Film Shapes

Full disclosure - I know bugger all about the game on which this film is based, except that it's loved by nerds all over the world. Well, nerds rejoice, because this is the start of a franchise that will likely peak around film number three and peter out slowly until the money dries up. But let's not think about the future, this first one is a great lark. Plot contrivances aside, it's a breezy little number that didn't outstay it welcome (it's just over 2 hours) and it doesn't try to be anything more than a jokey, charming action fantasy. There are numerous rip-offs or homages - Lord of the Rings , The Princess Bride , even Serenity , at a pinch, and it's all held together by Chris Pine's endearingly failure-laden chancer, Edgin. The opening hammers through the backstory, introduces the main characters and antagonists, and positions the heroes' journey, all in a functional, albeit slightly muddled manner (I didn't quite catch the reasoning for th...