet. "Bond smash!"

Anyway, I disagree that a dragon means a movie must be awful. You can invoke whatever creatures you wish: just write a good story! None of those movies had good stories, and that's why they failed, not the dragon(s).You're right really. I was just being melodramatic. I remember Dragonheart as being alright.

However, there wasn't much about the plot in the trailer other than - there is a Korean legend about a dragon that will reak havoc on the world, only it had some how migrated to the US since its last incarnation - presumably because Kim Jong Il tastes of sushi and whiskey whereas Americans taste of beef and MSG. And that some girl with a broach is a key to stopping this seemingly unstopable dragon. The only problem is the boy next door has fallen in love with her and wants to protect her. Yeah, and it's based on a legend so it must be good.
Risottia
05-06-2007, 13:20
cute picture. all the dragons i know

Did you actually meet some?;)
Anyway, a dragon is just an heap of potential XPs.
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 13:29
You're right really. I was just being melodramatic. I remember Dragonheart as being alright.

However, there wasn't much about the plot in the trailer other than - there is a Korean legend about a dragon that will reak havoc on the world, only it had some how migrated to the US since its last incarnation - presumably because Kim Jong Il tastes of sushi and whiskey whereas Americans taste of beef and MSG. And that some girl with a broach is a key to stopping this seemingly unstopable dragon. The only problem is the boy next door has fallen in love with her and wants to protect her. Yeah, and it's based on a legend so it must be good.
Not if Hollywood is adapting it. Hollywood is notorious for ruining legends for the sake of extra special effects and action.

And they could at least make the dragon look like the legends of dragons in ancient Korea, instead of the typical Western image of a dragon since it's based on a Korean legend. :rolleyes:
Arinola
05-06-2007, 13:37
It's getting a panning from the critics. Think of it this way. Do dragons exist? No. What does this mean - that the special effects department is going to be getting a lot of attention. This is normally to the detriment to the rest of the film as the director gets so engrossed about how what the dragon will does and what it looks like.

If you liked Sparta and though the sfx were great then you'll probably enjoy this. If you were bored by Sparta and its lack of plot then this film isn't for you.

I never saw Sparta...eh, I'll be bored over the summer so chances are I'll spend every penny I have at the nearby cinema, if not on alcohol.
The Infinite Dunes
05-06-2007, 13:46
Not if Hollywood is adapting it. Hollywood is notorious for ruining legends for the sake of extra special effects and action. ... I thought the sarcasm would be obvious at the end of such a rant. :(
And they could at least make the dragon look like the legends of dragons in ancient Korea, instead of the typical Western image of a dragon since it's based on a Korean legend. :rolleyes:Eh? It wasn't completely western. It didn't have wings.

But yeah, in general I perceive the Korean dragons as being more regal and more sentient than how they are depicted in the film.

But then I suppose how a society concieves legendary animals is normally a reflection on the society itself.
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 13:58
... I thought the sarcasm would be obvious at the end of such a rant. :(
It was. I just ignored the sarcasm like I do with most things. It's a bad habit.

Eh? It wasn't completely western. It didn't have wings.

It's still far more Western than Eastern.

But yeah, in general I perceive the Korean dragons as being more regal and more sentient than how they are depicted in the film.
Much more sentient. I don't necessary care about regal, but the sentience is what I'm after.

But then I suppose how a society concieves legendary animals is normally a reflection on the society itself.
Perhaps...

Me, I tend to try and imagine all legendary animals as they would be as actual creatures that evolved on this planet. It means altering many quite a lot. Vampires, for instance, turn into beings that simply require blood due to a nutritional deficiency and eat everything else as well, and while they are stronger, they're not supermen by a long shot. More like their average baseline strength is about 30% above baseline human strength.

But then that's just me being me...I like to make things as realistic as possible.
The Infinite Dunes
05-06-2007, 14:04
Perhaps...

