Reign of Fire (DVD)

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And you want questions? Like, how does a small, future, defeated society living under a bombed-out city for years get food and clothing? These people dwell in poverty yet they seem to be well fed. Where are their herds of cattle or sheep, their dairy products, their leather or cotton or wool industries? Or do these commodities never get consumed or wear out? Who supplies the electricity to light their subterranean bunkers? Who works their generators or hydroelectric plants? Supplied by what fuel source? Where do they get the gasoline for their vehicles? How do they maintain clean, running water in their taps? Where do they get the seemingly continuous supply of ammunition for their guns? And where have all the world leaders, governments, scientists, and such gone? Not that I think the decimation of all politicians is such a bad idea, but could the heads of every country on Earth have been wiped out by the dragons, leaving only ragtag groups like Quinn's?

Finally, there's the simplemindedness of it all. Like, it takes almost twenty years for anybody to notice that the dragons don't see too well at twilight, so that's the best time to kill them. Or, the biggest stretch of all, that virtually all the dragons are females and there's only one male that fertilizes every egg in the whole dragon kingdom worldwide. Find and kill the one male and you save the planet, which is, naturally, what our three intrepid heroes do. It's amazingly, agonizingly, unremittingly far-fetched. But, I suppose that's the way most mediocre monster movies are, so I can't complain too much. It is what it is, and a year from now it will be forgotten.

Video:
The picture quality is exceptionally clean in this 2.13:1 ratio, widescreen anamorphic transfer. The daylight photography in the beginning of the story is bright and clear, with only some small line jags and a few halo effects noticeable. The indoor and nighttime scenes, however, along with the world of the future are purposely on the dull side, yet with blacks never seeming to reach a really deep black. Flesh tones remain realistic no matter the condition of the setting, and that's plus. The transfer itself appears to be excellent, but the director's choice of drab, muted, stereotypical postapocalyptic colors doesn't give it a lot to work with.

Audio:
One can sense the superior quality of the Dolby Digital 5.1 (or DTS 5.1) soundtrack from the very opening scenes, where the surround channels are used to good effect in reproducing the noises of fluttering birds, dripping water, and blowing winds. Bass is deep, dynamics are wide, and transient attacks are strong. When the fury of the dragons is unleashed, expect the house to rock. Expect, too, the inevitable helicopter flyovers as well as a few dragons flapping overhead.

Extras:
The bonus materials are about as ordinary as the movie itself, maybe more interesting if you're into special effects. The main items are two featurettes. The first is called "Breathing Life into Terror," about the making of the computer-generated dragons, lasting about eight minutes. The second is called "If You Can't Stand the Heat," about the pyrotechnics used throughout the film, lasting about fifteen minutes. Then there is a twelve-minute series of conversations with Rob Bowman, wherein the director tries to help us buy into his notion of the film's fantasy world. Lastly, there are "Sneak Peeks" at three other BV films and a "Reign of Fire" video game, sold separately; a measly eleven scene selections (I don't know why the folks at Buena Vista are being so stingy with their chapter stops lately); and an original, widescreen theatrical trailer. Oddly, the trailer says the film is set in the year 2084 A.D., which appears to contradict the date in the film. Oh, well. Spoken languages come in English and French, with subtitles in Spanish only and captioning in English for the hearing impaired.

Parting Shots:
"Reign of Fire" might more appropriately have been titled "The Road Warrior Meets Dragonslayer"; but without the charisma of Mel Gibson or the appeal of old-fashioned sorcery, this dull affair will barely keep you awake. Done as a parody of the postapocalyptic film genre, the movie could have worked, but instead it is serious to a fault. It's just "kill the dragons" and little more. Consequently, the disc simply smoulders in its own ashes, waiting to be put out of its misery by being removed from the DVD tray.

There is nothing in "Reign of Fire" the viewer hasn't seen or heard before, unless the viewer happens to be very young, say well under twenty, and hasn't seen any of the myriad of postapocalyptic films of the past two decades. Then, the movie might offer up a few surprises and a couple of thrills. If for no other reason the film might be enjoyed for its special effects, the dragons looking impressive in their couple of minutes of screen time. Providing that's your idea of a good time.

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