Dragonheart: A New Beginning

Dragonheart: A New Beginning
Directed by	Doug Lefler
Produced by	Raffaella De Laurentiis
Written by	Shari Goodhartz
Starring	Christopher Masterson Harry Van Gorkum Rona Figueroa
Music by	Mark McKenzie Theme: Randy Edelman
Cinematography	Buzz Feitshans IV
Editing by	John M. Taylor
Distributed by	Universal Pictures (North America) United International Pictures (Outside North America)
Release date(s)	July 2000 (United Kingdom) August 8, 2000 (Canada, United States) August 12, 2000
Running time	84 min.
Country	United States United Kingdom Slovakia
Language	English

Dragonheart: A New Beginning is a 2000 direct-to-video sequel of the 1996 film Dragonheart. The film is directed by Doug Lefler and stars Christopher Masterson, Harry Van Gorkum, and the voice of Robby Benson.

Plot

The story starts approximately one year after the death of Sir Bowen, protagonist of the previous film, who in the last year of his life, visited the cave-home of his long-dead friend Draco, and obtained there a dragon egg, which, at the time, contained the present film's character Drake (voiced by Benson). He took the egg to a monastery where lived his friend the monk Brother Gilbert. The friars at the monastery pledged to hide the dragon away, with Friar Peter protecting him and teaching him. Later, before Friar Peter dies, the task of taking care of Drake is passed to a young and gullible friar named Mansel.

An orphaned stable boy named Geoff, who dreams of one day becoming a knight like Bowen, lives at the monastery, doing menial chores; but he tricks Mansel into manual labor and discovers the hidden Drake. At first Geoff is afraid; but realizes Drake is more afraid of him. Thereafter they become friends, and Geoff draws Drake into the open.

During this time, two Chinese citizens, appearing to be a frail old man and his grandson, enter the kingdom and ask Friar Peter for Drake to fulfill a known prophecy stating that "a dragon's heart will doom mankind when a two-tailed comet blazed across the night sky". Fearing that Drake's heart is the heart of the prophecy, they wish to kill him. Meanwhile, the King makes a mysterious man named Ozric his adviser, and Ozric pledges to unite the kingdom under the old code, but corrupts it by forcing each status of citizen to wear a certain color of tunic.

While Geoff is complaining about this new law, he and Drake are surprised by some bullies, and Drake is forced to take his first flight. During this, the two Chinese learn of Drake's true existence and start to train him to use his dragon abilities, including fire-breathing, flight, using his tail, claws, and teeth, and to exhale an ice breath, the last of which is a rare skill that few dragons managed to master. Before this time of teaching, Geoff discovers that the Chinese grandson is the princess of China in disguise, who reveals that dragons once abetted mankind until an evil dragon named Griffin betrayed the dragons and killed humans. Fearing that all dragons were akin to Griffin, the Chinese emperor ordered the killing of every dragon in the country, so that Drake is the last dragon in the world.

Thereafter the Chinese citizens are taken under arrest into the castle and Geoff is made a knight for his friendship with Drake. Ozric takes them to battle a group of rebels where a fight engages, during which Ozric feigns a fatal blow and asks Drake to give him his heart. Before he can hand it over, Geoff notices that the attempt is a trick and rallies Drake in an escape (During which Drake masters his fire-breathing skills for the first time, previous efforts resulting in the fire coming out the wrong end). At the castle, when Ozric recognizes a familiar box, Master Kwan (the elder Chinese) recognizes Ozric's true identity and orders the amulet into the fire. Ozric douses the fire, opens the box, and finds his lost heart. He then throws a knife at Liann (Master Kwan's companion) in revenge for her ancestor's slaying of the dragons, only for Kwan to intercept the blade.

Geoff and Drake arrive, and as the comet comes into view, Ozric is revealed to be Griffin, whose heart was cut out by the emperor and that Liann borne it with her to protect it. When his heart is restored, he resumes his dragon form and asks Drake to join him in the conquest of mankind, but Drake, recalling how Griffin would have cost him his soul if Geoff had not intervened, refuses and a fight ensues. Drake wins by using his ice breath on Griffin, freezing him in mid-flight and letting him crash and break apart. Geoff is injured by a piece of ice lodged in his heart; so Drake offers a piece of his own, in the process securing his place in the constellation Draco. In the end, an off-screen elderly Mansel states that the old code was restored and Liann returned to her royal duties for a time, while Mansell was awarded guardianship of Brother Gilbert's scrolls. A life of prayer and devotion was his- although Mansell notes that it is quieter than he remembers-, while Geoff and Drake are joined as 'life-bond brothers', Mansell reflecting that they have each discovered the familial bond that was all they ever truly wanted.

Characters

Drake

A young dragon who lives in Friar Peter's monastery. Taught over time to fly and breathe fire by Liann and Master Kwan. Intimate friend of Geoff's. His exact age is unknown, but may be set near 20 years. He is voiced by Robby Benson. Drake is shy and responsible, rarely makes jokes and has little self-confidence. He resembles Draco and is assumed to be Draco's son and possibly a female dragon Draco referred to as "the Scarred One".

Griffin

A dragon who presumably fled during Bowen's twelve years of dragon-slaying, having come to regard the pledge of peace between humans and dragons as a cruel joke. He plotted a rebellion against both, but was captured and his heart was placed in a red round box. He was then cursed to live as a man, unless he could acquire a dragon's heart before a two-tailed comet passed across the sky. He is much older and somewhat stronger than Drake, but is killed by Drake's power of exhaling ice.

Geoff

The protagonist, a young orphaned stable boy, near 16 years old when he first met Drake. Made Protector of the Realm when Lord Osric met Drake for the first time. At the end of the film, he shares half of Drake's heart. As a stable boy at the monastery, he displays an ingenious mind and an adventurous spirit, but is also a joker and makes light of serious matters. He learns to be responsible and to think of others after he meets Drake, who comes to regard him as a brother.

Mansel

A humble and kind friar who was assigned to care for Drake after Friar Peter's death. He believes in the principles of God as taught by the monastery; but is somewhat remiss in fulfilling them. He keeps his task and Drake a secret until Geoff persuades him otherwise.

Liann

The young Chinese Empress, who traveled to the West in disguise with Master Kwan (her mentor). She leads their ox-pulled cart which is painted with Chinese symbols, and carries Griffin's heart in a box.

Master Kwan

The servant and mentor of Liann, a master of martial arts and a renowned expert on dragons. Drake's teacher in the use of exhaled fire and ice. Killed by Griffin while defending Liann.

Friar Peter

Friar Peter is the head Friar and master of the monastery. Brother Gilbert left his scrolls with him, and he left them in turn to Brother Mansel.

External links

• Dragonheart: A New Beginning at the Internet Movie Database