Wyvern

"Wyvern" is in every sense of the word a TV movie. So is that necessarily a bad thing? Well, no. "Wyvern" actually proved to be adequate entertainment for what it was. Mind you, don't expect Shakespearian acting here, or top notch special effects galore. But the movie did prevail with what resources it had at its disposal.

The story is straight forward and rather simplistic, to be honest. It is about a small Alaskan community which is entering the last days with sunlight and to engage in their annual celebration of the solstice. However, an ancient and terrible creature has awoken from its frozen prison and seeks to the sky, to spread terror and havoc to the Alaskan citizens.

The effects in "Wyvern" were actually surprisingly good for a TV movie, because the wyvern itself did actually look quite nice and had some good details to it. Of course, it wasn't fully up to the standards of the Hollywood blockbusters. But still, it worked out quite well enough.

As for the acting in the movie, then the people did good jobs with their fairly limited script. That being said, don't get me wrong. While it might not have been the most famous or familiar of acting talents, then people were still doing good jobs in bringing the characters to life on the screen. I only recognized Barry Corbin, Don S. Davis and Elaine Miles in this movie.

I have actually seen "Wyvern" twice now, over a period of 7 years, so it does sustain multiple viewings, albeit with years in between.

However, "Wyvern" is hardly an outstanding movie, and as such, then I am rating the movie a mediocre five out of ten stars.

Fair dragon-on-the-loose adventure, set in modern-day Alaska. A mythological Norwegian beast turns out to be very real as it attacks a small wilderness town. The beast itself is nothing special, a typical CGI creation that looks like a cross between a dragon and a winged canine. But the plot moves along briskly enough (with a wink and a nod to JAWS in the form of a town festival taking place while the monster is on the loose), and this low-budget TV movie is graced by the presence of not one but two veteran character actors, Barry Corbin and Don Davis. Corbin has been in many movies and co-starred in the wonderful TV series, NORTHERN EXPOSURE. Davis is perhaps best known for his role in the original STARGATE TV series. They give this slight monster movie some measure of gravitas.

As Sci-Fi Channel B-movies go, this is a good one. It is neatly paced and doesn't drag, and the characters, although clichéd, are well-played and likable. The basic premise is that a very small, remote town in Alaska is terrorized by the appearance of a wyvern (a non-fire-breathing dragon, for those who care).

Don S. Davis appears in one of his last roles as the Colonel, a machine-gun toting, beer-sipping retired military man whose warnings that there's something weird in the woods aren't believed until it's too late. Cowboy Hall of Fame character actor Barry Corbin also appears as Haas, a redneck who comes face to face with the title creature early on.

Nick Chinlund, as the truck-driving hero Jake, is adequately rugged and resourceful, but the real charmer here is Erin Karpluk as the gutsy waitress Claire. She is captivating, no-nonsense, and naturally pretty, and brings an otherwise mundane role to sparkling life.

"Wyvern" also makes many sly references to the TV show "Northern Exposure." Casting Elaine Miles ("Marilyn Whirlwind" in Northern Exposure) in the role of a sheriff's deputy is a sure tip-off. Ms. Miles remains laconically funny as ever. The presence of the character of a doctor who is from out of town is another tip of the hat.

"Wyvern" is definitely a B-movie, no doubt. However, it's much more tightly paced and entertaining than your usual Sci-Fi TV feature. The cast also brings a sense of realism and believability by their refusal to overact. The wyvern itself, although computer generated, is decently done, and its appearance is carefully timed for maximum impact. You could find worse ways to waste your time than this movie. And keep an eye on Erin Karpluk; given the right roles she could emerge as an actor to reckon with.

WYVERN on the Sci-Fi Channel, by Bruce Simmons from Cinema Static:

Saturday night Sci-Fi movies tend to have quick deaths in the beginning, cheesy over the board acting, miserable stories and sad effects. But it is Saturday night and camp can be fun.

WYVERN did meet some expectations and yet I was also surprised by it.

Wyvern delivered the first death within 2 minutes of the movie opening.

It actually had a story that developed decent progression, fair background and typical developments that kept the plot in a decent progression.

Yet Nick Chinlund delivers a decent role as Jake, as he delivers validity to the cast. You might remember him from "The Chronicles of Riddick" as Toombs, the ill-fated bounty hunter.

Then there's Erin Karpluk, (Claire) Barry Corbin (Haas) and Don S. Davis of Stargate fame, as the doofy brained Colonel.

Don Davis (RIP) shows the depth of his talent. He isn't the main character, but one of a few secondary roles. No, it's not a mind boggling, soul wrenching role he delivers. Instead, he delivers a seemingly half-brained doof of a character. One we would actually expect from a Saturday night Sci-Fi movie. He delivers superbly in that fashion and I mean it. After watching him for many years on Stargate, this was a great variation of character. I found him fun to watch, knowing he was striving for this affect. I wish a heart attack didn't take him from us last July,('08) but it is what it is.

On top of all this, Sci-Fi is not known for delivering fantastic effects but the dragon was pretty decent.

In all, maybe it's because I've come to expect less then nothing from these movies that this one seemed so much better than most.

It was a fun 2 hours for TV for me for once. Thanks Sci-Fi for the surprise. Really! I didn't want to give this flick a 5. It was much better than that and I feel my "6" is a very strong "6".

How does it all end after the Wyvern goes nuts eating everyone? Well, that would be a spoiler that I won't give away. It's not a bad resolution. That's all I'll say!

Really enjoyed this, it's one of SyFy channel's better efforts. The action is paced well, the characters are well-developed, and the acting is at a premium level.

It's a good late-night monster flick, with a dragon beast that attacks the residents of a small remote Alaskan town. The special effects are adequate in making what you see believable, and the director depicts the violence adequately by tempering the gore scenes. You see the violence, yet without the excessive blood and guts spraying around gratuitously. Also, because the actors make the characters natural and give them dimension, you care about them. So, when someone is lost, you feel that loss (in contrast to the paper cut-out screamers these movies usually have, and you root for the monster). The town's people are a nicely composed group of different types of people, with no clichéd personalities (for once). The film even gives the creature some depth: what it's doing, why, etc.

The final battle sequence is the stuff of good popcorn monster movie action. The weapon that's used might seem way out, but it's a lot of fun, an original idea, and the duel really shows somebody thought out how to do it effectively.

Despite a limited budget, this film is a good watch.