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Peter MacNicol, Caitlin Clarke, Ralph Richardson, John Hallam, Peter Eyre ... see more see more... , Albert Salmi , Sydney Bromley , Chloe Salaman , Ian Holm , Ian McDiarmid , Ken Shorter , Douglas Cooper , Jason White , Emrys James , Debbie McWilliams , Deborah Brown , Roger Kemp , James Payne

A special-effects laden medieval fantasy adventure, Dragonslayer centers on the attempts of a young sorcerer's apprentice to defeat a vicious dragon and save a lovely young maiden. Peter MacNicol star... read more read more...s as the young Galen, an aspiring magician under the tutelage of the aging Ulrich (Ralph Richardson). A nearby village turns to the pair for help when their leader begins proffering sacrifices of young virgins to satisfy a vicious dragon. The two immediately set out for battle, becoming even more determined when a courageous princess offers to sacrifice herself to the creature. Unfortunately, Ulrich's failing abilities force Galen into the center of the conflict, where the uncertain young boy must prove himself under fire. The suitably mythic if somewhat predictable story is told straightforwardly, culminating in a spectacular battle against the beast, featuring Academy Award-nominated visual effects. Despite its visual flair and relatively positive reviews, the film received mediocre response at the box office, as some criticized the film's violence as too intense for its intended younger audiences. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

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59% liked it

23,172 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

24 critics

PG, 1 hr. 48 min.

Directed by: Matthew Robbins

Release Date: June 26, 1981

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DVD Release Date: October 21, 2003

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Stats: 704 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (704)

  • ironclad1609
    May 23, 2012
    ironclad1609
    This is one of the earliest fantasy films that dared to present a dragon and actually managed to pull it off. The story of the mage apprentice who has to step up to protect a realm from the fire-spitting monster is rather simplistic and we learn very little about the characters t... read morehat inhibit it. The film still has a very unique and somewhat disconcerting atmosphere, which makes up for a lot. It's also smart enough to hide the dragon from our sights for the longest time. Once it enters the scene, it's pretty damn convincing even by today's standards. Even though the plot is far from generic and always keeps you uncertain about what's happening next, the movie does not manage to grip you entirely. Especially by today's standards it feels aged. The dragon is still impressive, though.
  • FilmFanatik
    July 30, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    This is not as terrible a film as I originally believed it to be. Actually I never really thought it was that terrible at all, but I may have been being a bit generous just because I enjoy these kinds of movies. The pace of the film is incredibly slow and lacks any sort leading c... read moreharacter or protagonist for the audience to relate to or have things explained for them. Not all films need this sort of thing, but in a film like this, it's absolutely necessary. The effects work is fantastic and the story is pretty good, but it creeps along without a proper focus. The gore peppered throughout the film is also a bit jarring. Now, I like gore, but it feels out of character for what the filmmakers were trying to achieve with this. It tries to play things realistically and just let the gore be the gore, but it doesn't work well within the confines of a PG-rated environment. Personally, I enjoy it, but it is problematical, and contains definite allusions to J.R.R. Tolkien - intentional or not. :)
  • ajv2688
    January 11, 2011
    ajv2688
    A predictable, old story about having to slay a dragon, nothing new. It is exciting, though, and somewhat humorous. Overall, it's okay.
  • theylovealexis
    July 8, 2010
    theylovealexis
    Lord Of The Rings + Star Wars + Legend + Willow = this pretty good for '81 but mostly annoying movie.
  • ythelastman89
    June 7, 2010
    ythelastman89
    It's no masterpiece, but it is essentially the only good dragon movie around. The sets and overall look of the movie is flawless and really sells it as a medieval fantasy. It's also extremely violent for no real reason which is an added bonus. While the lead actor is terrible and... read more in no way conveys a hero, the rest of the cast is great. Caitlin Clarke should have taken both roles as she is easily the best character in the whole movie. The dragon effects are great, they beat anything that was done before or since. It's a fun movie that has some very worthwhile elements and is essential to any fan of Dragons.
  • skactopus
    February 8, 2009
    skactopus
    Dragonslayer is one medieval age dragon film that is better than it looks. It isn't a masterpiece, but it isn't a waste of a watch.

