A fantasy movie about dragons might evoke preconceptions of epic battles, medieval landscapes, and scaled giant creatures wreaking havoc. In a fresh approach, 2002’s Reign of Fire incorporates these stereotypes with a Southern twist and thrusts them into “the future,” 2020 to be exact, for a dragon-filled escapade. Instead of a man in tights, we see Matthew McConaughey as Denton Van Zan, leader of the dragon-slaying troop, the Kentucky Irregulars.
It was inevitable that with X-Files movie director Rob Bowman involved, the film wouldn’t be your typical dragon lore fare. With a co-lead in the shape of Christian Bale, support from Gerard Butler and CGI dragons, all topped with the moody setting of Ireland’s Wicklow mountains, Reign of Fire can be a little daft in places, but it’s better than you think.
‘Reign of Fire’ Is a Futuristic Take on Old Folklore
It’s Man vs Dragon, but not like you know it. In the depths of the London Underground, a team of construction workers awakens a colossal hibernating dragon. The only survivor is a young boy named Quinn Abercromby (Bale), who was visiting his mother at work. Fast-forward to 2020, and the world is in tatters (which, well, it actually was, but in a more COVID way). Quinn is a fire chief leading a group of survivors who’ve made their home in Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland.
Van Zan (McConaughey) and the Kentucky Irregulars, including helicopter pilot Alex Jensen (Izabella Scorupco), arrive in their tanks, promising to kill the male dragon once and for all. There’s a ferocious conflict between Quinn, who wants to protect his community, and the aggressive ideas of Van Zan, who will stop at nothing to kill. Quinn is faced with a fight or flight decision and heads back to London to confront his biggest fear.
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The Great “Northumberland” Setting of ‘Reign of Fire’
The majority of Reign on Fire takes place in an apocalyptic world created with the earthy, rocky backdrop of old lead mines, which adds to the moody, darkened shades of the cinematography. Although this film is set in Northumberland, it wasn’t made there. It’s clear to see why they chose the small county in North East England as their in-world backdrop, though, as its history is rich, and the landscape is rugged, brimming with coastlines, hills, and ruins. It’s been the filming location for many fantasy films, such as A Knight in Camelot, Transformers: The Last Knight, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Reign of Fire has the eerie air of H.G. Wells’s sci-fi novel War of the Worlds, the wackiness of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and the British starkness of 28 Days Later. Coincidentally, the upcoming 28 Years Later was shot in many areas of Northumberland. So was 1991’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which opens on the Roman remains of Hadrian’s Wall, featuring the Sycamore Gap tree, which became a famous landmark, in part due to the popularity of the film. Devastatingly, the tree was cut down last year in an act of vandalism.
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How Are There Dragons in 2020?
There are a few unanswered questions in the film that viewers are best to just glaze over. There’s no explanation of why more dragons came to terrorize the world after the male dragon was awakened in 2000. There also seems to be an unlimited supply of fuel that the Kentucky Irregulars can access. As Tim Evans at Sky Cinema said, “If you are prepared to overlook the gaping holes in the plot (how did the Yanks wind up on Tyneside?), then this one definitely has wings.”
Anthony Quinn of the Independent puts it simply: “For all its silliness, Reign of Fire never bores.” That’s completely true; Reign of Fire isn’t dull in the slightest. The action scenes, including the Archangels skydiving from the helicopter and a dragon engulfing the castle, breathing fire into the corridors, are gripping. You might not have realized you needed McConaughey fighting dragons on your screen, but it’s better than you think. As The Blade writes, “Reign of Fire defies explanation, anyway. It’s the kind of earnest, no-nonsense monster movie Hollywood used to toss out in the 1950s.” So don’t look too deep, just enjoy the ride.
- Release Date
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July 12, 2002
- Director
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Rob Bowman
- Runtime
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102 Minutes
- Writers
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Gregg Chabot
, Kevin Peterka
, Matt Greenberg