Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"Winter Dragon" is an American 22-minute live action short film from 2015 and there is a chance these novel-based stories may get an own series at some point in the near future. 2 years ago, it did not work out and you can see that this one here got some really harsh criticisms. The director is James Seda and the most known cast member is probably Billy Zane. As this is a little fantasy film and that is really not my favorite genre and also because of the low rating, my expectations here weren't too high. And it was pretty much what I expected: a bit pretentious at times and also takes itself more seriously than it should. But then again so does Game of Thrones and you could see that the makers here were heading into that direction making it an interesting watch for GoT audiences. I can't say if they succeeded, probably rather the opposite. In any case, I personally thought this was not a good watch, but also not a failure as some may say it was in terms of acting, story and the project as a whole. I must say that my review comes from the perspective of somebody who has not only not read the books, but doesn't even know them. A thumbs-down and I'd probably not watch it as a serious if the quality is the same as in this potential pilot episode. Watch something else instead.
yuukanna
When I saw the description of this episode tucked away in an obscure time-slot on an obscure channel I was both excited and concerned. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan is deeply significant in my life. Even in the start of this episode, you can immediately feel the collective disappointment of Wheel of Time fans worldwide as the quality was low and dull in the extreme. As it went on I began to understand just how offended one can get by blasphemy or mockery to something well loved... This poorly handled grab at retaining rights nearly physically hurt me with how disgusted I felt.
David Newell
Red Eagle has been sitting on this great trove of modern mythology for a decade or so. They've had plenty of time to do something amazing. And if anything, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, should have spurred them to REAL action.Instead, these clowns produced a junior college quality abortion of a film with wooden acting and cartoon costumes. They literally sneaked this dog onto the air at like 1AM, probably so that no one would watch it. Why? Two reasons: First, these Turd World Refugees knew it would suck. Second: It was a greedy, desperate attempt to hold on to the rights of a story they didn't invent, and haven't done a damned thing worth mentioning with for ten years.If it were a perfect world, Rand al'Thor and the Asha'man would show up at Red Eagle's offices and Balefire them right of the Pattern of this Age.Do Not Watch This.
bjjs3
Understanding the circumstances of this Short, created in a tight deadline to retain the rights to the story, is key to appreciating its value. It is a stylistic portrayal of the series prologue and fully stands alone as a short. The remaining 13,000 pages aren't needed to explain this short, and the characters and actors in this short aren't needed to create a TV series which would likely skip the prologue completely. I thought the directing and writing was a very good adaptation and really captured the spirit of the prologue. I found it entertaining. If you're expecting a 'Game of Thrones' type of pilot, don't watch.
AD
