Main Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Larry Drake, Amber Benson
Release Year: 2007
Run Time: 87 minutes
Plot
After 300 years of conflict between the rival kingdoms of Delphi and Lockland, Lockland's king, Phillip (Adrian Pintea), entrusts the fate of his land to a sorcerer named Armand (Larry Drake). Using the king's blood, Armand bring an enormous statue of a terrifying gryphon to life. Almost immediately, the treacherous magician and his en changed pet turn on the king and attempt to take over both Lockland and Delphi. Soon, Princess Amelia of Lockland (Amber Benson) and Prince Seth of Delphi (Jonathan LaPaglia) must forge an unlikely alliance to find the only weapon powerful enough destroy the gryphon. Unfortunately for them, the fabled Drakonian Pike has been broken into two pieces -- and both are lost to antiquity. After premiering in the Sci-Fi Channel cable network on January 27, 2007, Gryphon was released on DVD as Attack of the Gryphon. Like many original Sci-Fi productions, the film was shot on location in Bulgaria. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Review
Poor Amber Benson. After a credible career as a child actress in films such as Imaginary Crimes and King of the Hill, Benson had the good/bad luck to land a gig on television's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as fan-favorite sapphic sorceress Tara Maclay. The role lasted three seasons, but by the time Benson left, her career had become the property of the sci-fi/fantasy community. And so an actress who once worked with Steven Soderburgh is reduced to headlining this kind of made-for-cable trash. Gryphon has it all: shockingly bad CGI, cheapie Eastern European locations, tired medieval costumes, cheesy S&M imagery and cut-rate sword-and-sorcery babes. Amidst this flotsam and jetsom of adolescent fantasy imagery, Benson is forced to trade dialogue along these lines: "You'll never succeed, sorcerer!" "Too late, princess, I've already won!" One can only hope poor Benson is still receiving some halfway decent Buffy residuals. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
