ERAGON
A heartfelt, exciting fantasy adventure with strong moral clarity.
Should You Watch It?
ERAGON is no LORD OF THE RINGS, but it has plenty of heart and excitement. The story moves at a good pace, the characters are appealing, and the film gives you a clear struggle between good and overtly labeled demonic evil.
The fantasy world includes magical dragons, magical powers, and spells. There is also action violence and frightening imagery, though the source describes it as below the intensity of the LORD OF THE RINGS movies. The moral framework emphasizes forgiveness, redemption, sacrifice, peace, and justice.
If your family includes older children who can handle scary creatures and fantasy action, ERAGON is worth the trip. For younger children, parents should decide carefully.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESEragon is a farm boy in the land of Alagaësia. His life changes when a blue dragon’s egg comes to him and hatches into Saphira, who chooses him as her Dragon Rider.
Long ago, the Dragon Riders brought peace and prosperity to the land before one of their own betrayed them and became its evil king. Now Eragon, Saphira, and Eragon’s mentor, Brom, set out toward a hidden stronghold as Eragon learns what it means to become a Dragon Rider.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means ERAGON succeeds as an entertaining fantasy adventure. The story moves along at a nice clip, and its appealing characters hold your interest and maintain your sympathy.
Ed Speelers is a talented, appealing newcomer who makes Eragon his own. Jeremy Irons gives one of his best performances as Brom, while Robert Carlyle is superb as the evil Durza. The film may be derivative, but its heart, excitement, and strong performances carry it.
The Worldview
ERAGON presents a strong moral worldview. The good characters fight overtly labeled demonic powers, while the story emphasizes the conflict between good and evil. It also includes strong redemptive elements through forgiveness, redemption, sacrifice, peace, and justice.
The film’s fantasy world is built around magical dragons who choose human Dragon Riders and give them magical powers. Dragon Riders can communicate telepathically and cast magical spells, including spells used for physical healing. Those elements depart from a biblical view of spiritual power, even as the film’s moral struggle gives clear weight to courage and resisting evil.
The story’s longing for peace and justice points toward a hope Scripture locates in God’s kingdom: “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very strong moral worldview with some strong redemptive elements in a heroic story of good vs. demonic evil, forgiveness, redemption, and sacrifice with the main villain being "an evil sorcerer possessed by demonic spirits" who serves an evil king, set in a fantasy land where magical dragons pick one human being to ride them, whom they endow with magical powers, including the ability to communicate telepathically based on some kind of yet-to-be-revealed relationship with magical elves and their language, which also renders the Dragon Rider able to cast magical spells in times of danger and in times requiring physical healing; no foul language; action violence includes fire-breathing dragons, evil scary creatures attack people, implied murder of hero's uncle, arrow hits man in chest, arrow hits man in forehead and his body turns into mist because he is an "evil sorcerer possessed by demonic spirits," arrows fired between armies, and armies clash, but nothing very strong or PG-13 like the LORD OF THE RINGS movies; no sex but 17-year-old is clearly interested in a princess whom he meets; upper male in brief scene when teenage boy is dressing in a room he has been given; no alcohol; no smoking; and, nothing else objectionable.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Eragon must learn what it means to use power for good. How should Christians think about strength, responsibility, and serving others?
Mark 10:42–45 · Philippians 2:3–4The story presents a clear battle between good and demonic evil. What does Scripture say about resisting evil, and where does true strength come from?
Ephesians 6:10–18 · James 4:7Forgiveness, redemption, and sacrifice are central themes in the film. How are these ideas connected in the gospel?
Ephesians 1:7 · John 15:13The Dragon Riders once brought peace and prosperity to the land. What does biblical peace involve beyond simply ending conflict?
Isaiah 9:6–7 · Romans 12:18The Final Word
ERAGON offers older children and adults an exciting fantasy adventure with appealing characters and a strong moral center. Its magical themes, scary creatures, and action violence call for discernment with younger viewers. For middle schoolers and up, WORTH THE TRIP — MIDDLE SCHOOL AND UP.