Me, I tend to try and imagine all legendary animals as they would be as actual creatures that evolved on this planet. It means altering many quite a lot. Vampires, for instance, turn into beings that simply require blood due to a nutritional deficiency and eat everything else as well, and while they are stronger, they're not supermen by a long shot. More like their average baseline strength is about 30% above baseline human strength.

But then that's just me being me...I like to make things as realistic as possible.I think you emphasise my point considerably.

Much more sentient. I don't necessary care about regal, but the sentience is what I'm after.When I say regal, I mean it in a type of personality. Perhaps aloof would have been better. But certainly likely to consider humans with disdain, and merely things to toy with at a whim.

...

What does that say about me :eek:
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 14:12
I think you emphasise my point considerably.
Yay. No, seriously, yay. I like doing that.


When I say regal, I mean it in a type of personality. Perhaps aloof would have been better. But certainly likely to consider humans with disdain, and merely things to toy with at a whim.

...

What does that say about me :eek:
Ah.

Well, I don't think it really says anything about you personally. I like that sort of character as well, since it is more realistic with human nature--and no matter how different any fictional sentient species we come up with is, we'll always project our own human perspective upon them because that's all we know--and I'm anything but regal under this definition.
Compulsive Depression
05-06-2007, 14:14
Films that feature dragons are destined to be awful. Their fate is inescapable.

Eragon, Dungeons and Dragons and Reign of Fire come to mind.

Reign of Fire was cool!

Apart from the dragons lost. Why do the puny humans always win? Ah well. Still cool. At least the yank bought it.

But "D-War"? Who thought that name up?
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 14:21
Reign of Fire was cool!

Apart from the dragons lost. Why do the puny humans always win? Ah well. Still cool. At least the yank bought it.

But "D-War"? Who thought that name up?

You bloody oaf. :p Reign of Fire was one of the worst movies I've ever seen, Christian Bale and lots of British and Scottish accents or no.

Seriously. Watch it with the Rifftrax track. You'll never look at it the same way again.
Telesha
05-06-2007, 14:22
When I say regal, I mean it in a type of personality. Perhaps aloof would have been better. But certainly likely to consider humans with disdain, and merely things to toy with at a whim.

...

What does that say about me :eek:

That you're a fan of Shadowrun?

My first thought was that it's nice to see the giant snake from FF7 getting some work again. It's got to be so hard to not get type cast after a work like that.
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 14:29
That you're a fan of Shadowrun?

My first thought was that it's nice to see the giant snake from FF7 getting some work again. It's got to be so hard to not get type cast after a work like that.
...I knew that dragon looked familiar...:D
Compulsive Depression
05-06-2007, 14:33
You bloody oaf. :p Reign of Fire was one of the worst movies I've ever seen, Christian Bale and lots of British and Scottish accents or no.

Seriously. Watch it with the Rifftrax track. You'll never look at it the same way again.

Nah, that would involve paying a couple of quid for an .mp3 and buying the film. (I've never heard of Rifftrax before...)

It's not the best film ever, but it's a nice, simple film of dragons, death, jokes, destruction, Star Wars, special effects and lots of people getting killed. Better than any number of dull book tie-ins that have no reason to exist (Memoirs of a Geisha: I'm looking at you!).
Ralina
05-06-2007, 14:35
You're right really. I was just being melodramatic. I remember Dragonheart as being alright.

Yeah, Dragonheart was pretty good. I liked that the dragon spoke and they were not all evil emotionless monsters. I think most bad Hollywood movies have to do with lazy writers picking everything from the cliche generator. D-war previews reminded me of a lot of them...like...no matter where the country of the original legend/setting is, it has to come to the USA (Godzilla in New York! WTF Hollywood) and the girl destined to die has an admirer who sacrifices the future of the planet for his own selfish ends (because he is a loser and cant get sex with anyone else.) Oh, and then the both survive and his selfishness is shown as being somehow good because a white blond female wasn't killed (despite her being the result of widespread death and destruction, but they were not white blond females, so I guess their lives mean nothing.)
The Infinite Dunes
05-06-2007, 14:39
Reign of Fire was cool!

