Review by Justin Bateman
Stars James Purefoy, Patrick Swayze, Piper Perabo,
Michael Clarke Duncan | Written by Michael Burks & Tom Reeve
UK certification 12 | UK RRP £12.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 89 minutes | Directed by Tom Reeve
In 12th century England, a knight called George (Purefoy) returns from the Crusades for a peaceful life. However, in order to get the land he needs he must first find the daughter of King Edgar (Callow), Princess Luma (Perabo), who has gone missing. All that stands in his way are less the fearsome Picts and more a feisty princess and a whacking great dragon egg.
Filmed in 2004, this is an old-fashioned comedy action adventure fantasy. Boasting an impressive cast of British and American actors, this is very watchable family fun without ever troubling reviewers looking to describe it as a classic. Smartly directed by Tom Reeve, George and the Dragon looks good and hangs together well as a story. The comedy is very much slapstick in nature while the fighting is knockabout stuff - opponents are foiled with hardy slap rather than with any blood being shed.
Strangely, some of the American cast take on an English accent (most notably Piper Perabo) while others (such as the late Patrick Swayze) simply don't bother which is slightly off-putting. The characters are largely caricature and although the dialogue isn't by any means terrible, neither is it witty or clever enough to elevate it above the average.
Swayze is agreeably smarmy as Luna's fiancé, Garth de Guerney, while James Purefoy makes a decent if anodyne hero. And that's the main problem with the film - it's not bad but there's nothing truly memorable about it either. So while it's fine for kids, it's unlikely to leave any lasting impression on adults.
EXTRAS ** Making of featurette; Deleted scenes; Interview with Patrick Swayze.