There are lots of things I like about this movie. The dark, post-apocalypte-ic (heh!) atmosphere is done well, civilisation in tatters. The scene is set very well imo that when a helicopter appears it really is utterly alien and out of place – as it should be.

But of course, the real star is the dragon. Or dragons, natch. These are not noble beasts, they will not have men riding on their backs, nor do they sound like Sean Connery: these are feral, destructive monsters. It sounds daft to say they are believable, but they kind of are: one line sets up a ‘scientific’ explanation that it’s easy to suspend disbelief for, same for the fire breathing.

Alas, the story is a bit one-dimensional. ‘Hero’ (Christian Bale) tries to keep his rag-tag survivors alive, until the swaggering Americans show up to save the world. It’s a lot grimier and darker than your average action movie, though, so it’s not that bad. However, I just couldn’t be all that impressed with the cast. Bale and Matthew McConaughey turn in intense performances, but are then out of step with the rest of the movie, in a way, as if each is in their own little out-performing universe. Both look a bit deranged, and artificially pumped up, all sweat-glistening muscles in their respective shirtless scenes. The pair are continually more grimey than the rest of the cast, too – it just seemed jarringly odd.

But, oh – the dragons!

One redeeming feature. Christian Bale shirtless.

i seem to keep watching this movie yet i don’t really like it. why???