There Be Dragons

I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about this movie. However, I enjoyed it and want to buy it when it comes out on DVD. I had heard conflicting reviews. Thankfully, I went and saw it for myself. It is a movie covering political, sociological, psychological, and spiritual issues. It's a movie that inspires conversation and analysis. Even though some may think it is an overly religious movie, it is not. The themes are poignant. I would not take anyone under a junior in high school to see it. Graphic images of murder and war are many. Most high schoolers aren't at the maturity level to understand the deeper meaning of the movie. It is a film that challenges me to reassess and confront my own "dragons" that haunt me.

Realistically, this is two movies. One about the writer and his father. One about Opus Dei. The two stories are related by the thinnest of threads and the relation doesn't actually need to be there at all. I think the story about father and son, Monolo and Robert, would have been worth pursuing in more depth. The reason behind their rift is only alluded to and not explored terribly well, and their spontaneous reconciliation at the end felt forced. Deus ex machina. Perhaps a bit literally. Meanwhile, the story about Josemaria Escriva -- I can't understand why Joffe didn't show him walking on water as he did just about everything else. I found that this felt like a really nice public relations piece for Opus Dei. I guess the Church and Joffe felt they'd taken enough hits from Dan Brown and needed some positive spin.

Roland Joffé did not disappoint me with this film. I am a first generation spaniard and I find Joffé's portrayal of the Civil War honest and fair. The story is not engulfed by facts of history, it takes great care in exploring the mysteries of the characters' backgrounds. On one side we have the historical figure of Jose Maria Escribar, tormented in his search for God and holding firmly to his ideals while submerged in a world of hatred and chaos. On the other Manolo, haunted by vengeance and confusion; fighting without a cause and desperately searching for something he can believe him, an answer to his inner chaos. Finally, Roberto, son of Manolo, must slowly unveil the terrible secrets his father has hidden within him and come to terms with finding out who the man that brought him up was. The film explores the senseless nature of war and its consequences, the spiral of hatred that slowly engulfs men, the repentance for terrible mistakes and the struggle to forgive them. Each character follows a path filled with dilemmas and suffering at the end of which they must fight themselves and their dragons. Technicalwise, the film is faultless. There is great care in every scene and as I can testify Joffé has done his homework. The detail to which the history and scenery of 1937 Spain has been recreated is astounding. Even so, the story talks about people, about soldiers; never about leaders or politicians. The film captures the essence of human conflict in its most raw form. Do not expect an action packed war film. For those who have interest in the roots of Opus Dei, this film will not help you there. It deals with the repercussions of war and strife in people, it does not deal with the grander scale of things. If nothing else this film will reassure you that war is and always will be a futile tragedy, all victories are Pyrrhic and the aftermath leaves bitter resentment and pain. An interesting perspective in this film is that of the many bystanders who are forced to choose the side they support and so they must be separated from loved ones forever. When a few want war, the rest have no say. As long as the hatred of so few is not buried, war will rise once more. There Be Dragons is a deeply personal and spiritual film. It is very intense and reflects unapologetically the worst side of humanity. It is true to the title, where this film takes you, there be dragons.

Roland Joffe of The Mission and The Killing Fields wrote and directed There Be Dragons. The film's music, storyline and visuals have that quintessential Joffe feel and look. This epic historic drama is well crafted, even if it starts off a bit slowly. The film looks at the early life of the Catholic saint Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, the controversial Catholic organization recently caricatured by the book and movie versions of Dan Brown's DaVinci Code. A self-described agnostic, Joffe takes the religious aspects of the story (most of which are supposedly based in fact) seriously and with finesse, which is at once rare and welcome. The movie has war themes, battle scenes, a love story, intrigue, catharsis and more. The end leaves you wanting to know more about Josemaria Escriva. I highly recommend this film.

