Why Reign of Fire features Matthew McConaughey’s greatest performance

For ‘Appreciate a Dragon Day,’ we’re celebrating Reign of Fire, an action classic that features the greatest performance in Matthew McConaughey’s long and illustrious career.

There have been good dragon movies, like the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, the remake of Pete’s Dragon, and the 2023 D&D movie, Honor Among Thieves.

There have also been bad dragon movies, from Dragonslayer and Dragonheart, to Eragon and the 2000 D&D movie, during which Jeremy Irons frequently looks like he’ll die – not from a dragon’s flame, but through embarrassment.

But on National Appreciate a Dragon Day, one dragon movie deserves to be praised above all others, because it’s a rip-roaring action-adventure. And because it features the best performance by one of our greatest stars.

Why Reign of Fire features Matthew McConaughey’s greatest performance

Following a brief, scene-stealing turn in Dazed and Confused, Matthew McConaughey appeared on the celluloid scene a fully formed movie star three years later, playing maverick lawyer Jake Brigance in John Grisham adaptation A Time to Kill.

The juicy role secured him fame and fortune. While the success of that courtroom drama afforded McConaughey the opportunity to do whatever he wanted. Unfortunately, he turned that freedom into a series of forgettable rom-coms, promoted with posters where he can’t stand up.

The so-called ‘McConaissance’ followed in the 2010s, thanks to the likes of Mud, Killer Joe, Magic Mike, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Interstellar. He acted up a storm as weapons-grade weirdo Rust Cohle in True Detective. While in 2014, Dallas Buyer’s Club won McConaughey the Academy Award for Best Actor.

But while those turns are good, they pale in comparison to McConaughey’s work in Reign of Fire; a performance of deranged genius that reaches dizzier heights than any of the dragons in the movie. SPOILERS AHEAD…

What is Reign of Fire about?

First the plot of Reign of Fire. And it’s truly bonkers: while building a London tube station, workers tunnel into a cave, where they wake a sleeping dragon. Who promptly incinerates them all. And that isn’t the only beast stirred from its slumber – soon dragons are everywhere, dominating the skies of England and beyond, while enslaving the people below.

Christian Bale plays Quinn Abercromby (one of many silly names in this film), who as a boy witnessed that first attack. And as a man is holed up in a castle in Northumberland, leading humanity’s efforts to survive.

Unfortunately, his plan amounts to waiting it out, and hoping the dragons will go back to sleep. Which isn’t working, as supplies are running low, and human numbers are dwindling. That’s when an American arrives on Quinn’s doorstep…

Matthew McConauhgey IS Denton Van Zan

First, there’s his name. McConaughey shows up and announces himself as Denton Van Zan. With a straight face. Going by that moniker, you’ve got to be a big character, and Denton Van Zan is truly larger than life.

Cruising into the picture atop a tank – cigar clamped between his teeth – Van Zan is bald with a beard, and sports a sleeveless leather jacket that looks like it’s come from the Gap, and perfectly displays his muscles and tattoos.

Van Zan speaks with McConaughey’s hypnotic southern drawl. While he plays the character like post-apocalypse Colonel Kurtz; a distant, faraway look in his eyes, hinting at the horrors he’s seen.

Van Zan’s first words concern the skies. “That’s my territory,” he barks at Quinn, before immediately contradicting himself. “That’s our territory. They’re just renting it.” Then he pulls out a giant dragon tooth, and tells the disbelieving Abercromby from where it came.

“You ever seen one of these?” Van Zan whispers. “Not many men have. Came of the first one I killed. It was in the wheat-fields just south of Coffeyville, Kansas. It was late November. A month of mist. We were caught in the open. The sun was setting behind us. There was nowhere to run. Twice he came in on us. And twice he missed the heart of us. That’s when I had an epiphany. You see they have great vision, in the day. They have even better vision at night. But in the failing light, they can’t focus. Magic Hour.”

With that Van Zan hands him the tooth. And Abercromby nods, knowing that information is what might be the key to their survival. And maybe even man’s victory.

The most noble of deaths

This dynamic duo then hunt dragons together through a series of well-crafted action sequences, featuring CGI that has aged pretty well. And it’s all going fine. Until Denton decides the battle will be won by killing the last remaining male dragon in London.

“There’s nothing magical about them,” Van Zan roars, in a rousing speech that should’ve been McConaughey’s Oscar clip. “They’re made up of a collection of organs. They have a mind, and a head, and a liver. You take out one of these, you bring down the beast!”

Abercromby disagrees, believing London will only lead to death and destruction. The pair fight each other, go their separate ways, and to some extent, both men are proved correct. But the movie ends with them re-teaming to take down the apex predator in the capital. And what follows is one of the great movie deaths.

When their plan initially fails, Van Zan decides to take matters into his own hands, firing an explosive bolt at the dragon while shouting “Come on big boy!” The arrow fails, however. So in an act of selfless bravery – or stupidity depending on which way you look at it – Van Zan leaps through the air in slow-motion, and flies towards the dragon while waving an axe. Only to immediately be gobbled up by the creature.

Before he can grieve his fallen friend, Quinn lures the dragon to ground level, and blows it up with the last of their explosives. Meaning Denton’s death wasn’t in vain. And Van Zan is more than a man now. Rather he’s a myth. A legend. And the greatest character Matthew McConaughey has ever played.

For details on a possible Reign of Fire sequel, check out our exclusive interview with Christian Bale here.