Reign of Fire

If it weren't for the dragons, this far-fetched fantasy would have drowned in its own mediocrity. A skeletal, anticlimactic mess from Rob Bowman, director of The X-Files movie, it relies totally on its mythological flying fire-breathers to carry the film. The action is set in the near future, where these scaly monsters have overrun the world after being inadvertently unleashed by London Underground workers. While restricted to a handful of repetitious set pieces, the dragons' impressive presence is welcome relief from the laboured structure and a plot that's full of holes. In comparison, the actors are mere colourless support, with performances that range from hammy (Christian Bale) to simply wooden (Gerard Butler). The sole spark of humanity comes from Matthew McConaughey, whose gung-ho glee brings a hint of excitement and adventure to this hugely unsatisfying feature.