MovieChat Forums > Reign of Fire (2002) Discussion > overtly dumb movie

overtly dumb movie

posted 13 years ago by zachanscom
21 replies | jump to latest

this isn't regular dumb, this is like what happens when you take a really dumb idea suitable for a comedy or a satire and approach it with complete seriousness. and this isn't a fantasy, but actually looks more like sci-fi, which just makes it worse

first of all, the premise. dragons. not only that, the dumbest kind of backstory there is. basically, dragons existed during the time of the dinosaurs, ie throw evolution out the window and everything we know about earth's geological history.

next, the world is basically destroyed because its military couldn't defeat dragons...with nuclear weapons, but one guy, with a goddamn arrow and some explosive kills the boss of the dragons, right.

and all this time, it didn't occur to the world's government that the solution is to go after the male? what, were scientists and biologists and non-rubes wiped out in a decapitation strike by the ultra intelligent dragons? and bale's character couldn't figure out the solution without bald army guy telling him?

but anyway, nuclear weapons couldn't kill the male. combined armies of the world couldn't do it. a motivated christian bale with an explosive tipped arrow did it.

how did the screenplay pass the stupid *beep* filter? how does someone whose profession is to write create something so intellectually illiterate?

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] matrix_01 11 years ago

Well...this is because at least 98% of the Human population especially in Hollywood lack any decent imagination.

[–] JRG56 11 years ago

Yes nukes solve everything. Like leaving London uninhabitable. If the dragon swarm came out in multiple locations in great enough numbers the resulting chaos/panic could easily overwhelm any society.

[–] ghstthatwalks 9 years ago

Any Society? I doubt that very much. Humans being pwned by dragons? hah laughable premise. Sure the Dragons could wreak havoc on third and fourth world countries, the ones that lacked Space programs b4 things went down. But all the countries with already placed orbital satellites would be good to go! Since the dragons cannot fly into space but humans can, the humans win and it's not even close. Think shooting fish in a barrel! Modern (yea 2020) weapon technology coupled with untouchable satellites would give the human race a HUGE edge. Humans could use missiles designed to take down jets, satellite imaging, computer targeting & Drones to wage war and one single human could slay scores of Dragons =D

Personally this movie reminded me of Moby Dick and would have been cooler set in the Pre Industrial age rather than humankind with modern technology. Give the whale a chance vs a wooden ship. But don't expect us to believe that whales are sinking Super Tankers.

[–] Degree7 9 years ago

Personally this movie reminded me of Moby Dick and would have been cooler set in the Pre Industrial age rather than humankind with modern technology. Give the whale a chance vs a wooden ship. But don't expect us to believe that whales are sinking Super Tankers.

That would have been a better idea.

~ I'm a 21st century man and I don't wanna be here.

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

...and all this time, it didn't occur to the world's government that the solution is to go after the male?

This was the dumbest part of the movie. The scientists couldn't work it out, but Quinn and Van Zyl suddenly could.

[–] Etherdave 11 years ago

The resulting fallout and radiation from the use of nuclear weapons is not explained, either.

[–] JaeBianca 10 years ago

Agreed! Although nukes should be a final resort type of thing, I don't see how a regular old, heat-seeking missile would not have destroyed the first Dragon. I also think that it should have possible for scientists to design a disease or poison based on the dragon's DNA to sterilize, if not outright kill, it.

[–] Number_One_Birdlawyer 10 years ago

Or you know, it's just a movie. I'll give it some creative liberties rather than try to find the realism in a story about dragons.

[–] d-adrian-williams 9 years ago

what number_one said, i dont know why they never found a poisin for the alien in aliens or in fact they exist i just go with the story they are tryin to tell!

[–] kitchenaut-1 10 years ago

I think it's always funny when some idiot rushes to call a film dumb without thinking it through. You seem to have a great deal of faith in governments and dissemination of intelligence.

Why would nuclear weapons kill the male if the male could hide undetected for centuries? All they did was create a lot more ash for the dragons. Nuclear weapons are not very useful against a fast moving target, either.

It's a moot point saying disregard dinosaurs in a film about dragons. You're not saying anything here. They're dragons, remember?

[–] king_of_bob 10 years ago

first of all, the premise. dragons. not only that, the dumbest kind of backstory there is. basically, dragons existed during the time of the dinosaurs, ie throw evolution out the window and everything we know about earth's geological history.

How exactly would dragons disprove evolution or the geological history of the planet?

next, the world is basically destroyed because its military couldn't defeat dragons...with nuclear weapons, but one guy, with a goddamn arrow and some explosive kills the boss of the dragons, right.

Here's a hint, nuclear weapons are a terrible choice or weapon. Sure you kill whatever you're firing them at, but you also totally irradiate the area and kick up massive amounts of dust. Nuclear winter is NOT better than dragons.

And dragons aren't impossible to kill. They fired an explosive arrow into one of their few vulnerable points. They got VERY lucky.

and all this time, it didn't occur to the world's government that the solution is to go after the male? what, were scientists and biologists and non-rubes wiped out in a decapitation strike by the ultra intelligent dragons? and bale's character couldn't figure out the solution without bald army guy telling him?

The idea is that society fell incredibly quickly. With the world in panic they didn't have the luxury of coming up with a real plan. Not to mention how were they meant to know most of the dragons were female? Keep in mind that the world had no knowledge of these creatures or their mating habits. And they couldn't have possibly known that Matt's character was right. It was a guess and a long shot.

but anyway, nuclear weapons couldn't kill the male. combined armies of the world couldn't do it. a motivated christian bale with an explosive tipped arrow did it.

I'm sorry, is this the first movie you've ever watched?

Prof. Farnsworth: Oh. A lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!