He's a Dragon: Difference between revisions

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| writerswriter = {{Plainlist|

* [[Bazelevs Company|Bazelevs Production]]<ref name="cbooo">{{cite web |url= http://cbooo.cn/m/643898 |title= 他是龙（2016） |trans-title= |access-date= August 15, 2016 |work= cbooo.cn |language= Chinese}}</ref>

* [[Russian ruble|₽]]126,557,888 (Russia, February 2016)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://kinobusiness.com/release/sbor/99135/week/ | title=Сборы |trans-title=Fees |website=kinobusiness.com |date= |access-date=}}</ref>

'''''He's a Dragon''''' or '''''He is Dragon''''' ({{lang-langx|ru|Он – дракон|On – drakón}}), also in English territories titled as '''''I Am Dragon''''', and in Germany '''''Dragon: Love is a Scary Tale''''', is a 2015 Russian [[3D film|3D]] [[romantic fantasy]] adventure film written and directed by Indar Dzhendubaev and produced by [[Timur Bekmambetov]]'s company [[Bazelevs Company|Bazelevs]]. The two main roles are played by [[Maria Poezzhaeva]] and Matvey Lykov.<ref name="cbooo"/><ref name="douban">{{cite web |url= https://movie.douban.com/subject/26726098/|title= 他是龙 Он - дракон (2015) |access-date= August 19, 2016 |work= movie.douban.com|publisher= [[douban.com]] |language= Chinese}}</ref> The film is loosely based on [[Maryna and Serhiy Dyachenko|Marina and Sergey Dyachenko]]'s 1996 fantasy novel ''The Ritual''.

The action takes place in a fictional [[fantasy world]], which is a stylistic fusion of [[AncientKyivan Russia|Medieval RussiaRus']] with [[Scandinavia]]n, [[Celts|Celtic]] and Eastern traditions. The plot is about Princess Miroslava (Poezzhaeva) being abducted by a [[dragon]] and carried away to its lair on a remote island, where she encounters a mysterious young man named Arman (Lykov), and an [[Aye-aye]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theidlewoman.net/2018/08/12/i-am-dragon-%D0%BE%D0%BD-%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD/ |title= ''I Am Dragon'' (''Он – дракон'') |date=August 12, 2018 |access-date= March 11, 2020|work=The Idle Woman}}</ref>

The film was theatrically released in Russia by [[Bazelevs|Bazelevs Distribution]] on December 3, 2015, in [[RealD 3D]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bloknot.ru/kul-tura/timur-bekmambetov-snimaet-fil-m-o-lyubvi-drakona-250982.html |title=Тимур Бекмамбетов снимает фильм о любви дракона |language=Russian |trans-title=Timur Bekmambetov makes a film about dragon love |last=Kuznetsov |first=Petr |date= 22 June 2015|work=Bloknot Russia}}</ref><ref name="douban"/> followed by streaming on [[Netflix]].

It was the highest-grossing Russian film at the international box office in 2016.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=|first= |date=8 February 2017 |title="Он - дракон" стал самым кассовым российским фильмом за рубежом |trans-title="He is a Dragon" became the highest-grossing Russian film abroad |url=https://rg.ru/2017/02/08/reg-skfo/film-on-drakon-stal-samym-kassovym-rossijskim-kinofilmom-za-rubezhom.html|url-status=live |archive-url= |archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-01 |website=EG News Russia |language=Russian}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=ИВЕРШИНЬ|first=Анна |date=2017-02-08 |title=Картина ставропольского режиссёра стала самым кассовым российским фильмом за рубежом |trans-title=The film by the Stavropol director became the highest-grossing Russian film abroad |url=https://www.stav.kp.ru/daily/26640/3659559/|url-status=live|archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-09-01 |website=KP News Russia |language=Russian}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web |url=https://www.interfax.ru/culture/543601 |title=Cборы российских фильмов в международном прокате в 2016 году выросли вдвое |language=Russian |trans-title=International movie box office doubles in 2016 doubles |date=December 29, 2016 |work=[[Interfax]]}}</ref>

In the [[Kievan Rus']] of European epics, the people knewonce nolived happiness, onlyin fear asof a dreadful dragon has beenwho terrorizingterrorizes a local village and its people. In order to appease the dragon, the villagers usesacrificed ayoung ritualmaidens thatin sacrificeda young maidensritual and they sing an ancient song to summon the dragon. The dragon abducts one of the maidens, but one brave knight traveledtravels to an island where the dragon's livedisland to rescue his love,. but the timeWhen he gotdiscovers there,that itshe wasis toalready late.dead, Thethe knight and the dragon foughtfight a fierce battle, but in the end, the knight emerged victorious andwhich the dragon wasis defeated. The knight freedfrees his people from fear, heand becamebecomes known as the dragonDragon slayerSlayer. for his reputation for killing the dragon and theThe dreaded ritual wasis transformed into a wedding ceremony.

