The Flight of Dragons (1986)

A Major Disappointment

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I loved this as a little girl today I watched it with my little girls. They really enjoyed it and I loved it just as much as I did back them

Story triumphs visuals! I say that all the time and this one is no exception. A classic fantasy tale with dragons, wizards, magic and so on with James Earl Jones voicing the milicicious Oamadon with his booming voice, brilliant!. Told at an engaging tempo with great sense of atmosphere. The animation is its weak spot, but unless you are sensitive to that technical aspect, you will be absorbed in the well told story and the great characters. It has a clever twist of science vs. magic which I didn't like in the first place, but adjusted to with time. A great fantasy adventure for all ages.

I remember watching this film as a child, and I was captivated by the gorgeous Eastern artistic style of the dragons and the explanations of how their physiology worked. I also remember crying when Smrgll fought to protect his friends and died from his injuries. Rewatching it as an adult, it still mostly works, and the style is still beautiful and imaginative.The start of the film is pretty strong, and introduces the 'Four Magic Brothers' each of whom rides his own dragon. The brothers seek a solution to their survival and that of their art in a world where Man is becoming increasingly reliant upon science. Three of the brothers reach an agreement, but the other, Ommadon, turns renegade and swears to twist Man's science and use it to destroy him, before storming out.Carolinus the Green Wizard represents nature and the earth. He travels forward in time to find someone who can defeat Ommadon. He finds Peter of Beacon street, a nerd who designs board games. He brings Peter back to his own time, where we are introduced to Carolinus's dragons Smrgll and Gorbash. Smrgll is an elderly and somewhat cantankerous brown and orange dragon who wishes he could still serve Carolinus rather than enjoying his retirement; Gorbash is a younger green dragon, cocky and overconfident, training as Smrgll's replacement. Rather less well developed are Melissande, token naff woman character, referred to both as Carolinus's adopted daughter and a princess (?), and a boorish knight who is to accompany Peter and Gorbash on the quest.That night Ommadon's dragon attacks and a magic spell goes wrong, leaving Peter in Gorbash's body. Peter spends most of the quest learning how to be a dragon from Smrgll as the group fights various beasts and baddies. They are also joined by a sort of Robin Hood woman, an elf, and a talking wolf. I was rather less keen on these characters as they didn't really add anything to the story. It does manage to come to a satisfying conclusion despite their interruption, with Peter defeating the villain using logic and scientific facts.In summary, this is film is unusual and attractive in its artistic style. Most of the characters are reasonably well developed. Although the main premise of good vs. evil is nothing new, the addition of scientific ideas and a boffin protagonist was handled well and made a refreshing change from fantasy simply involving unexplained magic and beasts defying the laws of nature. More logical-minded kids will love it, and adults will enjoy the animation style.

As a rule I don't like animations. They simply are not for me. I don;t like Manga, and really do detest Dysney. However this one is different I first saw this as a child, and recently re-watched for nostalgia, and to my surprise I still found myself enthralled by it It is obviously aimed at children, but it has layers which is the mark of a true brilliance. The question raised by the movie, that of magic vs science may be a little stale, but the way it presents the question is enchanting. Put simply the question is between the Innocence of Youth vs the Ignorance of Maturity vs the balance of Wisdom. The even more topical question about the evils of progress/technology is simply put and is in stark contrast to the beauty and subtlety of the animation. Unlike Manga there is little stylisation and unlike Dysney there is no need to dumb down, with ridiculous songs and dancing (something I have increasingly detested since the age of 5) and the art work is simply a pleasure to the eye.The sheer genius of the film is that it is still so watchable today over 20 years on and equally by adults and children. Something few other animations particularly the modern CGI ones will enjoy.The music is both discrete and perfect, the slight aura of melancholy that it injects is so right for the story which is one where there can be no real winners. Either way something is lost and it comes down to the hero to decide what he really wants. Magic or Science. We are shown that in both there is right and wrong.The ending is perhaps the most disappointing in a way, although it is pure high fantasy where the hero gets the girl. As a child it was something missed and as an adult its one of those unreal romantic notions, which kind of gets on my nerves. Thats just me though I guess.ANyway I fully recommend this film to anyone, who loves fantasy.