Dragon Wars (D-War) poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks, Robert Forster, Craig Robinson, Elizabeth Peņa ... see more see more... , Chris Mulkey , Aimee Garcia , John Ales , Cody Arens

Korean director Shim Hyung-Rae's monster movie D-War begins with a lengthy prologue, in which an antique dealer named Jack (Robert Forster) watches a young patron, Ethan Kendrick (Cody Erens) get zapp... read more read more...ed with a force emanating from a chest in his shop. Realizing the significance of this event, Jack bequeaths a medal to the boy, and speaks candidly to him of mystical events that transpired a half-millennium earlier. In a bygone era, it seems, giant creatures called Buraki roamed the land, morphing from serpents into dragons and back again, and equipped with a massive army of formidable creatures. An ancient warrior-apprentice saved the life of his beloved from these monstrosities; the warrior's spirit was eventually contained in the aforementioned chest, and it has now filled Ethan. Jack gives Ethan an enchanted red pendant and advises him to see out the contemporary incarnation of the ancient warrior's intended, who can be recognized via a red dragon tattoo on her shoulder. When the woman reaches her 20th birthday, it seems, she and Ethan - joining forces - will be able to reincarnate Imoogi as dragons. That woman is in fact Sarah (Amanda Brooks); she and Ethan do encounter one another, but it isn't long before the Buraki serpent and all of his enormous minions resurface and decide to lay waste to the City of Angels, worming their way through the town as they look for the chosen pair. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Flixster Users

23% liked it

173,927 ratings

Critics

27% liked it

33 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Hyung-rae Shim

Release Date: September 13, 2007

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: January 8, 2008

Get It:

Stats: 9,734 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Jason Behr-Ethan Kendricks (D-War) Dragon Wars (D-War) Dragon Wars: D-War Korean poster 7 Dragon Wars: D-War Korean poster 1 Dragon Wars (D-War) Dragon Wars (D-War) Dragon Wars (D-War) Dragib Wars: D-War Korean poster 5 Dragon Wars (D-War) Dragon Wars (D-War) Dragib Wars: D-War Korean poster 2 Dragib Wars: D-War Korean poster 4 Dragon Wars: D-War Poster Amanda Brooks Amanda Brooks and Jason Behr Dragon Wars (D-War) Dragon Wars (D-War) Dragon Wars (D-War)
Upload a Photo | View All Dragon Wars (D-War) Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (9,734)

  • phubbs1
    February 29, 2012
    phubbs1
    Well its not that bad come on, a cross of 'Star Wars', 'Godzilla', 'king kong', 'Jurassic Park' and all other monster flicks ever hehe. The effects are alright, very good for Korea but less so for Hollywood, but they still look fairly good, the only real problem is when people ar... read moree bluescreened against the action, then its obvious.

    The plot, like allot of Eastern movies, its confusing, with lots of odd names, sorcerers, magic and creatures running around, you lose it big time.

    The acting is slightly below average but you can live with it, the main claim to fame here is an awesome monster battle between US soldiers, dragons and all manner of warriors with weird weapons, including a pretty good 'Star Wars' style Apache choppers vs flying dragons through a skyscraper trenches section, probably the best part. On the whole I quite liked it, its fun stuff and actually beats 'Reign of Fire' thats for sure.
  • aquateen2
    November 30, 2011
    aquateen2
    Dragon Wars is considered the most anticipated film in the history of korean cinema. It's worth seeing for whats there on the screen in front of you. The effects and the movement of the dragons are mind boggling and the surrounding backgrounds of the film are good to look at. The... read more problem with it however that will dissapoint most is the acting and the very very bad script. I did however enjoy the appearence of the actor from the TV Series "Mike and Molly" as a zookeeper. I didn't like it but I didn't hate the film either.
  • ariuza1
    May 10, 2011
    ariuza1
    If you go back to 2007 there was this really big line up for a new film getting promoted in my country and was made there called D-War. And director Hyung-rae Shim blockbuster was being promoted everywhere.
    If you're not quite familiar it is a film that appeals to our nationali... read moresm and culture and it cost a stuttering more than $70 million, and my first thoughts where "Don't be Crap" And with the mixed to very negative reviews I was reading I still had hope... And of course I was it opening day like so many and walk out hunted by what I saw.

    So just because it was made to succeed in my country or even America doesn't make it good... In a matter of fact it was even worse.

    One tends to always think our country was positive on this... No we weren't at all. If anything 45 million other people thought the same thing.

    Look how about I just pan out the film for you... Awful acting from our American cast (That occupies the whole film). A horrible story that in same way might not even have anything to do with the legends I was told when I was young.

    Though impressive Ground breaking Special Effects that can't make up for this plain awful fucking film.
  • animegirlaya
    April 3, 2011
    animegirlaya
    Directed by Shim Hyung-rae and Starring Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks, Robert Forster, Chris Mulkey and Elizabeth Peņa.

    Indeed Korean Mythology is fascinating I have read books on their culture and beliefs and it is some amazing stuff if you can find the write stories and books. ... read more And Dragon Wars plays like a homepage to major elements of this or there legends but is it just me or is this film just bad? I mean this could have been an amazing movie but there is just so much unfocused stuff and things that trail off into nothing. And the amazing fact is that they set it in America and not Korea? The only thing that saved this movie were the amazing special effects, and some major creature designs of their culture.

    [IMG]http://i54.tinypic.com/255niqg.jpg[/IMG]

    Based on the Korean legend, unknown creatures will return and devastate the planet. Reporter Ethan Kendrick is called in to investigate the matter, and he arrives at the conclusion that a girl, stricken with a mysterious illness, named Sarah is supposed to help him. The Imoogi makes its way to Los Angeles, wreaking havoc and destruction. And it will be the start of a massive climax to end this legend.