Many years later, the young Princess Miroslava ([[Maria Poezzhaeva]]), Mira for short, is betrothed to Igor, who is the dragonDragon slayersSlayer's grandson. Her father and her sister Yaroslava think she is immature because she still likes fairy tales and playing with toys. Mira is placed on a boat deck in her wedding finery to be sent across the water to her future husband, Igor, thebut sameas wayIgor theypulls usedher forboat thetowards ritualhim, tohis appeasepeople sing the dragonancient yearsritual agosong at their wedding. AsThe Igordragon, pullswho herwas boatthought towardto himhave been dead, hiscaptures peopleMira singfrom the ancientceremony ritualand songtakes ather theirto weddinghis island.

In the middle of the wedding, the dragon who was thought to have been dead captures Mira. She is held prisoner in a [[cave]] where Mirashe meets a strange creature and a young man who cannot remember his name. Mira believes he is another prisoner and calls him Arman ([[Matvey Lykov]]). Soon, but she soon discovers that Arman is the dragon who abducted her. He lives in a human form, holding back thehis inner beast, but sometimes turns into a dragon against his will. As a dragon, Arman is unable to control himself.

Wishing to become a human, Arman shows Mira the island and gives her a place for her to create a home. Hewhile tellsshe herwaits thatfor maleIgor dragons hadto longrescue lived on the islandher. He andtells his father have been living together as long as he rememberedher, as a dragon boy, he had beenwas allowed to choose whether to stay as a human or become a dragon. He chose to remain as a human until the dragonDragon slayerSlayer killed his father while he was in his human form. In his grief and rage, he became a dragon, gaining the knowledge of all dragons who had come before him, including the maidens sacrificed to them. Realizing that the dragons were truly monsters, Arman isolated himself on the island to prevent himself from killing humans. Sensing the uncontrollable transition to his dragon form, he would go into the cave where the dragon could not escape and remain there until revertinghe reverts to his human form and almost had his dragon form under control. He abducted Mira because of the ritual song sung at her wedding by the villagers believingwho dragonsbelieve tothat bethe dragons are extinct. The song caught Arman off guard and he did not have enough time to hide in the cave before responding to the song's summons.

Arman wants to live as a manhuman and crush his inner dragonbeast because he is afraid of harming Mira. Mira talks with Arman and teaches him to live as a human. As they get to know one another, Arman and Mira fall in love although Mira is still afraid of the dragon.

The island is bewitched so that only those who are loved by someone on the island can find the way to it. Because Mira's feelings toward Igor change as she fell in love with Arman, Igor meanwhile, searches futilely in a fog. Igor, who does not share his grandfather's bravery, tries to turn back, but his helmsman reminds him of his oath and does not allow him to turn back so that his family name will not be dishonored.

Mira's fear of the dragon causes her to secretly prepare a boat in order to escape. Learning of her preparations, Arman despairs of ever being able to control the dragon and reveals to Mira the real reason why the dragons had brought maidens to the island. DragonsThe dragons bring young girls to the island so they can burn them to death and from the ashes of each girl, a new dragon was born,; that is how Arman was born. Arman orders Mira to leave so that she will avoid this fate. But without Mira, Arman does not know how to continue living.

Mira returns home after finding Igor's boat in the fog. She realizes that Yaroslava secretly loves Igor's honorable helmsman, and her father encourages her to follow her heart's desire. While preparing again for her wedding with Igor, Mira realizes that she still loves Arman and cannot live without him, rejecting an infuriated Igor during the ceremony. While on the boat, Mira sings the ritual song to call the dragon. Arman, meanwhile, is ending his life in order to make sure that there will be no more dragons and, but changes into the dragon as he hears the song. He recaptures Mira and brings her to the island, intending to burn her. Mira does not show fear to the dragon and confesses her love for him. This allows Arman to finally control himself as a dragon.

