STARRING: Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany, Alan Tudyk, Laura Fraser, Shannyn Sossamon, Berenice Bejo and James Purefoy. Written and directed by Brian Helgeland. Budget $65 million. Running time 132 minutes. Originally released in 2001.
Has it really been 25 years since this was first released? I suppose it must be, I mean 2026 minus 25 is 2001, so yes it really has been a quarter of a century since this first graced our silver screens. But has time been good to it, or does it now look decidedly silly and dated? On first release it only managed a paltry 59% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it did take in a worldwide box office of $117.5 million, so you know, mix bag, mix bag, some sort of chicken-like dinner.
An amusing side note, the film gained notoriety back in 2001, when it was revealed that the film posters featuring glowing reviews from critic David Manning of The Ridgefield Press. Trouble was, he didn't exist he was created by a member of the Columbia advertising department.
And so, what of the film itself? Well, first off, I've never seen this at the cinema, before, back then it didn't appeal to me, I've only ever seen bits of it, mostly the ending on TV, so when it turned up on my local Cineworld schedule, I thought I'd give it a go. As far as I remembered it's mostly remembered for it's fantastically anachronistic soundtrack and obviously Heath Ledger, who'd go on to die seven years later, just after finishing The Dark Knight, thus sealing his reputation for all time as a proto-type Chris Hemsworth.
The plot, set in 14th Century medieval Europe sees peasant, Willian Thatcher (Heath Ledger) steal the identity, and armour, of a dead Knight so he can take part in jousting tournaments, while committing fraud and dating scams across Europe, while PTSD suffering, Count Adhemar of Anjou, (Rufus Sewell) does his best to bring him to justice.
It's a savvy idea to mix contemporary music, attitudes, fashions and blacksmithing techinques into a period of history best know for the Black Death, misery, and unbelievable poverty. Brian Helgeland, who not only wrote and directed this, but also produced single handedly carries the can. Sure he delivers some meaty, solid and jarring jousting matches, lots of them, I mean if you like watching men in armour shoving other men in armour off their armoured horses with exploding lances then this is most certainly your film! Sadly for me, after a while they all blurred into one, plus it's hard to work out who's who beneath all that fake modern armour. The plot is fun, it's got baddies, heroes, romance, and action but it never really ignites, it fizzles but never bursts.
William changes from scene to scene, at one point a poignant and poetic romantic, the next as petulant bore, he's intelligent and then stupid, agile and clumsy whenever the plot needs him to be. It's not a terrible film, it was entertaining but ultimately nothing more than that.
And the one good thing in it's favour is that it's the answer to a great Pub Quiz film question.
"WHAT FILM FEATURED THE VISION, THE JOKER AND SOLOMON KANE?"
7/10
The plot, set in 14th Century medieval Europe sees peasant, Willian Thatcher (Heath Ledger) steal the identity, and armour, of a dead Knight so he can take part in jousting tournaments, while committing fraud and dating scams across Europe, while PTSD suffering, Count Adhemar of Anjou, (Rufus Sewell) does his best to bring him to justice.
It's a savvy idea to mix contemporary music, attitudes, fashions and blacksmithing techinques into a period of history best know for the Black Death, misery, and unbelievable poverty. Brian Helgeland, who not only wrote and directed this, but also produced single handedly carries the can. Sure he delivers some meaty, solid and jarring jousting matches, lots of them, I mean if you like watching men in armour shoving other men in armour off their armoured horses with exploding lances then this is most certainly your film! Sadly for me, after a while they all blurred into one, plus it's hard to work out who's who beneath all that fake modern armour. The plot is fun, it's got baddies, heroes, romance, and action but it never really ignites, it fizzles but never bursts.
William changes from scene to scene, at one point a poignant and poetic romantic, the next as petulant bore, he's intelligent and then stupid, agile and clumsy whenever the plot needs him to be. It's not a terrible film, it was entertaining but ultimately nothing more than that.
And the one good thing in it's favour is that it's the answer to a great Pub Quiz film question.
"WHAT FILM FEATURED THE VISION, THE JOKER AND SOLOMON KANE?"
7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment
All comments, unless they're how to make money working from home, are gratefully received.