George and the Dragon

Year: 2004

Actors: Piper Perabo, Val Kilmer, Patrick Swayze, Michael Clarke Duncan

Duration: 93 min

Note: Significant plot details follow.George (James Purefoy) returns from the Crusades to his father Sir Robert's (Paul Freeman) hall. George has tired of battle and has resolved to find a small plot of land to build a cottage and rear cattle. His father, formerly a great knight, is not best pleased that his son will not seek further glory. However he tells him of a friend to the north King Edgaar (Simon Callow) who may grant him some land especially if George shows him the Dragon Horn that Sir Robert has crafted from the toe-nail of a dragon, a dragon he once almost slew and that took both his legs, a horn that sounds a note only a dragon can hear and that the king will know can come only from his friend Sir Robert. Though he does not believe his fathers tale he accepts the horn and parts for the north.Several scences follow until George is presented to King Edgaar by his new friend Garth (Patrick Swayze). There is an exchange between Garth and King Edgaar in which we discover that with no good evidence Garth is convinced of the Picts guilt in the dissaperance of Princess Lunna and he has and will continue to persue them mercilessly in his desire to recover his bethrothed the Princess Lunna (Piper Perabo). As George is the son of a great knight and is himself a warrior he is entreated by King Edgar to assist in the search for his daughter. George agrees and George, Garth and a detachment of troops head out in search of the Princess Lunna.Sometime later George, Garth and troops arrive at a forward camp. It is from here that Garth has been conducting his search. Garth tells George that he has found no evidence of the Picts movements. However this encourages Garth. He is convinced that a lack of evidence means that the Picts must be guilty. Garth resolves to build boats in order to make a surprise attack upon the Picts. However as George, Garth and Men chop and work wood to make boats the Picts themselves launch a surprise attack upon the camp. Though the attack is repelled an excited monk pursues a group of three retreating Picts into the forest. George parts with Garth in order to assist the monk who he narrowly saves with the assistance of a lad from his fathers hall who has secretly been following them.George, the monk and the lad are subsequently unable to return to Garth being cut of as they try by the patrolling men of the mercenary El Cabillo, for he too is in search of the princess. Forced further into the woods they seek shelter in a cave. A cave that contains an egg the size of a cow.A creature squirms within the egg and George draws his sword to kill it before it can hatch. As he readys his thrust he himself is struck down with a blow to the back of his head. He is only dazed and he opens his eyes to see a small woman. The monk rushes up identifing the woman. It is the Princess Lunna herself.The Princess Lunna has named the egg and was aquainted with the mother dragon but tells the band that the mother dragon had gone down to the lake one day and had never returned. George insists that they kill the egg. Princess Lunna is determined to protect what may be the last dragon and to take the egg to a safe place to hatch. Reluctantly obeying her royal command George and his small band load Princess Lunna and the egg on a cart, though George laments he does not know where a safe place might be.They travel to a convent, where a cousin of Lunna's is a nun (Caroline Carver). Here they meet a friar an old friend of George's. The friar convinces the mother superior to allow the band of travellers and the egg to stay. She agrees but it must be for only one night and the precence of the egg must be kept secret. George must also tidy up as he is not suitably dressed for a knight. It is now that George is given his distinctive white tunic with the red cross pattée.At evening meal they encounter Garth for he too has sort refuge for the night. Though pleased to see the Princess Luna she is less than pleased to see Garth. Garth belives this must be because Princess Lunna has fallen for George, which George denies. The Princess Lunna tells Garth that she will never marry him, that she will marry only for love.Overnight Garth develops a rage, and a plan, he sends for his men to meet him at an abandoned castle and aducts the Princess Lunna and the Friar in order that he might marry the Princess. He will then return to King Edgaar and take the throne.George and his band chase after Garth. Several scences follow and it is revealed that the Mercenary El Cabillo is a title given to whoever bests the previous El Cabillo in single combat and the present El Cabillo is yet another friend of George's. However El Cabillo's men will not pass up such a rich bounty as the Princess Luna and the movie degenerates into a general melle involving Garth's Men, El Cabillo's mutinous men, and of course Garth, George and his band and also the Princess Lunna. At somepoint during this the baby dragon hatches, the monk is killed saving the Princess from a flying spear and King Edgars men and Sir Robert's men arrive to join the fray. This conflagration is interupted as the wall of the castle keep explodes across the screen.The mother dragon has returned.The combatants all flee. George is last to the door of the keep but debris prevents his escape. In the castle courtyard the former combatants all listen in silence as the dragon makes much noise within the keep. The Princess Lunna fears the worse for George.Within the keep the mother dragon seems preoccupied with her child and George is largely frozen lest he attract the mother dragon's attention. George notices a lance protrudes from the mother dragons side. This is the lance of his father still lodged in the beast. George slowly approaches the lance and takes hold. He asks God's forgiveness for what he must do.The scence shifts to the castle courtyard an almighty roar is heard. George emerges from the keep with a bloddied lance. Believing that George has slain the dragon the men are overjoyed. The Princess Lunna however is not and, sobbing, she flees on horseback. George pursues with King Edgaars horse and his blessing to marry his daughter. There is a chase along the shore of a large body of water but George is not alone in the chase. Garth has also persued. Garth knocks George from his steed and they fight. Garth has the advantage and as he raises his sword for the killing blow the mother dragon leaps from the water and swallows Garth whole.The Princess Lunna realizes that George did not actually kill the dragons. They kiss and presumably live happily ever after.Significant plot details end here.

Genre: Action   Adventure   Comedy   Fantasy   Romance