Years later, Mira and Arman are living together on the island with their daughter. Mira flies on her dragon-husband, who is no longer dangerous to her, and theyduring livethe happilyflight, everArman afterchanges into his human form and the two share a kiss.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://evgenius.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2016/01/05/%D0%BE%D0%BD-%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD-he-is-a-dragon-2015-russia/ |title=He is a Dragon |last=Kalyabina |first=Evgenia |date=January 5, 2016 |work=A myblog.arts site}}</ref>

* [[Maria Poezzhaeva]]<ref name="douban"/> as Princess Miroslava "Mira"<ref name="douban"/>

* Matvey Lykov as Arman / Dragon<ref name="douban"/> as Arman / Dragon

** Ivo Gospodinov as Arman as a boy

* [[Stanislav Lyubshin]]<ref name="douban"/> as Prince, Miroslava's father<ref name="douban"/>

* [[Ieva Andrejevaite]]<ref name="douban"/> as Princess Yaroslava, Miroslava's older sister<ref name="douban"/>

* Pyotr Romanov<ref name="douban"/> as Igor, grandson of the Dragon Slayer, and Miroslava's [[fiancé]]<ref name="douban"/>

* Yola Sanko as an old woman-priestess

* Victoria Runtsova<ref name="douban"/> as a [[bride]] (I1)<ref name="douban"/>

* Anastasia Dubrovina as a bride (II2)

* Alyona Chekhova as a bride (3)<ref name="douban"/> as a bride (III)

* Lyubov Firsova as the mother of the bride (I1)

* Yuri Gorin as the father of the bride

* Aleksandr Luchinin as the Dragon Slayer, Igor's grandfather

* Victor Korolyov as episode

* Marta Timofeeva as Mira and Arman's daughter}}

''He's a Dragon'' was the feature film directorial debut of Indar Dzhendubaev. To the post of director he was invited by [[Timur Bekmambetov]], who acted as the main producer of the film. Filming took place in the [[Black Sea]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://afisha.mail.ru/cinema/news/45991/ |title="Он — дракон": первый тизер нового проекта Бекмамбетова |date=22 June 2015 |language=Russian |trans-title=''He's a Dragon'': the first teaser of Bekmambetov’s new project |publisher=[[mail.ru]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.russkiymir.ru/news/192119/ |title=Кинокомпания Бекмамбетова снимает фэнтези о драконе и силе любви |language=Russian |trans-title=Bekmambetov's film company removes fantasy about the dragon and the power of love |publisher=russkiymir.ru}}</ref>

According to the creators of the film, they have preserved much of the literary original, but at the same time brought new elements to the story.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sobaka.ru/entertainment/cinema/37629 |title=Премьера: тизер фильма Тимура Бекмамбетова "Он – дракон" |language=Russian |trans-title=Premiere: teaser for Timur Bekmambetov’s film ''He's a Dragon'' |last=Smolyakova |first=Diana |date= 22 June 2015|publisher=sobaka.ru}}</ref>

The posters for the film were created at a 16-hour photo shoot by the photographer [[Uldus Bakhtiozina]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.t-platforms.ru/about-company/press-releases/581---04122015.html |publisher=t-platforms.ru |title=Новости компании - 04.12.2015 |trans-title=Company news - 12/04/2015 |access-date=2017-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131051817/http://www.t-platforms.ru/about-company/press-releases/581---04122015.html |archive-date=2016-01-31 |url-status=dead}}</ref> During shooting, only film cameras were used, and the resulting pictures were not subjected to any additional processing, which is an absolute rarity for posters of modern films.

On November 24, 2015, in [[Moscow]] hosted the magnificent premiere took place at the cinema "[[:commons:Category:Oktyabr Cinema, Moscow|Karo 11 October]]".

The first trailer was released in the [[United States]] in April 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SomZ_9OnE5w |title= ''I Am Dragon'' (2017) Movie Trailer |date= |work=[[YouTube]] |publisher=4Digital Media}}</ref>

