THERE BE DRAGONS

THERE BE DRAGONS

I have to confess fellow muties, I can totally relate to Sam Cooke’s crooned confession about knowing sweet FA about history. For example; if someone was to ask me when or why the Spanish Civil War occurred, my reaction would be that of a dog being shown a card trick.

That all changed however in the opening frames of Roland Joffe’s Christian flavoured historical epic, THERE BE DRAGONS.

Fascists and Communists are fighting for the control of Spain in the 1930’s with the left and right wing indulging in a dress rehearsal, of sorts, for WWII if you will.

Journalist Robert Torres who, although born in Spain, now resides in London takes on the endeavour of opening a book about Josemaria Escriva(Charlie Cox). Not only has Escriva recently been canonized, he was also the founder of the secretive Catholic sect, the Opus Dei. It is during Torre’s research that discovers his alienated father, Manalo (Wes Bentley) was in fact a childhood friend of Escriva, having grown up together in the in the exact same village! As a result, our narrative focuses on two priests who end up following very different paths.

Manalo is stubborn about meeting his son, but he does at least record a verbal journal into his faithful old tape recorder. From here on in the film skips to many a flashback from the aforementioned Civil War whereby Escriva is elevated to saint at the hands of Pope John Paul II, while Manalo shuns the priesthood for the more exciting undertaking of becoming a fascist spy! Chuck in the latter’s lustful obsession with fascist adherent Ildiko (Olga Kurylenko) and we have quite a character study to fill the 2 hour run time. This is all good and well I hear you say – but where do the titles "Dragons" fit in. Well you have to appreciate.. they are not THOSE types of dragons. They are those pesky metaphorical ones!

Tell me about it! I was very disappointed too. It’s kind of like getting a DVD called "Kelly Brookes Shave-a-rama" only to find out it’s a different KB and the disc is a guide to de-furring kettles! Ok maybe not but you can my point!

What you do get though is a lavishly shot and well acted historical slice of grandioso. Bentley as Manalo was particularly intriguing as, during his life span, he gets to play not only a man in his prime, but also the 78 year old version.

The slick look of the picture undoubtedly owes to the reported budget of around of $35 million for Joffe’s latest epic which crafts some cinematic lushness that is very easy on the eye. But what concerned me more was the preachy angle the movie took. When you learn part of this gargantuan budget was funded by two alleged members of the Opus Dei it kind of makes sense why Joffe’s direction seems like it’s being conducted from a pulpit. This point is exemplified by Escriva’s flawless depiction. Piousness I can accept – perfection is a step too far.

Those with an interest in the history of the church and its idols may well enjoy in Gabriel Beristain’s sumptuous cinematography as the movie flits back and forth through different decades. There are even some impressive action sequences in war torn Espana but, if you are expecting a horror film, you will be sorely disappointed. (Unless of course you consider Christianity to be pretty horrific I guess)

I admittedly spent my early teen years as a recovering ex-Catholic (!!) so wasn’t swept away by the noticeable message of faith intertwined throughout the movie. Yes it had an accomplished aesthetic but I personally couldn’t help get the gnawing feeling I was back at church as a very bored ten year old boy.

With that in mind, imagine what I would have given for the merest glimpse of a reptilian green scaled fire breathing beast – come back CGI, your sins are absolved my son...!

Review by Marc Lissenburg


 
Released by G2 Pictures
Region 2
Rated 18
Extras :
see main review
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