    The story is a decent one, with nothing really out of the ordinary. An evil dragon must be slain. The pacing of this 105 minute picture

    ... read moreis moderate, with most of the action appearing at the end. This is no surprise. One of the problems here is that there is a lot of time spent with the main characters, and yet there still seems to be not enough development for them.

    The creature and special effects aren't too bad. There are times when they are superb (for its time) and there are times when they aren't. The dragon itself tends to stay partially hidden until the latter parts of the film, which is a little bit of a disappointment. It's almost like the movie wants to save it all for the end, but it isn't necessary in this story.

    The team of Walt Disney and Paramount come together to produce this picture and this is where many are thrown off. The rating is PG, but this is too generous. There is partial nudity and the violence is pretty darn bloody if I may say so. This is not a fun family Disney film.

    A younger Peter MacNicol and pretty Caitlin Clarke are OK at carrying this picture. Ralph Richardson is the most impressive as Ulrich the magician.

    Many people will feel the need to pass this up and that is a shame because this isn't all that bad. Sci-fi/fantasy fans should give this a try.
  • harrycaul
    December 16, 2007
    harrycaul
    Combining elements of "Star Wars", "The Hobbit" and "King Kong", to name just three points of reference, this sword and sorcery fantasy wins no prizes for originality. However, it has much to recommend it, not least a tremendous visual feel for the Dark Ages, helped by good sets ... read moreand excellent use of Scottish and Welsh locations. The effects work is generally superb and still looks great today. Though the cast is a bit dull on the whole, Peter MacNicol and Caitlin Clarke are appealing as the young leads. One aspect of the plot I liked a lot was how we see the first rumblings of Christianity beginning to supplant the prevailing pagan, magical traditions. All in all, this is agreeably dark and subversive for a Disney movie and superior to, for example, Ridley Scott's "Legend".
  • YosemiteSamFan
    July 26, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    Dark and Dull. There's no fantasy here, only black smoke and a dismal medieval setting. There are no other monsters except the Dragon, so it's not much fun.
  • garyX
    July 14, 2007
    garyX
    I'm not a big fan of this genre, but this is really rather good. Much more intelligently written than most of this type, and the production design has a nicely convincing period feel. Anybody who mistakes Caitlin Clarke for a man must be blind, though!
  • Beefy
    September 23, 2006
    Beefy
    The best dragon ever put to screen, bar none.

View All Dragonslayer Reviews

Critic Reviews

Nell Minow
December 22, 2010
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media

Tale of a sorcerer's apprentice and a dragon. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
February 5, 2010
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

Saint George and the '80s Full Review

Rich Cline
November 8, 2004
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

entertaining adventure

Steve Crum
October 25, 2004
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan

Looked far better when released due to tech aspects.

Ken Hanke
July 19, 2004
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

So-so dragon story with an amusing Ralph Richardson performance.

Rob Thomas
May 27, 2004
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)

A fun little fantasy flick.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
January 31, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Dragonslayer transports us to a mysterious, exotic, and convincing ancient world. Full Review

Walter Chaw
November 13, 2003
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

Shot through with a comprehensive pessimism, a feeling of hopelessness complete with corrupt governments, fanatical zealots, and the world falling into darkness unfamiliar. Full Review

Christopher Null
October 19, 2003
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

Let's face it -- nothing short of a gorilla suit can make Peter MacNicol not look like a weenie. Full Review

John Esther
August 2, 2003
John Esther, Pasadena Weekly

For losers

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Dragonslayer Trivia

  • What was the name of the dragon in "Dragonslayer"?  Answer »
  • What movie does this line come from? If it weren't for sorcerers, there wouldn't be any dragons.  Answer »
  • who stared in Dragonslayer?  Answer »
  • A sorceror's apprentice must slay an evil dragon after his master is killed. He falls in love with a woman who dresses as a boy to avoid a lottery.  Answer »
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