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Reign of Fire

  • 20022002
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
135K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,837
496
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Reign of Fire (2002)
Home Video Trailer from Touchstone Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:32
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Fantasy

A brood of fire-breathing dragons emerges from the earth and begins setting everything ablaze, establishing dominance over the planet.A brood of fire-breathing dragons emerges from the earth and begins setting everything ablaze, establishing dominance over the planet.A brood of fire-breathing dragons emerges from the earth and begins setting everything ablaze, establishing dominance over the planet.

IMDb RATING
6.2/10
135K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,837
496
  • Director
    • Rob Bowman
  • Writers
    • Gregg Chabot(story)
    • Kevin Peterka(story)
    • Matt Greenberg(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Matthew McConaughey
    • Christian Bale
    • Izabella Scorupco
Top credits
  • Director
    • Rob Bowman
  • Writers
    • Gregg Chabot(story)
    • Kevin Peterka(story)
    • Matt Greenberg(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Matthew McConaughey
    • Christian Bale
    • Izabella Scorupco
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 623User reviews
    • 125Critic reviews
    • 39Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Reign of Fire
    Trailer 2:32
    Reign of Fire

    Photos110

    Matthew McConaughey in Reign of Fire (2002)
    Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, and Izabella Scorupco in Reign of Fire (2002)
    Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, and Izabella Scorupco in Reign of Fire (2002)
    Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey, pictured) reacts to the dragon's latest attack
    Quinn (Christian Bale, pictured) makes a terrifying discovery that threatens their future: a dragon egg.
    Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey, right), an American mercenary, with his pilot, Alex Jensen (Izabella Scorupco, left) arrives in Britain with the firepower to bring down the beasts.
    Quinn (Christian Bale, right) and his right-hand man, Creedy (Gerard Butler, left) stand guard over a castle that houses some of the last survivors on earth
    Left: Christian Bale, Right: Matthew McConaughey.
    Left to right: Izabella Scorupco, Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale.
    Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey).
    (Left to right) Quinn (Christian Bale), Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey)
    (Left to right):  Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey) (third from left), Alex Jensen (Izabella Scorupco), Creedy (Gerard Butler), Ajay (Alexander Siddig), Quinn (Christian Bale), Gideon (Terence Maynard).

    Top cast

    Edit
    Matthew McConaughey
    Matthew McConaughey
    • Denton Van Zanas Denton Van Zan
    Christian Bale
    Christian Bale
    • Quinn Abercrombyas Quinn Abercromby
    Izabella Scorupco
    Izabella Scorupco
    • Alex Jensenas Alex Jensen
    Gerard Butler
    Gerard Butler
    • Creedyas Creedy
    Scott Moutter
    Scott Moutter
    • Jared Wilkeas Jared Wilke
    • (as Scott James Moutter)
    David Kennedy
    David Kennedy
    • Eddie Staxas Eddie Stax
    Alexander Siddig
    Alexander Siddig
    • Ajayas Ajay
    Ned Dennehy
    Ned Dennehy
    • Barlowas Barlow
    Rory Keenan
    Rory Keenan
    • Devonas Devon
    Terence Maynard
    Terence Maynard
    • Gideonas Gideon
    Doug Cockle
    Doug Cockle
    • Gooshas Goosh
    Randall Carlton
    Randall Carlton
    • Burke (Tito)as Burke (Tito)
    Chris Kelly
    • Meadas Mead
    Ben Thornton
    Ben Thornton
    • Young Quinnas Young Quinn
    Alice Krige
    Alice Krige
    • Karen Abercrombyas Karen Abercromby
    Malcolm Douglas
    Malcolm Douglas
    • Stuartas Stuart
    Dessie Gallagher
    • Jessas Jess
    Martin Linnane
    • Mole #1as Mole #1
    • Director
      • Rob Bowman
    • Writers
      • Gregg Chabot(story) (screenplay)
      • Kevin Peterka(story) (screenplay)
      • Matt Greenberg(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In present-day London, 12-year-old Quinn Abercromby witnesses the awakening 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. 20 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.
    • dragon
    • fire breathing dragon
    • castle
    • military
    • final showdown
    • 195 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Fight Fire With Fire
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Adventure
      • Fantasy
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG-13 for intense action violence
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The method by which the dragons expel fire was inspired by two actual animals: the spitting cobra and bombardier beetle.
    • Goofs
      Van Zan and Alex tell Quinn that there is only one male dragon and, like fish, the females lay their eggs and the male makes a "pass" to fertilize them. Yet when Quinn discovers the egg inside the downed dragon, there is an embryo visible, which should only happen AFTER fertilization.
    • Quotes

      [referring to the dragons]

      Denton Van Zan: Ever see a male?

      Quinn Abercromby: When I'm running for my life I generally don't look back at the plumbing.

    • Connections
      Featured in Troldspejlet: Episode #28.3 (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Fire
      Written and Performed by Jimi Hendrix

      Courtesy of Experience Hendrix LLC/MCA Records

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews623

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Mis-Advertised
    I love this film. It shows the very human struggle to survive after they've been knocked from the top of the food chain. It blends medieval mythology with a modern era breathlessly. Definitely an original take on Man vs Dragon. Now to get this straight, this is a film about Humans, not about Dragons. The dragons merely supply the unique reason for the apocalypse. This is a film about the post-apocalypse, not the apocalypse. It's not about skies full of Dragons turning worldwide armed forces into ash on an epic scale. It's not about Dragons setting the world, quite literally, on fire. It's about after all that's happened.

    Which is a shame this was advertised as a film about Dragons burning all life as we know it. Of course, everyone goes in expecting to see 90 minutes of Dragons destroying everything. If this had been advertised as a more human film about after these Dragons have completely wasted everything, I really think this could've been seen as a good film. It unfortunately set expectations high in the wrong sort of viewers by a mind-blowingly epic trailer.

    Christian Bale, Gerard Butler and Matthew McConaughey all deliver their role superbly, and the script isn't as bad as it's made out to be either. The effects were great and the Dragons do look pretty realistic, to the point I almost believed this was a documentary. Okay, so there are some plot holes, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to fill those in yourself. I mean, does everything have to be explained so obviously? The only reason this film gets 4 stars and not 5 is because, being a film about human struggle, it could've done with a bit more character development. Other than that, it's a deeply entertaining, well-acted, suspenseful film.

    Don't knock it before you see it for yourself.
    helpful•125
    13
    • PyroSikTh
    • Mar 28, 2009

    FAQ3

    • Van Zan mentions that he was able to kill a dragon during "magic hour" what was he talking about?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 12, 2002 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Where Heroes Go Down
    • Filming locations
      • Wicklow Gap, County Wicklow, Ireland
    • Production companies
      • Touchstone Pictures
      • Spyglass Entertainment
      • The Zanuck Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $60,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $43,061,982
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,632,281
      • Jul 14, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $82,150,183
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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