I miss the old SYFY channel in that it would air B movies constantly as it gave the channel personality. The B movies that would have a strange cast of character actors you remember from various other media and are surprised when a well-known actor appears. Add a CGI monster that the protagonist needs to fight against. Or some kind of doomsday device or some end of the world scenario that needs a band scientist to stop it. While following the archetypes but allow some individual characters growth and quirks that will leave some impact on the audience. In the case of George and the Dragon, one of SYFY’s movies center around that myths are real. If it’s a time period that myth is set in then there is a slightly less body count as the people are better prepared to fight the monster. If the setting is modern time it is more a slasher everybody is cannon fodder to be thrown at the monster. What makes George and the Dragon stand out is the monster in this case a dragon has limited screen time and is already considered a legend by everyone living there. The plot is centered around a lost princess Lunna (Piper Perabo) and the knight George (James Purefoy) goes to find her after parting ways with his friend Tarik. A moor played by the late (Michael Clarke Duncan) he made during one of the Crusades. George wants to retire from fighting and just wants to be a farmer, while Tarik wants to continue on adventuring and they part ways. The dragons in the world are already believed to be dead and legend. Even though there is one person still alive. Who happens to be George’s father who faced the dragon and left a spear in it. He fills the role of that one person that knows the monster is real even when others think they’re crazy. While George’s father is more in line of the arc types of a knight of always looking for adventure and facing great monsters. In the case of George he has seen war and taken part in battle. And, George now just wants to have a bit of land and raise cattle not another adventure. As Princess Lunna has been missing and she finds both the last dragon and her egg and Lunna decides to care for the egg. George meets Princess Lunna father the King and is given the task to find her and meets Garth played by the late (Patrick Swayze) the princess intended betrothal. Who loves black liquorice who offers it to everyone but it is an acquired taste and is a skilled knight. With the help of a young boy and Lunna’s manservant assist George and Lunna to take the large egg to safety.
George and the Dragon is a silly movie that goes against the tropes of the genre and countless other stories. The humor is interesting as it enforces not to take this story so seriously as the Monk riding an impromptu skateboard. The outfits are colorful which I enjoy as it adds life and personality and extra details to the characters. Instead of just an all black outfit which if the color does not hold an important then the characters just are faceless drones. As in the case of the surcoat and shield of George and Garth are a deer over green background and later is a gray castle over a red background. This is a movie with a quick pace and the funny background characters that fight but stop to comment on the hero or fall through a straw house. After the credits there is a blooper reel that adds extra humor and shows the cast having fun. While also getting along with everybody, even the CGI dragons designs are interesting but outdated but are used wisely. I recommend George and the Dragon, at an 1 hour and 33 mins that goes against the boring archetypes and interesting background characters. Which also allows the cast from being typecast and a chance to play another role they don’t usually get to try.
George and the Dragon can be streamed on Tubi.
Cliff Edge Critics 