The film flopped at the Russian box office, collecting only $1.7 million (114 million [[ruble]]s), and in view of rentals in other [[Commonwealth of Independent States|CIS]] countries – $1.8 million, which is significantly less than the film's budget of $18 million. It, however, had great success at the Chinese box office, grossing {{CNY|60.1 million}}, making it the most successful film in China in the history of Russian cinema.<ref name="cbooo"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Triumph of Russian film He Is a Dragon in China|url=https://russkiymir.ru/en/news/211944/|access-date=2020-07-24|website=russkiymir.ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=|first= |date=|title=Novel Russian fare hits screens - Chinadaily.com.cn |url=https://m.chinadaily.com.cn/en/2016-08/25/content_26588670.htm|url-status=live |archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-24 |website=China Daily News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=|first= |date=|title=Российский фильм "Он – дракон" стал кассовым хитом в Китае |trans-title=Russian film "He is a Dragon" became a box office hit in China |url=https://www.gazeta.ru/culture/news/2016/08/23/n_9030395.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-09 |website=[[Gazeta.Ru]] Russiaa|language=Russian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title="Он - дракон" стал самым кассовым российским фильмом за рубежом |trans-title="He is a Dragon" became the highest-grossing Russian film abroad |url=https://rg.ru/2017/02/08/reg-skfo/film-on-drakon-stal-samym-kassovym-rossijskim-kinofilmom-za-rubezhom.html |access-date=2020-08-11 |website=Российская газета |date=8 February 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Российский фильм "Он — дракон" выйдет в прокат в Китае |trans-title=Russian film "He is a Dragon" will be released in China |url=http://www.russia.org.cn/ru/russia_china/rossijskij-film-on-drakon-vyjdet-v-prokat-v-kitae/ |access-date=2020-08-11 |website=www.russia.org.cn |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title="ОН – ДРАКОН" стал самым популярнымпопопулярным российским фильмом в Китае |trans-title="HE IS THE DRAGON" became the most popular Russian film in China |url=http://bazelevs.ru/news/on-drakon-stal-samym-populyarnym-rossiyskim-filmom-v-kitae/ |access-date=2020-08-11 |website=Bazelevs |language=ru}}</ref> It was the overall highest-grossing Russian film at the international box office in 2016.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

The film was met with mixed reviews. Such publications as [[Film.ru]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.film.ru/articles/v-kogtyah-strasti |title=Рецензия на фильм ''Он – дракон'': В когтях страсти |language=Russian |trans-title=Review of the film ''He's a Dragon'': In the clutches of passion |last=Ivanov |first=Boris |date=November 26, 2015 |work=[[Film.ru]] |access-date=March 22, 2017 |archive-date=January 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131074242/http://www.film.ru/articles/v-kogtyah-strasti |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[The Hollywood Reporter]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=|first= |date= |title=КиноПоиск |trans-title=Cinema Search |url=https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/840258/press/|url-status=live|archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-08-11 |website=www.kinopoisk.ru |language=Russian}}</ref> [[Izvestia]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://iz.ru/news/597826 |title=Сказка для современных принцесс |language=Russian |trans-title=Fairy tale for modern princesses |last=Rogova |first=Anastasiya |date=December 2, 2015 |work=[[Izvestia]]}}</ref> and [[Afisha]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://vozduh.afisha.ru/cinema/on-drakon-indara-dzhendubaeva-zver-serdechnyy |title=''Он – дракон'' Индара Джендубаева: Зверь сердечный |language=Russian |trans-title=''He's a Dragon'' Indar Dzhendubaev: Beast heart |last=Dolin |first=Anton |date=December 3, 2015 |work=[[Afisha]]}}</ref> responded positively to the film. Boris Ivanov, film critic of Film.ru, stated: "From whatever angle you look at it, the Hollywood movie "Twilight" seems like an amateur performance in comparison to "I am Dragon". Even the computer effects in the Russian production are more convincing. From the point of view of the genre, this is an almost impeccable "feminine" romantic fantasy."<ref name=":0" />

Others, in particular [[Mir Fantastiki]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mirf.ru/featured/on-drakon |title=''Он – дракон'': Фэнтези про стокгольмский синдром |language=Russian |trans-title=''He's a Dragon'': A fantasy about the Stockholm syndrome |last=Ptashkina |first=Ekaterina |date=December 4, 2015 |work=[[Mir Fantastiki]]}}</ref> Weburg,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://weburg.net/news/53992 |title=''Он – дракон'': Драконам нужны принцессы |language=Russian |trans-title=''He's a Dragon'': Dragons need princesses |last=Ilyukhin |first=Kirill |date=December 4, 2015 |work=Weburg}}</ref> and Kino-Teatr,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kino-teatr.ru/kino/art/pr/4212/ |title="Он – дракон": Слово о френдзоне Игореве |trans-title="He is a dragon": A word about Igor’s friend zone |language=Russian |last=Polibentseva |first=Anna |date=December 3, 2015 |work=Kino-Teatr.Ru}}</ref> rated it as average.

"[[Russian Gazette]]" defeatedcritically panned the film, calling it "unimaginably boring", and the script "delusional".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rg.ru/2015/12/02/drakosha-site.html |title=Любить скучно |language=Russian |trans-title=Love is boring |author=Aleksei Litovchenko |date=December 2, 2015 |work=[[Russian Gazette]]}}</ref>

[[Category:Kievan Rus' in fiction]]