Wraith of the Dragon God (2005)

This Dungeons & Dragons movie lacked the star power of the first one, but it also lacked the cheesiness. The great thing about D&D is that it's a big enough system to encompass both films (and the other ones I've seen too). But who cares except for a few of us fanboys? I think the fact that this one was a straight-to-video release answers that question. The thing is, this isn't that bad of a movie. But, it's also not my movie. Why? Well as long as I'm hanging my nerd flag out to fly, this is Dungeons & Dragons 3.5. They've dropped Advanced from the name and simplified a lot of things, while continuing to do what they do best - powering everything up. Now granted, in this film, the adventuring party are all supposed to be the best of the best, seasoned veterans, yadda yadda yadda, which might explain some of the things but still, they've got a magical gizmo or whiz-bang for everything - not through careful planning, but seemingly by luck (I know, the thief says he came prepared, but still). I still enjoyed the film form a gaming standpoint, though, mostly because it reminds me of the CRPG version of Dungeons & Dragons that I've played.
Why isn't there a great Dungeons & Dragons movie? I ask myself this more often than is probably wise to admit. The answer is that D&D is not a story or even a place, it's a game system. And likely even more importantly, the movies are written by some writer, who may or may not have ever played the game - hard to tell if they know firsthand or are acting on the advice of someone who does know - who is writing a story and trying to fit D&D in around it. If they did it the other way around, which is to say embraced a system and see what falls out when they shake it, they would likely end up with a better film. I don't just mean use the rules, the classes, the monsters, but the tone of it. This film was too mundane and focused on things that would not be focused on wile playing the game. The adventuring in the film is only a small part of it, and in game terms most of the opening and the ending are handled by NPCs and plot devices.
There are several times during the action sequences where you think to yourself that as an RPGer you, nor anyone you ever games with would have mad such bad decisions - especially considering how these five adventurers are supposed to be the top of the class. For example, the party's cleric taking on a large white dragon by himself, without first preparing anything, or telling his comrades what he's going to do, and then by stepping directly in front of it and announcing his presence before his spell is ready. He deserved to get eaten.
If Wizards of the Coast / Hasbro really wanted to make a great movie and all the cash that comes along with it, they should embrace an already established character or group of characters and make a trilogy of movies about them. Now, with my luck they would decide to make DragonLance movies with Michael Bey directing. What would be really cool though is if they adapted some of the R. A. Salvatore books about everyone's favorite dark elf - Driz'zt Do'urden, or possibly even tell a story featuring a certain arch-wizard by the name of Elminster, what with the popularity of the Peter Jackson movies would get some viewers just because they thought he was Gandalf. The Elminster movies could be based on the series of books by Ed Greenwood, who goes way back to the early days of AD&D and who created the Forget ten Realms setting. That and not allow Michael Bey near it.
Oh, and if you want to make a proper D&D movie, you need at least one dwarf to bicker with your elf.

Wraith of the Dragon God on IMDb

Addenda:
I ended up watching the extras on the DVD and it turns out the writer is a long-time player of AD&D and D&D. And... They had a technical advisor on the film provided by Wizards of the Coast. And... This is the sequel to the big screen D&D film with Wayans et al, and the bad guy is even in the first one. And... While the blonds are given the sexy outfits, it's really the dark-haired elf mage who's the cute one.

2nd Addenda:
Turns out there is another special feature where Gary Gygax watches the film and tells you how good it is. The funny thing is that by the time this came out (not long before Gygax's death), he hadn't been involved with D&D for over a decade and a half. He doesn't so much say that it's a good film, as he does say that the "fighter" is a good representation of a fighter, etc. Also... Yeah, definitely the elf chick.