 | Distributor: | Columbia Tristar |
| Release: | 2004 | |
| Genre: | Drama, Action, Adventure, Fantasy | |
| MPAA Rating: | PG-13 for some intense action violence and brief sexuality/nudity |
When a movie is being promoted in relation to a very popular movie with the same theme, the words "rip-off", "cashing in", and "expect to be disappointed" flash through my mind.
So, when this movie was being promoted as the story that influenced Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, I had second thoughts about watching it. I finally did - not because I liked Lord of the Rings, but I had read of the stories of Siegfried when I was in grade school, way before I read Lord of the Rings (which I read when I was already in my 20s).
As it turned out, it is a good way to spend about two hours while munching popcorn. The costumes, settings and props were okay; the story tried to stick to its literary source; and the acting wasn't bad (Loken's Brunhild is a warrior woman, so once more, we have the stern face most of the time).
The story was different from what I remembered reading. That's because I read of the Siegfried in the Volsunga Saga, while this is largely based on the Nibelungenlied version. No Brunhild surrounded by fire here, but Siegfried still kills a dragon, falls in love with two women (when I was a kid, I would have trouble remembering which "hild" is what woman in the middle of the story, hehehe!), and the story ends in tragedy.
As in Terminator 3, Kristanna Loken does a lot of stunts and has a nude scene. At least you hear her speak and you see some emotion on her face in this movie.
Furmann played Siegfried in a way that we can relate to the tragic hero in the books as a human like us... who just happens to have more powers than ordinary mortals. Witt played Kriemhild as a beautiful young woman who, although she isn't "evil", was willing to use magic to get the man she wants. I think the Kriemhild in the books was more cunning.
I don't think any of the other actors sucked, either, although a better show of emotions from the kid who played the young Siegfried would've been nice ... and yeah, I know he's supposed to act like he was in shock.
Being linked to the Lord of the Rings may have worked in prodding people to watch this one, yet it also ensures that this movie remains in the shadow of Peter Jackson's trilogy. If you go to webforums discussing this movie, comparison to LOTR is inevitable. I do find it funny how some people trash this movie for having too many elements similar to LOTR, and yet not know that the story of the Nibelung dwarfs, their ring, and Siegfried existed long before Tolkien was born.
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