Reign of Fire (2002)

In 2002 young Quinn Abercromby is visiting his mother in the London underground construction job she supervises, when workers uncover a cave. Quinn ventures in, seeing a creature that then crisps his mother and the other workers with flame. Hundreds of dragons emerge all over the world and decimate the cities, killing millions. In 2020 Quinn rules a motley group of survivors gathered in a castle in Northumberland. There is little hope for the future and their numbers are constantly being whittled down by dragon attacks. They are interrupted by the arrival of American soldiers led by the half-crazed Van Zan. Rather than settling for eking out mere survival, Van Zan instead promotes a strategy of taking the dragons on using helicopters, tanks and skydivers. Quinn’s protective concern for the survival of his people comes into conflict with Van Zan who desires to recruit Quinn’s people as soldiers in his depleted troupe to mount an assault on the nest of the father dragon in London.