CINEQUEST 2022 | MOVIE REVIEW: "Here Be Dragons"; A Tired Tale of Justice

4/12 ForReel Score | 2/5 Stars

Detective noir films seem so distant from the films that birthed the genre like Vertigo or Double Indemnity. They seem to piece the tired hero's journey, familiar style elements, and basic storylines with over-the-top action. I’ve found that many of these types of films forget the main factor that intrigued the audiences in the first place: the mystery. Although Here Be Dragons makes an effort to convey a riveting story - the synopsis is certainly attention-grabbing - the film unfortunately falls into a similar trap. 

Over 25 years after the end of The Bosnian War, foriegn governments appear to have moved on. That is, until rumors of war criminal Jovan Petrovic (Slobodan Bestic, A Serbian Film) hiding in Belgrade begin to circulate. In need of closure, criminal investigator David Locke (Nathan Sapsford, Life Saver) ventures to Serbia to verify these claims. Along his journey, David must fight demons he thought were long buried and learn the true meaning of justice. 

I tend to expect for a slow burn noir to steadily intrigue as the plot progresses, building to a grand level of impact. However, throughout most of the 120 minute runtime of Here Be Dragons, I often found my mind wandering. Most scenes felt unnecessary and didn’t seem to advance the plot forward. It’s almost halfway through the film before it begins to feel like a detective story. David plans to get close to Petrovic by creating a bond with his wife, Mira Vuckovic (Marija Bergam, The Trap). The scene has all the classic themes of a noir, however that’s the closest the film relates to classic noir films. Writer/director Alastair Newton Brown’s (Go on Then) feature debut fails in creating the same kind of intrigue as the films of the 1940’s and 1950’s, as it lacks many of the enchanting qualities I had hoped it could capture.

Visually, the film seems simple, but cinematographer Marc Widen (Command Performance) is able to craft quite elegant shots. Even though most scenes are dreary and gray, his framing paints visually intriguing shots. The blocking feels purposeful and more thought out than the script itself. The only other saving grace is Sapsford’s performance. He is masterful at holding true to the stereotypical damaged soul who still craves justice. Sapsford even keeps composure during cringey PTSD induced dream sequences. His performance outshines the rest of the cast, and that regrettably diminishes much of the satisfaction I wanted to derive from the film’s resolution.

Here Be Dragons forces viewers to work through major lulls for little pay off. Audiences may feel they’ve seen much of the themes, style, and story before, but better executed in other films. If taken in a different narrative direction - for example, possibly letting Mira act as the protagonist, bearing witness as she uncovers the demon’s of her husband's past - perhaps the premise could have lent itself to being a more captivating and intriguing experience. Brown puts in a valiant effort on this one, however, Here Be Dragons fails to capture the light.

Acting and Casting - 1 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 0 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer's Preference -0 | What does this mean?