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Did anyone else think of Starwars When watching Eragon?

posted 14 years ago by hedauto
52 replies | jump to latest

I've not read 'Eragon' or its sequels but i intend to. I thouroughly enjoyed the film however i couldn't help but notice that it was basically a 'A New Hope' only replace the X-wings with 'dragon' Please allow me to explain.

'StarWars: A New Hope' i think was based on an old Asian legend/story so i won't call Eragon a rip-off by any stretch of the imagination but the plot seems to match perfectly.

a. Farmboy lives with uncle and close friend/relative leaves for odd reasons

1. Farmboy meets wizened old warrior/mentor and suspects hidden power/potential

2. Farmboy's family murdered by 'evil empire' due to him finding something of value

3. Farmboy goes on run with old guy and slowly learns about ancient power hidden within himself

4. Message hidden within a dream/droid leads to a prison break during which old mentor is killed by 'evil emperor/king's' lackey and princess is freed

4a. In attempt to find resistance movement the 'evil empire' is led to their hidden base in the Yavin mountains

5. Farmboy Joins resistance movement. Wins final showdown, lackey is defeated. Thus becoming Heroboy

Now replace x-wing with dragon, the force with magic, jedi with dragon-riders and we're essentially watching the same film.

This is not a criticism as i enjoyed both movies thoroly. Merely an observation and i wondered if anyone else picked up on it?

[–] koris-guy 14 years ago

I certainly did. So did some reviewers, at least. It's just like Star Wars, except it's fantasy, and, you know, crap.

[–] Klopek007 14 years ago

I'm embarrassed to say that it took me a while to realize that it's pretty much the same story. While sitting in the theater, I thought "why does this feel so familiar?"

You forgot a few similarities, though:

-Film opens with a princess being chased by the evil empire because she's carrying an object that's vital to the resistance. She is captured, but gets the object away in the nick of time, and it is soon found by the unlikely farmboy hero.

-Mentor is the only known surviving member of an ancient order of highly respected righteous peacekeeping warriors. The reason they are almost extinct is because they were betrayed by one of their own, who is now in a very powerful position.

-They go into a bar full of shady characters, looking for information. A fight breaks out, which almost gets them caught by the empire. This is the "we're not in Kansas anymore" scene.

-They are joined by a outlaw that is difficult to trust, but ultimately proves himself heroic in the climactic battle.

I'm pretty sure I found more, but that's all I can recall at the moment. Star Wars was primarily inspired by westerns and serial films that Lucas watched as a kid. I don't know about Asian legends, but see here for more details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_sources_and_analogues

And yes, Eragon is a complete Star Wars rip-off, no stretching of imagination required. :) To be fair, it could easily have been subconscious on the part of the original author, but surely the would've realized it when adapting it for the screen.

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[–] megArnold 14 years ago

Star Wars, as Lucas always acknowledged, was loosely based on Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress" (1958).

[–] xcaptaincharismax 13 years ago

VERY loosely

at least that's what I think. Hidden Fortress was too cartoonish. In Star Wars, only the robots and maybe the Storm Troopers are cartoonish, but not the whole film itself.

[–] Buckaroo-Robot-Monster 8 years ago

In Hidden Fortress, the two peasants contemplate various wicked deeds such as betraying the Princess for a reward and even raping the Princess. Perhaps Lucas' first script with General Starkiller was based on Hidden Fortress but by the end the story line is pretty much Lord of the Rings.

[–] prakashsant7 14 years ago

That thought crossed my mind. Though just Rachel Weisz's voice also reminded me of the Mummy films. (Not that there's anything wrong with that sort of reminder.)

[–] megArnold 14 years ago

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
What made you think that??!?

[–] DonNova 14 years ago

Wow, I don't think anybody has ever thought of the surprising similarities until now!!! Thanks Captain Obvious, yet another job well done!!!

[–] irraban 14 years ago

Striking similarities. Now that you elaborated all these points i can't think anything otherwise. Thank you very much.

[–] seancriley-1 13 years ago

Go take a look at Joseph Campbell's hero cycle (detailed in his book "The Hero With A Thousand Faces"). You will find the core story behind Eragon, Star Wars, the Matrix, The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, and nearly every hero myth in history. They're all similar because something about the story strikes a chord deep in our psyches. Eragon did not rip off Star Wars, any more than Star Wars ripped off Perseus. Paolini most likely studied Campbell. Even if he didn't, he was simply expressing the classic hero myth that we all respond to.

[–] megArnold 13 years ago

Nonsense! I'm getting sick of Campbell being showed down our throats as an excuse for lack of creativity. Where does Campbell mention:

1. Film opens with a princess being chased by the evil empire because she's carrying an object that's vital to the resistance. She is captured, but gets the object away in the nick of time, and it is soon found by the unlikely farmboy hero.

