Dragonheart has a simple story. Bowen (Dennis Quaid), Knight of the Old Code, is tutor to prince Einon (David Thewlis of Naked). When Einon is wounded, the queen beseeches a dragon’s assistance. The dragon gives half his heart to save Einon in return for his vow to abide by goodness and truth. However, Einon becomes a brutal king. (Thewlis sneers a lot, curdling lines like, "I've always said death was a release, not a punishment.") Believing the dragon is the source of Einon’s evil ways, Bowen vows to slay every dragon (rather than stop the King’s tyranny).
Dragonheart needs help after the first five minutes of its plodding plot, doltish characters and awful monologues. Thankfully, help arrives from the talent behind the Jurassic Park movies; Industrial Light & Magic unveils Draco the fantastic live-animated dragon. See Draco fly! See Draco swim! See Draco fight! Hear Draco speak with the voice of Sean Connery! Draco even gets some of the better lines (of which there are few). Bowen: "You ate Sir Egglemore, hypocrite!" Draco: "I merely chewed in self-defence, but never swallowed."
Bowen, almost realizing his task as dragon exterminator, meets Draco who convinces him that he’ll be out of work if he slays the last dragon. Hence, the two mismatched characters team up to hustle their way to riches (although why a dragon needs money is unfathomable.) Enter a bumbling bard (Pete Postlethwaite) and a feisty peasant (Dina Meyer) and Dragonheart’s team becomes wholly unoriginal. (Although there is the rarity of no romantic involvement between the female and male leads.)
As a medieval adventure with good actors, mediocre characters, colourless lines and cliché motivations, Dragonheart’s not bad. Swashbuckling action and simple jokes make it a pleasant movie for kids. However, it really only makes the grade thanks to Draco.