    Personally I hated the story it is 100% unfaithful to the legends and how they have placed the setting in Los Angeles and only a brief moment in Korea. It should be Korea and it should have Korean actors for a Korean film.
    Also despite it being Terrible it was a big hit in Korea landing in there highest grossing films of all time.

    [IMG]http://i54.tinypic.com/aelfew.jpg[/IMG]

    20% for story: I liked the ending scene at the massive temple with the fight but that's about it. The movie is just annoying because of its modern day setting which just really pisses me off. I have no doubt that Koreans would have liked it.

    15% for Acting: it's terrible and even bad attempt at humour which just isn't funny at all, our leads are good but overall it's just terrible. Its funny how they or most would even try.

    30% for characters: Indeed there interesting but overall still bad only because there American and annoying. Again Koreans might have made the film interesting.

    90% for special effects: This movie cost around $75 million dollars in American Money or $69 billion won (South Korean money). Making it the highest budgeted film for the time, to bad the amazing effects were the only good part.

    39% for everything else: Some amazing music but that's it and some epic creature designs but that's it.

    Alothought its better then his first film Reptillian big time but Is it worth anyones time? I say read the books not watch the movie you will only be pissed off big time.

    Keiko's score 24-100
  • ironclad1609
    July 29, 2010
    ironclad1609
    After a rather fun trailer I at least expected an entertaining popcorn flick. But this disappoints on pretty much every level. It starts with confusing mythological blabla, then lots of getting chased by a giant snake and at least has two huge action scenes to offer in the second... read more half. The battle for Los Angeles looks decent, so does the revelation of the good dragon in the end. The pace feels horribly rushed, though, the acting is terrible, so are the dialogs and I've seen better editing in student projects. A terrible waste of time.
  • fb733768972
    January 11, 2010
    fb733768972
    It can be laughable enjoyment sometimes, but the movie itself plummets. The ending sequence somehow I find incredible, so I therefore give this movie 1.5 instead of .5!
  • Godless
    August 31, 2009
    Godless
    If you were begging for a more adult power Rangers then you just found the perfect movie.
  • Redlats
    June 1, 2009
    Redlats
    The story is not outstanding. Ethan is the hero, but he doesn't quite know what he is supposed to do. Sarah is confused at the beginning, but she catches on by the end of the movie.

    CGI are everywhere in the second half of the movie. I didn't like the two snakes fighting at t... read morehe end of the movie. Unless you are following intently, it is pretty easy to confuse grey with black. Interesting that when I saw this movie a second time about a year after the first, the only thing I remembered about the movie was the snakes/dragons battle near the end of the movie.
  • lewiskendell
    March 30, 2009
    lewiskendell
    I know that Dragon Wars was made with a fairly big budget, but it has "Sci-Fi Channel movie" written all over it. There's nothing polished or redeeming about this waste of time.

    Most of the actors are unknowns, the plot is something that an 9 year-old would dream up, and the sp... read moreecial effects are really not that impressive. The last battle sequence between the two serpents is fairly cool, but the rest of the movie is simply dross. A Sci-Fi channel original may have actually been marginally better.
  • bbcfloridabound
    November 14, 2008
    bbcfloridabound
    Was really dissapointed with this one, Everyone built it up as something big, and it wasn't. Maybe I am getting burned out on Dragon Movies. A Rental not a buy.

View All Dragon Wars (D-War) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Andy Webster
September 17, 2007
Andy Webster, New York Times

It is such a breathless, delirious stew, it's impossible not to be entertained, provided -- this is crucial -- you have a sense of humor.

Wesley Morris
September 17, 2007
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

When they decide to sic [those monsters] on downtown Los Angeles, the movie turns shockingly watchable. Until that sequence, there was no evidence that anybody involved with this laughable fantasy kne... Full Review

Robert Abele
September 17, 2007
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

The rampaging-monsters flick Dragon Wars loudly speaks the universal language of effects-laden mayhem. Unfortunately, it is also fluent in the laughable dialogue of a million bad fantasy flicks. Full Review

John Monaghan
September 17, 2007
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

The only winners in Dragon Wars are the computer-imaging geeks who must have logged tons of overtime. The rest of the world is left scratching its head at a monster epic so dismal that it doesn't even... Full Review

Frank Scheck
September 14, 2007
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

This monster film makes even the remake of Godzilla look good.

Derek Elley
July 21, 2007
Derek Elley, Variety

A feast of A-grade f/x married to a Z-grade, irony-free script. Full Review

Austin Kennedy
August 22, 2008
Austin Kennedy, Sin Magazine

DRAGON WARS knows it's dumb, and just has fun. It's my new guilty pleasure!

Steve Biodrowski
July 10, 2008
Steve Biodrowski, Cinefantastique

By no reasonable reckoning can the film be considered a competent piece of cinematic storytelling, yet somehow the movie transcends its silly screenplay with over-the-top action and visually imaginati... Full Review

Todd Gilchrist
October 15, 2007
Todd Gilchrist, IGN Movies

A movie without a single redeeming quality that we highly recommend. Full Review

Jesse Hassenger
September 30, 2007
Jesse Hassenger, Filmcritic.com

blissfully awful Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Age of the Dragons
    Age of the Dragons (100%)
  • Godzilla
    Godzilla (90%)
  • Reign of Fire
    Reign of Fire (83%)
  • Skyline
    Skyline (40%)

More Movies like Dragon Wars (D-War)

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
Submit a Fact | View All

Dragon Wars (D-Wa... : Watch Free on TV

Dragon Wars (D-War) Trivia

More Dragon Wars (D-War) Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Dragon Wars (D-War) Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Dragon Wars (D-War) to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Dragon Wars (D-War) News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

jepp84 Skin by jepp84
251 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins