The proposed "Inheritance Trilogy" of Christopher Paolini, of which Eragon is the first book, is renowned for the fact that it was penned by a precocious lad of 15 out in the expanses of Montana.

Paolini's properly proud parents tried to interest various publishers in their sprog's tale of dragons and derring-do with little luck, so they decided to publish it themselves. Eragon became a surprise sensation among the sci-fi/fantasy set to the point where the once-scornful New York City publishers had to take note. The rest is a passable tale of youthful success matching early promise. The second installment, Eldest, followed, and the concluding book in the trilogy is awaited in some bookshop aisles with bated breath. Until that future lay-down date, fans of i>Eragon have both a video game and a new motion picture to keep them satisfied.

Having never read Paolini's books, I'm unable to judge how faithful the video game is to the source. For that matter, I can hardly judge the film version's closeness to Eragon either, except for the fact that the scriptwriter's grasp on dialogue seems very close to that of a 15-year-old, which may be grossly unfair to the seemingly mature teen who originally wrote it.

We hear the voice of Jeremy Irons coming to us from what must be a fine-wine cask. He alerts us to the fact that we are entering one of those troubled lands that bears a name that sounds like a combination of Heptarchy kingdom and neurological complaint: Alagaesia. Irons delivers a potted history of the place while images of upheaval and battle fill the screen. We gather that the wrong side won, and that bucolic Alagaesia is now ruled over by the malignant tyrant Galbatorix (a somnambulistic John Malkovich).

Standing against Galbatorix is the Varden, a people who have taken to the hills to populate various elf and troll districts. The Varden, as with so many defeated people, are waiting for a savior, who, they hope, will come riding to the rescue on the back of a flying dragon, as from days of yore. They haven't long to wait, as young Eragon (Edward Speleers) has stumbled upon a dragon's egg.

Discovery, initiation, a quest and confrontation follow in some semblance of Campbellian order, as the young hero and his dragon bond (and, occasionally, blend) on their way to heroism. Eragon is educated in the rules of dragon-riding by former reptile pilot Brom (Irons), while plots to destroy Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, are being concocted by an evil "shade" named Durza (Robert Carlyle).

Eragon is certainly action-packed to the point where the pyrotechnical displays often cover the poverty and portentousness of the dialogue, which, at times, achieves unintentional hilarity. Though it's refreshing to have the Hollywood tables turned to where the plummier Brits are the heroes and an American is the personification of evil, the acting is unusually wooden.

Malkovich occasionally bestirs himself to growl and Irons intones his lines as if he were auditioning for a community hall's Henry V, while newcomer Speleers perfects earnestness. Of all the cast, it's Carlyle who most seems to enjoy his role as the demon-master Durza.