Reign of Fire
Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: July 12, 2002 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
39
METASCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
10
Negative:
12
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
The fact that Reign of Fire does what it sets out to do is a cause for celebration amongst those who like special effects-laden action movies featuring fire-breathing monsters and mayhem. Read full review
70
New Times (L.A.)Gregory Weinkauf
The beasts are employed to splendid metaphorical effect, which may be lost on viewers perceiving nothing but an action romp.
70
L.A. WeeklyPaul Malcolm
Bowman and production designer Wolf Kroeger do an excellent job of evoking a twice-baked England, while writers Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka and Matt Greenberg keep the script devilishly pitched just shy of preposterous (it's McConaughey who stumbles beyond). Read full review
70
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
Loads of fun. It has a jamming B-picture buzz -- the kind of swift filmmaking and high spirits that have been missing from movies for a while. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderHank Sartin
An odd cross between "Mad Max" and "Dragonheart," this movie is all borrowed ideas, but it's still trashy fun. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy Burr
This is quite enjoyable as creature features go, and Bale continues to demonstrate his curious under-the-radar appeal. As for McConaughey, let's just say a star is reborn. Suddenly that whole naked-bongo-playing incident makes a lot more sense. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneChris Jones
It's a decent, fast-moving and visually powerful summer action romp for the teenage demographic-the dragons are deliciously evil critters, with a nice retro identity. Read full review
63
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
The film delivers the goods, reptile-wise. Though the computer-generated villains look a bit clumsy at ground level, they're superb in the air. Read full review
60
VarietyJoe Leydon
An uncommonly satisfying mix of medieval fantasy, high-tech military action and "Mad Max"-style misadventure. Read full review
58
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
A collision of medieval fantasy and commando action movie, where you can almost believe in the high-concept mix-and-matching. Read full review
50
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
Stops dead the second the monsters fall out of view. It doesn't help that the movie's post-apocalyptic future is of the unimaginative backlot variety, or that the movie takes itself so seriously. Read full review
50
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
The script gives the actors less of a chance than the dragons give to Homo sapiens. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Though Reign of Fire's concept of a humans-versus-dragons smackdown is a good one, the way it's worked out on screen is more silly than compelling. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Clearly, nobody's going to win any awards for this, but maybe Bale and McConaughey knew what they were doing after all. The music is loud, the action is fierce and the bodies are buff.
50
Film ThreatMichael Dequina
Surprisingly lifeless monster movie. Read full review
42
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
Like a dog walking on its hind legs across a freshly waxed floor -- awkward, slow, deliberate, seeking approval -- the action thriller Reign of Fire gets from start to finish, somehow, without tumbling into complete disaster. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineFrank Lovece
Some great things can found in this fluidly kinetic film, well-directed by X-Files series and movie veteran Rob Bowman, including no-nonsense dialogue, epic photography and a terrific score. It's too bad the story is so sloppy and stupid. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Will make monster fans ache for what might have been. Read full review
38
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Often incomprehensible (a combination of jumpy editing and lots of thick British Isles accents) and hardly ever entertaining - even unintentionally. Read full review
38
New York PostJonathan Foreman
It strains belief that nuclear weapons couldn't kill off the dragons, but three people with crossbows could. Read full review
38
USA TodayClaudia Puig
The story doesn't clarify why the dragons hibernated for hundreds of years, nor why they awakened. Clearly, however, the filmmakers might have benefited from more sleep before penning the script. Read full review
38
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
Reign of Fire never comes close to recovering from its demented premise, but it does sustain an enjoyable level of ridiculousness. Read full review
30
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
Director Rob Bowman seems at a loss as to what to bring to the film, which, even with its good choice of leads, plods along from one dragon fight to the next, all of them staged to showcase Fire's impressive CGI dragons, but none choreographed with any real flair. Read full review
30
Washington PostStephen Hunter
It's just silly, loud and goofy. The dragon needed a bigger part and the two stars smaller ones. Read full review
30
Village VoiceDennis Lim
Peaks early with a vertiginous dogfight; thereafter, spotty CGI and a bamboozling plot conspire toward a colossal anticlimax. Read full review
25
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
One regards Reign of Fire with awe. What a vast enterprise has been marshaled in the service of such a minute idea. Incredulity is our companion, and it is twofold: We cannot believe what happens in the movie, and we cannot believe that the movie was made. Read full review
20
Washington PostDesson Thomson
A disaster of a drama, saved only by its winged assailants. You know a picture's in trouble when you find yourself rooting for humankind to lose. Read full review
20
SalonAndrew O'Hehir
Dragons torch the earth as manly men with weird hair battle them in this colossally misconceived dud. Read full review
20
Rolling StonePeter Travers
So what's not to like? There's the bad CGI, the choppy pacing, the comically intense acting, the repetition, the dullness and mostly the idiot plot about how there's only one male dragon and everything will be fine if they kill the Big Dick. Wha? Somebody get a hose and put this Fire out. Read full review
0
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
Truly awful. Read full review
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