# Reign of Fire! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2002, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066 "2002-07-02T17:57:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/1 "2002-07-02T17:57:30Z")
Anyone waiting for this movie as much as me? Its got dragons, a post-apocalyptic future, butt-kicking American military dudes, dragons, sci-fi undetones, dragons, a cool pun in the title, and dragons! I can’t wait to see dragons vs helicopters and tanks! This movie won’t be winning any oscars, but looks to be incredibly entertaining, and worth my time to check it out! Anyone else have thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/2 "2002-07-02T18:12:14Z")
I think it looks cool too. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/3 "2002-07-02T18:53:38Z")
Oh yeah, I can’t wait. That movie looks great! Go dragons! ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/4 "2002-07-02T19:29:14Z")
And it has Matthew McConaghey and a muscular, **shirtless** , Christian Bale! Plus dragons–I am SO there! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/5 "2002-07-02T19:46:33Z")
And here, I was thinking as soon as I saw the poster that this is going to be the summer’s biggest bomb. Sure, it’s got all the right ingredients, but how the heck are they going to get it to all work together? I’m thinking _Independence Day_ here… There’s a limit to my ability to disconnect my brain and just be dazzled by special effects. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/6 "2002-07-02T19:52:44Z")
As long as they don’t pay much attention to plot and dialogue, don’t include a stupid romantic subplot, and just have lots of bazookas vs dragons, it will be fine. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/7 "2002-07-02T19:58:08Z")
> [@](#): > > don’t include a stupid romantic subplot **KO** –I think it’s time you got some help for your delusions. OF COURSE there’s going to be a romantic subplot! Who would the shirtless hero suck face with as the credits roll if there wasn’t?? Hmmmmm? 🙂 I can’t wait either. My SO and I saw the trailer at Spidey, and we both looked at each other with our eyes real big and did one of those “woah” moments. Dragons! I am so there. bella ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/8 "2002-07-02T21:13:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by belladonna \* > \*\* > **KO** –I think it’s time you got some help for your delusions. OF COURSE there’s going to be a romantic subplot! Who would the shirtless hero suck face with as the credits roll if there wasn’t?? Hmmmmm? 🙂 > \*\* The Dragon??? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/9 "2002-07-02T21:44:46Z")
Yes, but are there dragons in the movie? That’s what I want to know. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/10 "2002-07-02T21:50:32Z")
Yeah, when I saw the preview I said, “A movie with Matthew McConaghey AND Dragons? What, were they actually INSIDE my brain when they wrote this movie?” Can’t wait!! ---
**Author:** ![fallapart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fallapart/32/3018_2.png) [@fallapart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fallapart)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/11 "2002-07-02T21:51:56Z")
(hey opal), i actually really like hearing b movie plots, it just bothers me when the monsters are made through genetic engenering or are space aliens. i hope there “real” dragons 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pachabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@pachabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pachabel)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/12 "2002-07-02T22:53:16Z")
A co-worker of mine saw a preview of Reign of Fire last Wednesday at Century City mall in L.A. (I believe it was primarily for critics). Her boyfriend is a real sci-fi buff and but wasn’t expecting much. They both loved the movie. He thought it was more entertaining than Minority Report. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/13 "2002-07-02T22:54:36Z")
I just can’t get past this bit in the trailer: > [@](#): > > A species older than the dinosaurs and more terrifying than anything we could have imagined. I thought we did imagine dragons in the first place, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Fool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Green\_Fool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Fool)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/14 "2002-07-02T22:58:25Z")
I can’t wait. It looks absolutely insane! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/15 "2002-07-02T23:17:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SmackFu \* > \*\*I just can’t get past this bit in the trailer:I thought we did imagine dragons in the first place, eh? \*\* Well, the ad says something about the dragons being smarter than humans, which I don’t think has been a part of any dragon mythology. Of course, I guess the writers of the flick were able to imagine them, though. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/16 "2002-07-02T23:20:19Z")
I thought the trailer was breathtaking and of course, I can’t pass up Christian Bale. I am so there. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/17 "2002-07-02T23:45:53Z")
I love Christian Bale, but that movie looks seriously stupid, at least in my opinion. It looks like my mom’s kind of movie. So I’ll pass. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/18 "2002-07-03T00:33:52Z")
The advance buzz on this movie is very positive: dark, gritty, mean, and thrilling. I’m expecting it to be a sleeper hit. Sleeper, by the way, being defined as a movie that doesn’t have any of the typical elements of a big summer flick: It’s not a sequel, it doesn’t have any big movie stars in it, it’s not directed by a major name (Rob Bowman is best known for directing the middle seasons of “The X-Files,” plus the big-screen movie), it doesn’t have a huge advertising budget, etc. Anyway, I predict _Reign of Fire_ will explode onto multiplex screens with surprising force, the way _The Terminator_ did back in 1984, or _Die Hard_ in '88, or _Blade_ in '98. None of these arrived with any particular expectations, and they all turned out to be surprisingly good and were thus surprisingly successful. _Reign of Fire_ will be just another anomaly standing against the studio formulas that require paying Schwarzenegger tens of millions of dollars for lowbrow crap like _Collateral Damage._ (The other sleeper hit, by the way, will be _Eight-Legged Freaks._) ---
**Author:** ![BooBoo316](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@BooBoo316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BooBoo316)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/19 "2002-07-03T01:48:41Z")
The previews look interesting, but I’ll wait to read a couple of reviews before I lay out my money. Definitely looks like a rental if I don’t see it in the theater. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066/20 "2002-07-03T02:02:24Z")
> [@](#): > > (The other sleeper hit, by the way, will be Eight-Legged Freaks.) I don’t know, they seem to be hitting that one pretty heavy in the ads here in SF. Sadly, they mention “from the creators of Godzilla” proving that once again Devlin just doesn’t get big G. i will go see 8 legged freaks for the spider fu and mindless fun, but i’d wager dollars to donuts mentioning the american Godzilla turns off more “on the fencers” than turns on. (but i agree that 8LF will be a hit, just it won’t be sleeping) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reign-of-fire/117066.md?page=2)