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Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, Izabella Scorupco, Gerard Butler, Scott James Moutter ... see more see more... , David Kennedy , Alexander Siddig , Ned Dennehy , Rory Keenan , Terence Maynard , Ben Thorton , Alice Krige , Laura Pyper , Benny Nieves , Scott Moutter

Medieval fantasy meets futuristic science fiction in this effects-heavy action epic from former X-Files director Rob Bowman. In present-day London, 12-year-old Quinn Abercromby witnesses the awakening... read more read more... of a hibernating dragon from a centuries-long slumber, the result of a construction dig supervised by his mother and an incident for which Quinn feels partially responsible. Twenty years later, the adult Quinn (Christian Bale) is the fire chief of a refortified castle community, responsible for dousing the blazes lit by the dragon's prodigious number of flame-spewing offspring, airborne juggernauts that have wreaked havoc across the globe, torching civilization and turning humans into an endangered species. Hope arrives in the form of Denton "Dragon Slayer" Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey), an American known to be the only man to ever kill one of the dragons, and Alex (Izabella Scorupco), a scientist/pilot who's a member of Van Zan's army, a zealous fighting force that includes a secret weapon: the Archangels, paratroopers using themselves as bait to attract and then dispatch the deadly beasts. Reign of Fire (2002) co-stars Gerard Butler, Alice Krige, and Alexander Siddig. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Flixster Users

55% liked it

117,963 ratings

Critics

40% liked it

151 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Rob Bowman

Release Date: July 12, 2002

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DVD Release Date: November 19, 2002

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Stats: 5,199 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,199)

  • garyX
    August 18, 2011
    garyX
    In a world razed to the ground by a plague of dragon like creatures, a motley crew of survivors decide to strike back and hunt the sole male of the species. I'd love to have sat in on the pitch to the studio for this movie! "Well, you see, they're digging a tunnel for the London ... read moreunderground, and they, like, unearth these dragons that have been living there since the dawn of time..." The whole premise is of course absolutely ridiculous, but this B-movie creature feature was given the A-list treatment and what emerges is a reasonably entertaining monster mash. Some great effects and a good eye from Rob Bowman who uses the dark, flames and cinders to great atmospheric effect make for a very nice looking film, all set in some nice gothic landscapes of desolate wastelands, castles and destroyed cities. A quality cast also certainly helps, with a typically intense Christian Bale aided by the usually hateful Matthew McConaughey who is actually pretty amusing as the shaven headed, bare chested ball of testosterone who rides into town straddled across his enormous phallus ("There's only one thing worse than dragons. Americans."!) It also has a couple of really well handled action sequences, but at the same time it never quite recovers from the fact that the idea it's all built upon is so damn silly. It really could have done with a sense of humour, but as a whole it's a Road Warrior/Jaws hybrid that's pretty entertaining if you can make it past the whole dragons vs, helicopters concept.
  • nelsonpickens
    May 26, 2010
    nelsonpickens
    What could one possibly say about this movie, its about Matthew McConauhey slaying dragons need I say more? Poor Christian Bale
  • fb619846742
    March 4, 2010
    fb619846742
    A fun, energetic adventure story concerning an apocalyptic wasteland occupied by dragons who have taken over London and the survivors (led by Bale) who plot to take them out. Just a great B-movie with a testosterone filled performance from McConaghey and an impressive one from th... read moree always dependable Bale. The ending face-off is all kinds of awesome.
  • ythelastman89
    November 20, 2009
    ythelastman89
    It was an interesting concept that was lost to some bad acting and special effects. The dragons looked fake and Matthew Mcconaughey put in an overdone performance that was hard to watch. Christian Bale couldn't even save this from being horrible, which must've been hard.
  • SirPant
    September 22, 2009
    SirPant
    I quite liked this film, it?s got a good balance of intriguing story, campy characters and impressive action sequences. Oh, and it?s got dragons in it too!
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    July 1, 2009
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    It was a very good movie but the cinematography and camera really sucked, still very good movie with great actors to go along with it. It is twenty years in the future, and the planet has been devastated by vicious fire-breathing dragons. The last vestiges of humanity now struggl... read moree for survival in at remote ouposts. In a ruined castle in the English countryside, Quinn is desperately trying to hold together a band of frightened, restless survivors. As a boy, Quinn watched his mother die protecting him from one of the beasts, and is still haunted by the memory. One day, a group of American rouges shows up, led by a brash, tough-guy named Van Zam. He claims to have discovered a way to kill the dragons once and for all, and enlists Quinn's help. But doing so will force Quinn to confront his own frightening memories. This, and Quinn's responsibilities to those that are under his protection, results in a battle of wills between the two men. In the end, events cause them both to realize that they must work together to defeat the monsters--both without and within.
  • FiLmCrAzY
    April 14, 2009
    FiLmCrAzY
    this movie is brilliant i like it
  • kenstachnik
    September 15, 2008
    kenstachnik
    Total Guilty Pleasure. Dumb as hell, but seriously Batman and a Naked Bongo playing Stoner vs. a Dragon. Genius
  • hobster1
    August 23, 2008
    hobster1
    Dazzling special effects highlight this so-so fantasy adventure about dragons wrecking havoc on England in the year 2020. Movies like this are usually best when they have a sense of irony. Unfortunately this action film lacks a sense of humor and fails to engage.
  • Godless
    August 3, 2008
    Godless
    An over the top non sensical snooze!!!

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Critic Reviews

Peter Travers
July 25, 2002
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Somebody get a hose and put this Fire out.

Dennis Lim
July 16, 2002
Dennis Lim, Village Voice

Peaks early with a vertiginous dogfight; thereafter, spotty CGI and a bamboozling plot conspire toward a colossal anticlimax. Full Review

Richard Roeper
July 15, 2002
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

I'm not going to argue that Reign of Fire is a good movie, but it's terribly entertaining it's kind of a classic camp film, so I'm giving it thumbs up. Full Review

Michael Rechtshaffen
July 14, 2002
Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter

Ultimately fails to come through in the fire-breathing clutch.

Lisa Schwarzbaum
July 13, 2002
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

The season could do with more grinning, spinning, un-self-important, happy-to-be-B throwback movies like this one. Full Review

Joe Leydon
July 12, 2002
Joe Leydon, Variety

An uncommonly exciting and satisfying post-apocalyptic popcorn flick. Full Review

Desson Thomson
July 12, 2002
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

A disaster of a drama, saved only by its winged assailants.

Stephen Hunter
July 12, 2002
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

Silly, loud and goofy.

Claudia Puig
July 12, 2002
Claudia Puig, USA Today

The filmmakers might have benefited from more sleep before penning the script. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
July 12, 2002
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

It's hard to imagine a better futuristic flying dragon movie than this, if one can imagine such a thing at all. However, while we wait for such a comparison, we could probably do a lot worse than Reig... Full Review

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Reign of Fire Trivia

  • There is only one thing worst than dragons... Americans.  Answer »
  • In which movie movie does Christian Bale and Matthew McConachgy fight to ensure the survival of human kind against dragons?  Answer »
  • Who played in Newsies, The Prestige, Batman Begins, Reign of Fire, and Equilibrium?  Answer »
  • Which actor or actress can be attributed to the following titles? Failure to Launch Dazed and Confused How to Lose a Guy in 10 days The Wedding Planner We are Marshall Reign of Fire Sahara  Answer »
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