Apart from the dragons lost. Why do the puny humans always win? Ah well. Still cool. At least the yank bought it.

But "D-War"? Who thought that name up?Buh? I only just realised who is calling Reign of Fire cool. I didn't even bother to read the poster's name. I just assumed you were some young n00b. Any other skeletons in the closet you want to tell us about?

Yay. No, seriously, yay. I like doing that.

Ah.

Well, I don't think it really says anything about you personally. I like that sort of character as well, since it is more realistic with human nature--and no matter how different any fictional sentient species we come up with is, we'll always project our own human perspective upon them because that's all we know--and I'm anything but regal under this definition.Meh, I was just implying that I had implied I was a wanker or some such.

But you make a good point. I think I've come to consider that any story is just a medium for examining human nature.
Compulsive Depression
05-06-2007, 14:44
Buh? I only just realised who is calling Reign of Fire cool. I didn't even bother to read the poster's name. I just assumed you were some young n00b. Any other skeletons in the closet you want to tell us about?

Um... I quite like ABBA...
The Infinite Dunes
05-06-2007, 14:52
Um... I quite like ABBA...Wow, most people eventually recover from disco fever. How long have you been suffering on like this? I feel for you. :(
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 14:52
Nah, that would involve paying a couple of quid for an .mp3 and buying the film. (I've never heard of Rifftrax before...)
A couple quid or a couple bucks, it's still extremely cheap. Besides, you can always use a file-sharing program to download the movie for the Rifftrax. It's what I've had to do for most given where I live. It's not hard to sync them up, either.

But, meh. Suit yourself. You're missing out on some funny stuff though.


Meh, I was just implying that I had implied I was a wanker or some such.

Would it make a difference? You are who you are, and other people's opinions are meaningless. Just ask the fictional character of Doctor Emmett L. Brown. He's considered a complete nutcase by all of Hill Valley and doesn't give a damn because he knows he's not.


But you make a good point. I think I've come to consider that any story is just a medium for examining human nature.

Of course. What else would a story be? We're endlessly fascinated by ourselves.
Non Aligned States
05-06-2007, 14:57
And they could at least make the dragon look like the legends of dragons in ancient Korea, instead of the typical Western image of a dragon since it's based on a Korean legend. :rolleyes:

It doesn't look like either. Unless you count a cobra as a dragon. Whoever the director is, he's a noodnik.
Kyronea
05-06-2007, 15:03
It doesn't look like either. Unless you count a cobra as a dragon. Whoever the director is, he's a noodnik.

Yes, I realized this after I posted that. As I said, it still looks far more Western than Eastern, especially in attitude and intelligence.
Non Aligned States
05-06-2007, 17:07
Yes, I realized this after I posted that. As I said, it still looks far more Western than Eastern, especially in attitude and intelligence.

Hollywood: Ruining myths and legends since 1913.
Orthodox Gnosticism
05-06-2007, 17:19
Let me see ancient asian myth comes to life with a bunch of followers with rockets and swords, and flying dragons and a giant Cobra, vs. Apache helicopters, full infantry division, and a modern army. Yet the ancient style army seems to be winning... I predict at best a high budget B movie. Most likely this movie will make Godzilla (1998) seem good.
JuNii
05-06-2007, 17:47
Films that feature dragons are destined to be awful. Their fate is inescapable.

Eragon, Dungeons and Dragons and Reign of Fire come to mind.

I turn your attention to Dungeons and Dragons II: Wrath of the Dragon God (http://imdb.com/title/tt0406728/). that movie was extremely well done. they actually had the sourcebooks there for the cast to read and know what their characters are supposed to be like.

EDIT: Just saw the trailer. looks interesting enough.