Reign of Fire (film)

Reign of Fire is a 2002 post-apocalyptic science fantasy film about a brood of fire-breathing dragons that emerges from the earth and begins setting everything ablaze, establishing dominance over the planet.
 * Directed by Rob Bowman. Written by Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka, and Matt Greenberg.

They're extremely intelligent. Highly evolved. And they don't like sharing the planet.

Quinn Abercromby

 * [looking at the approaching vehicles] That's a big tank.
 * I've kept this for years, because someday it will be up to you. I don't want you to be afraid. I want you to understand. Knowledge is the only weapon we've got left. In the beginning, it was ignorance that destroyed us. I saw the first, but soon the world saw millions. No one knew how they spawned so fast, they swarmed like locusts, burning everything in their path, driven by one purpose: to feed. Even then, we couldn't believe they were real. Ancient man had made them into myths, but nature had made something far more terrible. Too late, our scientists discovered their true identity: a species which had burned the dinosaurs to dust, whose ash had brought on ice ages, who in eons past had scorched the world clean of life, then starved and slept, waiting for the Earth to replenish itself, waiting to start their cycle anew. Our weapons shot fire back at them, yet for every one of them killed, a hundred took its place. They seemed invulnerable. We could only look on as our leaders used their greatest arsenal to destroy them. But in the end, we only helped them, till the world burned, and the few of us that were left fled the cities, found shelter where we could. You have to understand our past, because you will decide our future. They're starving now, and they're more dangerous than ever. But we have to go on. We have to outlast them. Only one species is getting out of this alive.

Denton Van Zan

 * Envy the country that has heroes, huh?! I say pity the country that needs 'em. What are you celebrating? One dragon down, three men dead? Oh, yeah. At that rate, we might just be getting somewhere in about 320 years. Is that what you want? You want a little accommodation? Nuh-uh. These beasts live on ash. They feed on death. There's no middle ground... not for them, not for us. And sure as hell not for my men who died out there today. But you go ahead. Have your little... soiree. Personally, you disgust me.
 * Look out that window, Eden isn't burning. It's burnt.
 * You see, they have great vision during the day, and even better vision at night. But in the failing light, they can't focus. Magic hour.
 * We have paid a terrible price, and now we've got a chance to make a difference. We will.

Creedy

 * Only one thing worse than a dragon... Americans.
 * Marauders. Years since we've seen them. Well, look at the bright side - at least we're not alone.

Dialogue

 * Van Zan: What are you doing here, Quinn?
 * Quinn: You're standing on ground where I've buried hundreds. This my land. I'll ask the questions. What are YOU doing here?


 * [after Quinn lets Van Zan in]
 * Creedy: I'm sure you have a perfectly good explanation for this, but I'm buggered if I know what it is.
 * Quinn: He's a Dragon Slayer.
 * Creedy: What?
 * Quinn: A Dragon Slayer.
 * Creedy: Oh, he's a Dragon Slayer. I suppose that would make you King Arthur does it?


 * [Van Zan gives Quinn a drink from a hip flask.]
 * Quinn: [spitting it out] It's water!
 * Van Zan: You're gonna need it.


 * Quinn: What do we do when we are awake?
 * The Children: Keep two eyes on the sky.
 * Quinn: What do we do when we sleep?
 * The Children: Keep one eye on the sky.
 * Quinn: What do we do when we see them?
 * The Children: Dig hard, dig deep, go for shelter, and never look back.

Taglines

 * They're extremely intelligent. Highly evolved. And they don't like sharing the planet.
 * Fight Fire With Fire
 * The Battle Ignites July 12

Quotes about Reign of Fire

 * We cannot believe what happens in the movie, and we cannot believe that the movie was made. [...] Why are the last words in the movie, "Thank God for evolution"? Could it be a ray of hope that the offspring of this movie may someday crawl up onto the land and develop a two-celled brain?
 * Roger Ebert, "Reign Of Fire", Chicago Sun-Times, 12 July 2002

Cast

 * Christian Bale - Quinn Abercromby
 * Matthew McConaughey - Denton Van Zan
 * Izabella Scorupco - Alex Jensen
 * Gerard Butler - Creedy
 * Alice Krige - Quinn's mother
 * Scott Moutter - Jared Wilke
 * David Kennedy - Eddie Stax
 * Alexander Siddig - Ajay
 * Sebastian Siegel - Jefferson (uncredited)
 * Colm Peelo - The Dude on the Skateboard