Eragon (film)

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Eragon is a film adaptation of the eponymous first book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle, released in 2006 by 20th Century Fox. It was the first film directed by Stefen Fangmeier and stars Ed Speleers (in his debut role), Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, and Rachel Weisz.

Eragon, a poor teenaged orphan from a small village, sees a mysterious polished stone appear while he's out hunting. At first hoping to trade it, he ends up keeping the stone, discovering it's actually a dragon's egg when it hatches in front of him. It also gives him a magical mark on his palm, indicating that the young dragon has chosen him to be its rider.

The hatching is detected by several users of magic, some of whom are working for the corrupt king, Galbatorix, and now want to kill Eragon. Fortunately for him, the closest is much more friendly: Brom, an old man who turns out to know a surprising amount about dragons.

Brom teaches Eragon to fight, use magic and ride the growing dragon, Saphira, while they travel to join a band of freedom fighters known as the Varden. On the way they have to deal with several of Galbatorix' mooks, including a dangerous shade called Durza.

The film did moderately well at the box office and hit number one worldwide on its opening weekend, partly due to its huge global launch. Sales soon dropped, though, and it was panned by critics. Fans of the books criticized it for changing the story so much that a sequel adaptation would be all but impossible - though with filming starting the same month the second book was released, the screenwriter was probably guessing at what he could safely leave out. Many fans have called for a reboot, especially as the book series has grown in instalments and popularity.

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Tropes used in Eragon (film) include:

• Actor Allusion: This isn't the only time Jeremy Irons played a character who killed one of the main character's fathers. However, given what that father was like, not to mention what he did to his dragon, Brom pretty much had a very good reason for doing so.
• Adaptation Dye Job: Arya's hair is changed from black to ginger.
• Adaptational Badass: In the book, Eragon only kills Durza with a distraction from Arya and Saphira giving him the opening to stab Durza's heart. Here, it's pretty much all him.
• Alternate DVD Commentary: Inspired a Riff Trax [1].
• And This Is For: Eragon, after impaling Durza in the heart, shouts "That's for Brom."
• Bald of Evil: Galbatorix.
• Bigger Bad: Galbatorix, to Durza's Big Bad
• Dark Is Evil: As if we needed more clues, Galbatorix's dragon is jet-black.
• Early-Bird Cameo: This film was the first time Galbatorix had ever physically appeared in the entire franchise. The same goes for his dragon
• Enforced Method Acting: Eragon's surprise when Brom comes up behind him when Eragon is looking through Brom's books for information about dragons.
• Ham and Cheese: This is the only explanation for Galbatorix's hamminess.
• Heroic Sacrifice / Taking the Bullet / Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Brom ends up being impaled by a spear sent by Durza that was meant for Eragon and dies from the wounds.
• In Name Only: The Ra'zac are very different to their book counterparts.
• Ironic Echo: Durza mentioned that he expected more when he first encounters Eragon. Eragon shot that phrase back at Durza shortly after impaling him midair in the heart.
• Large Ham: Galbatorix.

I suffer without my stone. Do not. Prolong. My suffering.

• Mythology Gag: The map of Alagaesia in Galbatorix's throne room is the exact same one included in the books.
  • The Invocation for Durza's giant shadow-monster at the climax sounded suspiciously like 'Lethrblaka'. In the books, Lethrblaka are the adult forms of the Ra'zac.
• Plot-Relevant Age-Up: Inexplicably, Saphira
• Pursued Protagonist: How Eragon gets the egg.
• Oh Crap: When Sloan learns that Eragon got the "stone" (actually a Dragon Egg), he briefly expresses a shocked expression and hurriedly gives back the stone to Eragon, denies its sale, and states he shouldn't have brought it here. It's implied that he's well aware of the stone's true origin, as well as the potential consequences of it arriving in the village.
• Opposite Gender Protagonists: Eragon and Saphira.
• Orcus on His Throne: It says a lot about Galbatorix that his appearance in this film is actually an addition to his appearances in the books.
• Shout-Out: Brom's "I've seen things you can't image" line is a shout-out to Blade Runner, according to the director.
• Stillborn Franchise: The movie was a critical failure and a financial disappointment. It also made it impossible to create a film of the second book due to discontinuity created by the first film, not to mention the number of ignored characters that would need to be introduced.
• The Stool Pigeon: Like in the book, Sloan the butchershop owner ends up squealing to the Razac about Eragon's possession of the egg. Unlike the book, however, the reason he did so was heavily implied to be under the Lacerated Larry type (ie, he was tortured into giving the information).
• Third Person Person: Angela.
• Vertigo Effect: Used in a shot right before Brom examines Saphira and Saphira agrees "he does know a bit about dragons". The director refers to it as "an homage to the shot in Jaws".