I found this film so pretentious in its aspiration and claims, so boring badly-acted and obviously propagandist in its execution to compel me to write my first review. (When I woke up after the big ZZzzz, I mean...) What it does is to paint a glorified history of the "Saint" and the birth of the Opus Dei, in pure ecclesiastic style, never mind historic accuracy. It would still be all OK to me if the film had any cinematographic merits, if the acting was good, if dialogue was credible But it really isn't (e.g., "I wasn't allowed to play with Jose Maria anymore, my father thought poverty was contagious... My dad had more money, ... but Jose Maria had more dad." Excuse me! And also: "Like or not, most young men were celibate, at least as a priest you got paid for it". What? Excuse me!) So, my advice is: really don't waste your two hours trying to stay awake during this: if you're interested in the Opus Dei and Escriva De Balaguer, find a more serious and reliable source, if you only want to go the movies, find a better film. This one should stay in the religious circles were it belongs, not in theatres.

I think it's a great movie that conveys hope to everyone who is at least a little open-mindedness. It's a movie to see without prejudice, to enjoy the action, to think a bit and will surely help the spectator to keep less absurd wars in the home, in the family, at work, in neighborhood meetings, in political life... Is it possible to forgive when people kill to his neighbor? Is it possible to be blind to reality? I hope that this film will full your mind and your heart, as it did me. I remembered these words of "the way", the "best seller" of José María Escrivá: "Your life is not a sterile life. Be helpful. Let dregs. Shine forth with the torch of your faith and your love. You must remove, with your apostolic life, the dirt and slime left by the corrupt sowers of hatred".

Now I'm not a Catholic, my wife is - and I got dragged to go see this film. Though it has some interesting (but short) actions scenes, the storyline is kind of confusing and boring if you know nothing about the Spanish Civil War or Canonization or Opus Dei. I constantly had to have my wife explain to me what was going on in the film in relation to the Catholic faith. Looking at the (laughable) reviews here, I imagine most were written by Catholics or the marketing team for the movie. If your a religious nut, this movie might be for you. If you want to see a good war movie, just rent Saving Private Ryan. Much better action and drama. If your not a Catholic, avoid this movie like the plague.

"Hi friends, I just saw a movie that will debut in the United States of America: "There Be Dragons. " I'm happy because it explains very well the Eucharist and the priestly ministry instituted by Christ in the first week of April 1982 years ago. I'm just angry that the bad guy is named after my cousin Manuel Torres, it could have been named Dan Moreno. Another question has arisen in me, why have not recorded in Barbastro the years of childhood?. Thanks Practitioners complain that Spanish cinema viewers have no interest in his films and it is difficult to raise money. But a Spanish production, find dragons, is winning before his arrival in the charts. Key: imagination and effort" The film's producer, Mount Santa Fe, has set up a system so far unprecedented in Spain, which has been the unseen, the movie has started engines so that you can almost certainly lead to when to take walk there will be no stopping her.

Sorry, I watched this movie without any prior knowledge or background to Josemaria nor the Opus Dei. I have to admit I couldn't stay interested in it. I found it boring, tedious, slow and just horrible. I had to register to save other people the excruciating experience of watching such a lame movie. Reading other reviews, I would have thought that the movie would explore the darker side of humanity or some other profound concepts, but the movie failed, and just kept going on and on. Two hours of my life I can not take back. If you like slow, tedious and overall epic failure at trying to make a movie with a deeper meaning, then watch this movie "there be dragons".

Just watched this movie with three other atheist friends. The movie may have Catholic topics, and yes the peculiarities of the Spanish civil war but it is about anthropological universals present in human experience. It is appealing to all audiences. My friends described it a powerful and well done movie. I find it particularly appropriate as a reflection applicable to our current political and social fights. I went to the theater with low expectations since the critics were giving really bad reviews. I consider myself as having pretty high standards for movie quality, and frankly, I cannot make sense of the critics. Probably it is not a politically correct movie, so it is not surprise that critics unable to give up political correctness offer many straw man arguments. Beautiful photography, plenty of leitmotifs and cross-references, good acting. As a Spaniard living in the US I was glad to see a movie about the war that does not take sides.