People are voting emotionally.

hyped garbage

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Concerned about the prospects of logic and magic existing side-by-side in harmony, a Medieval wizard summons the help of a twentieth century board gamer inventor who believes in dragons in this popular animated feature film. The movie is adapted from two separate books about dragons: one that speculates the existence of dragons and their biology, and the other a more straightforward fantasy adventure yarn. Memorable as many of the action sequences are, the film is at its best when channeling the more speculative book. The pseudoscience behind dragons, how they breath fire and how they fly is endlessly fascinating. The film also crosses some curious science fiction territory as the game board inventor also gets to experience how a dragon mind works after the wizard accidentally melds him with a dragon. The vast majority of the film though channels the adventure tale, which is significantly less interesting, especially as the characters keep droning on about science versus magic. That said, the film offers some thought-provoking notions in terms of the role of magic in human evolution, such as the idea that television screens were inspired by the crystal balls of fortune tellers and that planes resulted from fairies inspiring humankind to consider flight. The film benefits from some decent vocal work too. Only Harry Morgan disappoints due to the distinctive nature of his voice; he always sounds like Col. Potter from 'M*A*S*H'. James Earl Jones is especially good as the chief villain and John Ritter is perfect as the easily excited protagonist.

A movie from my childhood that stands the test of time surprisingly well. Too often nostalgia casts things in a certain light that went revisited doesn't hold up, but this film is an exception. The story (about magic striving to survive in a world where science is increasingly able to do without it) is one that most people would be familiar with. Staying relevant is similar to survival in many cases. And James Earl Jones's voice is a true gift to the film as he adds a sense of menace that feels very real. John Ritter similarly is fantastic. He attacks the role with an admirable level of both self-importance and wonder. The animation is a bit primitive by today's standards, but I still find that I adore the character designs and colors. Finally finding a copy of this to own was one of my better days!

"The Flight of Dragons" is finally being offered on DVD! Amazon is selling copies of the film on DVD-R discs using their Create Space service. These are legitimate, licensed copies. According to Amazon, copies of works sold through Create Space are made from original sources, so the picture and sound should be better than any bootleg available. So, if you've been looking for this film on DVD, just go to Amazon and search for "the flight of dragons DVD", and buy it directly from Amazon (not from the marketplace). I've already ordered my copy and can't wait to watch it. Create Space is licensed by the studio that owns the film to do this, so if the studio sees that there is a demand for the film, maybe we will see a normal DVD or Blu Ray release in the future.

I watched this movie as a child and when I watched it again today I thought I'd find it outdated. But that's what makes this movie truly magical! Its narrative is so beautiful and the characters so engaging. The choice of voice overs are definitely inspired, with gems from Victor Buono, Harry Morgan,John Ritter and the fabulous James Earl Jones.The animation is quite distinctly Japanese and very enchanting.It makes me think of all the great fantasy authors who write about true naming and knowing, whose stories reach us somewhere deep like Le Guin and L'Engle. So too this book and movie. For those who struggle everyday straddling both science and magic...