You know, re-watching Dragonheart 2: A New Beginning again after all these years (I haven’t watched it since I was a kid), it’s...honestly not that bad.
Yes, it's clearly made for cheap, it's more childish with cringe-inducing moments, it uses stock-footage from the first film, the characters (mainly Geoff) speak in modern slang, the special effects are pretty bad, and the plot can be confusing due to the editing, but the people behind this film were at least trying to make a good sequel. There was a interesting story the movie wanted to tell, at least in my opinion. It just needed better execution. Despite the T.V budget, the film did a relatively good job putting us into a medevial environment, and I enjoyed the lore and ideas it provided. To me, they were unique and fit the Dragonheart world more than anything the prequels (The Sorcerer's Curse, Battle for the Heartfire, and Vengeance) provided. Plus, the acting was actually pretty decent. Aside from Robby Benson, who was sadly dull and un-inspiring as the voice of Drake, I bought everyone in the roles they played.
Regarding the music, it’s hard to top Randy Edelman’s score for the original Dragonheart, but Mark McKenzie did alright following in his footsteps. Some tracks, aside from the reused Dragonheart theme, are memorable, my personal favorites being the song “My Heart Goes With You”, both the intrumental version, and the one sung by Rona Figueroa.
Overall, Dragonheart 2: A New Beginning is okay. Is it a worthy sequel to the original film? Yes and no. Aside from some of the ideas, I can still see why people don’t like this film. Plus, the first Dragonheart had a solid, albeit heartbreaking, ending that did well at wrapping everything up and really didn’t need a sequel. Still, I won’t mind returning to A New Beginning when I am in the mood. I'll consider if canon...well, the same way I consider Jurassic World canon to Jurassic Park (aka the story ended with The Lost World, but it picks back up with Jurassic Park 3, Jurassic World, and Fallen Kingdom in another universe, if that makes any sense). It felt more like Dragonheart than any of the prequels, and I certainly enjoyed it more than those films.
(I apologize for all of the prequel bashing. I know some people love those films, but I can’t get behind them.)
I give this film a 6/10. Is that too generous? Probably, but I have a soft spot for the movie, I can’t help it.
P.S: Drake is an adorable sweetheart, and I will protect him at all costs.
