How entertaining? ★★☆☆☆
Thought provoking? ★☆☆☆☆ 1 July 2008
This article is a review of IN THE NAME OF THE KING: A DUNGEON SIEGE TALE. |
"Those who you fight, we will help you fight them," Elora
Jason “The Stathe” (as I like to call him) Statham and Ron Perlman are always likeable, even when they are acting in tripe. Here is proof. Director Uwe Boll is under constant attack from fan boys and critics alike, a rare team up. His perennial adaptation of computer games shows no abating. This is based on DUNGEON SIEGE. I’ve never played it, so I can’t judge its faithfulness, but as a film this is wooden, derivative pap.
Jason “The Stathe” (as I like to call him) Statham and Ron Perlman are always likeable, even when they are acting in tripe. Here is proof. Director Uwe Boll is under constant attack from fan boys and critics alike, a rare team up. His perennial adaptation of computer games shows no abating. This is based on DUNGEON SIEGE. I’ve never played it, so I can’t judge its faithfulness, but as a film this is wooden, derivative pap.
Like a big budget XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS/HERCULES but without the tongue in cheek knowingness, there are wizards and warriors, magic and mayhem, with a seeming hope in capturing the alchemy of LORD OF THE RINGS. Having John Rhys-Davis aka Gimli star only cements the comparisons. Ambition should be lauded, and there is a grasp for epic fantasy; however the plot and script are terrible, with the dialogue hamstringing the eclectic and not untalented cast (Ray Liotta, Claire Forlani, Burt Reynolds, Leelee Sobieski and Matthew Lillard).
The Stathe plays Farmer, a man named after his profession, whose village is attacked by the Krug (orc-type creatures) led by magic man Gallian (Liotta), who in turn is in cahoots with Duke Fallow (Lillard), the wannabe monarch and nephew to the king, Konreid (Reynolds). With the kingdom of Ebb under threat battles ensue on multiple fronts. Some of the action is staged with adrenaline, and aspects of the cinematography and special effects look good, but IN THE NAME OF THE KING cannot escape being a B-Movie of the uninspired kind.
DVD Extras
The deleted scenes, there are alternative edits which show Boll and his editor playing with narrative, which prove more interesting than the final choices made.