Christopher smith is a director i like.He made the train creeper called you guessed it Creep.Then moved onto severed comedy with Danny Dyer (the only watchable Danny Dyer film) Severance and then onto clever horror flick which surprised and divided audiences Triangle about the mother of all Bermuda triangles .But now the attention has been turned to medieval England, swiping away the "pestilence" in Black Death. If you can't remember a great swords and sorcery epic,slight on magic and more on story, then your in for a treat.
Sean Bean stars as fearsome knight Ulric "bringing death" where ever he goes, traveling the lands of the 13th century woods and villages with his band of blood swaggering,teeth grinding, dirty and bald headed merry men. The one the thing they are missing: a guide. Monk Osmund opens the films generally shaky start, trapped in a dungeon persuading the guard to be set free, seeing his loved one for the last time pushing her towards leaving her beloved town, escaping the pestilence. so far and so average. There should be nothing to separate Black Death from the average period action er (last years Solomon Kane is the closest in comparison) and in thinking back, Black Death is better than it should be. But as you continue through this medieval game of minesweeper you get an assuredly tense film with an atmosphere to perfectly suit the time, the era and the journey of solders hacking everything in their path.
Osmund prays to god for guidance "give me a sign" and Christopher smith's film walks the fine line between preachy religious subtext and an out right sword, dungeons and dragons epic and the swords in this are deadly. From the decapitated heads, to torture device which cut you from, well lets put it nicely, you won't be walking for weeks or talking. But no longer are we set aside on quests to evergreen hill to meet frodo at the mountains of madness, no this is quick but painfully gruesome fun. To quick even.
As the film begins it feels like it should be renamed "The Twin Tower Fellowship to the King".In the first 10 minutes i have seen the ground work for the Fellowship of the Rings, moving halfway through to the Twin Towers and reaching the climax of the Return of the King. It's all choppy, almost sluggish exposition at the start but once the action hits, it grows on you. Sean bean is at his strongest for years, playing the archetype father figure who watches over Osmund as he guides Ulrick's crew to the land where there is no pestilence. The rest of the cast are fine supporting characters. Darlywag (Andy Nyman) adds humour to the tale before it becomes too serious. But the bum note is the main lead Eddie Redmayre, there's no ignoring how wooden his performance feels, lacking the tough man approach to forgetting about his religious obligations or the man (or boy) who is doing his service out of love, his performance never reaches the emotional high it should but maybe this can be down to everyone up staging him from the supporting cast or a lack of experience on his part. His performance is cold, not hot and firery
But who cares when there's a snarly witch/ con artist who can bemuse her servants with just her ravishing locks of blond hair. The action reaches a technical high point and on such an obvious low budget, it is impressive. Christopher smith hasn't created a film where the fighting is the action and the drama but if the drama is to unbelievable for you, the fighting and deadly weaponry (finally showing a bit of blood) will have you weeping with joy, he keeps the tension and the excitement throughout. Osmund then meets blond goddess Langiva (Carice Von Houten)and so begins the films climax's. She is seen as a witch, but is praised for it. This is very different form the time in which it is set. Witches were burned and anyone who was against god was frowned upon. It becomes a test for Osmund primarily, to see if he will banish his god, he asks "why did you take her" (his wife is killed early on) and to save his life he must repent against god. "Repent" that is the one word which sums up Black Death, which by the end is up for question on whether the debate between atheism and Christianity works, some have argued that it is anti religious movie by the ned. Posh-tosh is the answer it shows both frontiers;you have the 'holy warriors' doing god's work which includes killing and you have the non-believers who will kill those who believe because they think they're wrong to do so.
The issue isn't who is right or wrong but that there are two sides to an argument. To simple and slight sure but it's earnest simplicity and it does it well. It isn't on the grand scale of the lord of the rings but if you were let down by Season of the Witch ,then this will serve as grimly violent substitute.
***/**** (3/4)
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