Awhile ago, Colleen Gleason asked me why I didn’t warn her about the horrors of Barnyard, a movie we both took our kids to (the male cow had UDDERS! Plus I thought the lead cow–or bull, despite the appearance of milk-giving nipples–was selfish, and I didn’t care what happened to him). So this is a warning to her, as well as to anyone who might’ve been thinking about seeing Eragon in the theaters.
Eragon is so ham-fisted it gives ham a bad name. Sure, it looks pretty, especially Edward Speleers (who I think looks a lot like David Soul–”Don’t Give Up On Us,” remember?), although of course I perked up when the tortured teen with the dark hair and the scar on his stomach showed up. Always attracted to the dark side. 
And Jeremy Irons is always fun, he’s just plain older-guy dishy, but the plot is dreadful and predictable, and there were a couple of groan-worthy scenes. Oh, and John Malkovich is there, too, being his usual creepy self. As a rental, I’d say sure–it looks pretty, and the dragon is cool-looking, but paying more than a rental fee for your whole family, maybe invite your neighbors in to ameliorate the costs, I’d say no way. You’ll thank me later.
And we still haven’t seen Happy Feet; my son has taken an irrational dislike to penguins since seeing the ads for March of the Penguins. He says it’s because the ads say penguins are the most fun, and they’re lying. I told him that was the nature of advertising, but it hasn’t stopped his antipathy.
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Thanks for the warning about Eregon. My kids wanted to see it and it seemed like the most promising this season. I guess it may be Stiller and the museum instead.
I’m so sad to hear you say Eragon was bad! I was looking forward to it. I really liked the book.
Maybe I’ll wait to rent it…
Oh nooo….how am I going to tell my 8 yo that I don’t want to take him?? Eeek.
But thanks for the warning! I’ll have to figure out some other way to handle it. He’s listened to the book umpteen times, so I don’t know how I’ll get out of taking him.
As for Happy Feet—great movie. Get thee to the theater for that one!
Colleen:
If your son has listened to it umpteen times, he’ll be disappointed in the film; my guy’s little friend had read half the book, said it was nothing like, so maybe your son will see reason, and not want to see it and get disappointed.
Maybe not. Like I said, it is pretty to watch, so if you have to, you won’t want to hang yourself afterward.
Oh, groan. I read Eragon to my son and that was hard. I must take him to see this movie. Shoot.