Never let it be said that New Line's overwrought, schlocky Dungeons & Dragons did no one any good; director Doug Lefler should be thanking the D&D producers right now for making his modest straight-to-video Dragonheart: A New Beginning look positively artistic by comparison. The sequel to 1996's cheesy Dragonheart covers some of the same ground as D&D, though on a much smaller scale: Here, too, the conflict is between a smarmy, elitist bad guy in black (Harry Van Gorkum) who wants to keep the peasantry in their place, and a glory-seeking, baby-faced commoner (Christopher Masterson) who doesn't initially see Gorkum as his problem. Both Gorkum and Masterson assume Drake, the latest "last dragon in the world," is the key to their success, and both cozen up to him with a dismissive contempt that significantly undermines the film's Afterschool Special message about the true meaning of friendship. Like so many fantasy heroes (including D&D lead Justin Whalin), Masterson is kind of a prat: His constant selfish manipulations of his naïve, needy dragon "friend" are more distasteful than Gorkum's one failed attempt, which leaves supporting actors like deadpan martial artist Rona Figueroa and sage advisor Henry O to shoulder the burden of providing moderately likable characters. But, as with the original Dragonheart, the actors aren't really the stars here; the computer-animated dragon (voiced by Robby Benson), the stunning settings, and the decently choreographed swordplay both receive and deserve more screen time. Lefler, a Sam Raimi protégé who worked on TV's Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, imbues A New Beginning with the bread-and-circuses blend of wide-eyed sincerity, moderately high production values, constant combat, and cheap gags that helped make those series fan favorites. The plot has its flaws, particularly in its simple-minded, by-the-book adherence to genre conventions, but it easily succeeds at its humble ambition of being a mildly entertaining kid flick with a lot of pretty pictures, a few thrills, and a moral message. In not trying to soar as high as Dungeons & Dragons, it doesn't have nearly as far to fall.