Unfortunately, "Dragon Soldiers" is a fire-breathing disappointment despite its promises of epic battles and fantastical animals. The movie has a flimsy plot full of cliches, mediocre CGI effects, and unmemorable characters.
The story is obvious from the outset. The mission assigned to our motley crew of one-dimensional soldiers is to defeat a generic bad guy who plans to unleash a dragon army. There are no shocks in this discourse, and it is full of corny one-liners that don't work.
The dragons themselves, which are the main attraction of the movie, are a huge letdown. They don't appear like the fire-breathing monsters we were promised; instead, the CGI utilized to make them feels antiquated. The animals resemble enormous lizards. You're left feeling let down by their combat sequences because they don't really convey any sense of gravity or danger.
The action scenes are monotonous and badly staged. The editing feels choppy and the unsteady camerawork makes it difficult to follow what's going on screen, which further detracts from the viewing experience.
Although there are many well-known faces in the cast, none of them get enough screen time to really stand out. Throughout the movie, their characters don't grow or form any significant relationships, which makes it difficult to care about what happens to them.
For younger audiences or ardent dragon enthusiasts with extremely low expectations, "Dragon Soldiers" might have some attraction. However, this movie is best left on the burning pyre if you're looking for a well-made action movie with a gripping plot and credible characters.
