‘Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker’ features dragons, Templars and mages … oh my!
Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker, an offshoot of the hugely successful Dragon Age video game series, is a slick, easy-to-follow tale of a warrior trying to stop a conspiracy from spiraling out of control. The 90-minute feature, recently arrived on DVD and Blu-ray from FUNimation, has stunning special effects and a clever storyline. Somewhat surprisingly, the movie is one of the strongest animated entries in the DVD market in some time.
Cassandra is a beautiful warrior who suspects trouble at every stage of her life. But it turns out this “girl who cried wolf” actually is onto something. Set amid a contentious struggle among Templars, mages and dragons, Cassandra needs to stop a murderous plot to overthrow the Chantry, the realm’s highest religious order. With few companions, and only her trusty sword to keep her company, the odds are stacked high against the warrior.
Audience members don’t need to know the mythology and complicated plot points of the overall Dragon Age universe to appreciate Dawn of the Seeker. A helpful prologue sets the plot in motion, and the animated movie is much more interested in holding the hands of viewers and bringing them along for the ride.
After a while, the plot and characterization (all finely constructed) become secondary to the visual display. The dragons, in particular, are an impressive sight to behold. Their scaly skin and ferocious teeth are all expertly created with the finest detail. The faces of the humans in the story are a little less convincing. Occasionally, they look like video game characters, rather than living, breathing people in an adventure tale.
The FUNimation DVD/Blu-ray combo pack has some helpful features to clue viewers into the Dragon Age universe. But honestly, the movie stands by itself as a nice entry point into the realm. It doesn’t solely cater to the fanatics, but also welcomes newcomers.
The much-anticipated animated feature is a winner in just about every aspect. Hopefully, it will usher in a new wave of stand-alone movies from this ever-popular video game series.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
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Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker
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2012
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Creative Director of Bioware: Mike Laidlaw
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Running time: 90 minutes
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Special features: Bioware studio tour, Dwan of the Seeker backstage pass, Dragon Age production art and previews
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Rating:
