Box office and reception Dragonslayer

— von gunden, kenneth flights of fancy: great fantasy films, mcfarland, 1989, isbn 0-7864-1214-3

the film grossed on $14 million in estimated budget of usd$18 million. despite mediocre box office performance, later became cult classic on home video. @ review aggregator website rotten tomatoes, film has rating of 6.7 out of 10, 86% positive reviews; consensus reads: atypically dark disney adventure, dragonslayer puts realistic spin -- , impressive special effects -- on familiar tale.

praise

kevin thomas of los angeles times called vermithrax greatest dragon yet , , praised film effective evocation of dark ages.

david denby of new york praised dragonslayer s special effects , lauded film being better excalibur , raiders of lost ark.

criticism

david sterritt of christian science monitor, although praising sets , pacing of film, criticised lack of originality, stressing mcnicol s , richardson s characters bore many similarities heroes of star wars. similar critique given john coleman of new statesman, called film turgid sword-and-sorcery fable, ralph richardson in backdated kind of star wars of alec guinness role... .

tim pulleine of monthly film bulletin criticised film s lack of narrative drive , clarity supplement special effects.

alex keneas of newsday criticised film being focused on superstition, , being bereft of sense of medieval time, place , society... .