2. Farmboy lives with uncle and close friend/relative leaves for odd reasons

3. Farmboy's family murdered by 'evil empire' due to him finding something of value

4. Mentor is the only known surviving member of an ancient order of highly respected righteous peacekeeping warriors. The reason they are almost extinct is because they were betrayed by one of their own, who is now in a very powerful position.

5. They go into a bar full of shady characters, looking for information. A fight breaks out, which almost gets them caught by the empire. This is the "we're not in Kansas anymore" scene.

6. They are joined by an outlaw that is difficult to trust, but ultimately proves himself heroic in the climactic battle.

7. In attempt to find the resistance movement the 'evil empire' is led to their hidden base in the Yavin mountains

8. Message hidden within a dream/droid leads to a prison break during which old mentor is killed by 'evil emperor/king's' lackey and princess is freed

9. Farmboy joins resistance movement. Wins final showdown, lackey is defeated. Thus becoming Heroboy

This is all stuff that Lucas introduced himself into Star Wars, and is not present in Campbell's Monomyth. Yet, it shows up verbatim in "Eragon".

[–] skoobaba 13 years ago

Its plaguerism, plain and simple.

[–] Buckaroo-Robot-Monster 8 years ago

Plagiarism is such an ugly word. I prefer xerox because of the x's.

[–] movieguy592 13 years ago

I agree that Campbell is not to blame for why we see this "one person destined to save the world" story. If people actually read more books from earlier times, they'll realize that this has gone on from well, as early as anyone can remember. From the Bible to present day. Just so we're clear there were also books before the bible so you can go further back if you'd like.

That said I can see similarities to Star Wars and other films. Though you CANNOT say that it's a "Star Wars" only "ripoff" as you'll find a story before SW that is clearly similar to it. The definition of plagerize especially in film/novel context should not include the word "idea" in it. As ideas cannot be copyrighted.

Ideas are a dime a dozen and NOTHING is original these days. If you dig deep enough you'll eventually find something that similar to something else. Anyway about the nine similarities listed - I can

**************

1. Film opens with a princess being chased by the evil empire because she's carrying an object that's vital to the resistance. She is captured, but gets the object away in the nick of time, and it is soon found by the unlikely farmboy hero.

Pretty much every fantasy has something like this. Maybe not as noticeable but it's still there.

2. Farmboy lives with uncle and close friend/relative leaves for odd reasons

Another common theme in fantasy/sci-fi. Yes Fantasy and Sci-fi are in the same genre... deal with it people.

3. Farmboy's family murdered by 'evil empire' due to him finding something of value

Usually the basis for why the hero or heroine must fulfill their quest or exact revenge. Definitely NOT limited to Star Wars and WAS NOT started by Star Wars.

#4 is also pretty much a given in some capacity of fantasy novels.

#5 - Ok, that might be a little to close to SW :)

The rest are also very common fantasy/sci-fi plots NOT "introduced" by Lucas himself. ASK LUCAS he'll be the first to tell you that he didn't "create" any of it. He also states that SW was loosely based on a 1959 pic called The Hidden Fortress. But did lucas make this mythos arc popular? Absolutely.

I'm not defending the film because some parts really did feel Star-Wars-ish. To me it really was the dialogue was the most blatant "copy" of Star Wars. I also didn't really think the movie was all that great. Special effects were decent, but the story line has been done so many times. While it is a common story arc, no seems to want to change it. Instead of wanting to make it their own like changing up pieces, the follow the mold and try to make it the next big epic.

I'm writing a fantasy novel and it has magic, evil monarch and dark magic... the first question I get from people is "Is it like Harry Potter?" UGH. That's like saying Because the Wizard of Oz has a "wizard" in it, it's like Harry Potter. Come on. Most of us wear white socks the majority of the time right? Why are you copying me? lol.

Anyway the movie again way too "preachy" and to an extend did feel Star Wars-ish, from what I hear so do the books. I've yet to read the first book since It's not available at the library yet. John, Robert and Jeremy the best acting in the movie. Good music and nice job by Rachel Weisz for the material she was given.

[–] Tequila_Eclipse 13 years ago

Yes. Total Star Wars rip-off. I don't see how you could have enjoyed it though.

And there are far too many characters with similar names to George R.R. Martins Epic A Song of Ice and Fire (Brom, Arya) too be coincidental.

This movie is so bad, there will never be a sequel.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Kuato_and_George 13 years ago

I read the first book a few years ago. I thought it was decent. I didn't love it, but I enjoyed it enough. I liked that it tried to set up rules for magic-related issues (which I think most fantasy novels simply don't do, which makes it contradictory at times). I recently started reading the second book and am liking it.

I see similarities, but enough differences to where I don't think it's a carbon copy.

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