Young Thomas is apprenticed to the local Spook to learn to fight evil spirits. His first great challenge comes when the powerful Mother Malkin escapes her confinement while the Spook is away.
This swords-and-sorcery throwback has little imagination on display, instead doubling down on computer-generated flair to pass the time.
A swollen budget, a mini-Big Lewbowski reunion, and top-notch digital effects fail to enliven proceedings in yet another ho-hum dragon chaser based on a YA novel.
Oscar-winners Moore and Bridges may well be taking the money and running, but thankfully they leave behind a plethora of memorably silly moments for connoisseurs of truly bad films to treasure.
It's fine. Dragons fight, pillars fall over, people scream to the heavens. You know the drill…
It’s lively and daft, and you find yourself wondering: all this expertise, and the best anybody could think to do with it was this?
The film is enjoyable enough if taken as a cheesy, old-fashioned B-movie with a taste of Ray Harryhausen about it.
Verdict: Daft fantasy epic.
Not even Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore can save this sword-and-sorcery saga.
General release. Check local listings for show times.