Black Death (2010)

Director: Christopher Smith

Cast: Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, John Lynch, Tim McInnerny, Carice Van Houten

Country: Germany/United Kingdom

Rating: R

Run Time: 97 minutes

This is my first excursion into a sub-genre of action films I am not well versed in: Medieval period films. I have seen several action films that take place in other ancient time periods, (i.e. Gladiator, Red Cliff, Robin Hood) but not many specifically within the Middle Ages in Europe. One excursion on over to Netflix Instant will show you that there are a whole lot of Medieval action films ready to stream. Therefore, I chose the one that had Sean Bean in it. Bean is consistently one of the best actors to occupy a fantasy/medieval role (Lord of the Rings, Troy, Game of Thrones). Therefore, I knew I couldn't go wrong.

National Lampoon's Black Death Vacation

Black Death is a bleak historical action/horror film with gory action, great cinematography, and powerful themes. The film is one part road trip into darkness (i.e. Aguirre: Wrath of God, Apocalpyse Now) and one part occult horror (i.e. The Wicker Man, Season of the Witch). Therefore, the film appeals to fans of many different sub-genres. The film is a great fusion of all of the things that action and horror buffs love about their respective genres. I also want to say that Black Death is just an all around great film that can be enjoyed by anyone. It's lead characters and themes are so well drawn out that one can't help but get roped up into the film.

The story takes place in England in 1348 as the Black Plague has struck the land. A knight named Ulric (Sean Bean) works for the church and hears word that a village has escaped the Black Plague somehow. A monk named Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) volunteers to guide Ulric and his men through the woods and marshes to the lonely village in order to discover how it has avoided being struck by the pestilence. Along the way, bandits, plague, and religious doubt strike the men. The knights finally arrive at the village and immediately suspect something dark and sinister is behind the village's protection from the plague.

Beautiful imagery adorns many of the film's scenes.

I'd prefer to end my plot summary there because Black Death should simply be watched. This film tackles some great themes: sticking to one's faith, self doubt, and brotherhood. The aspect of religion and faith is the film's driving point. While Ulric (Sean Bean) is on the front of the poster and Blu Ray for this film, Osmund is the true protagonist. He starts off as a faithful man of God (even though he secretly lives with and loves a forbidden woman). Right off the bat, Osmund has a sin that plagues his everyday life. During the trip through the woods, Osmund is seen wanting to help and bless people near death. However, Osmund is slammed with temptation and sadness when he arrives to the village. For the final act of the film, Osmund has to battle temptation and decide whether to stick to his faith or give into Earthly sin and pleasure.

I loved the character of Osmund and all of these other characters as well. Sean Bean's portrayal of Ulric is right up there with his performances as Boromir in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Ned Stark in the Game of Thrones television show. Ulric is a faithful man of God who is willing to sacrifice himself in the name of his God. Much like Osmund and the rest of his fellow men, Ulric's faith is put to the ultimate test in this film. I won't spoil the outcome, but this test is the climatic moment of the film and a scene that is never to be forgotten.

The little action that is here is quite good too. This is an action blog after all, so I'm sure you don't want to just hear all about the themes and characters. In all honesty, there is really only one big action scene. As Ulric and his men travel through the woods, a group of bandits ambush their campground and a big sword fight ensues. Heads are chopped, throats are slit, and necks are snapped. The scene is framed too closely at times and the shaky nature of the camera and the rapid editing does not make this the greatest of action scenes. However, it is not terrible and is still quite enjoyable in an otherwise action-less film. 

Glorious R-Rated Medieval Action

Black Death holds many surprises near its finale. I could discuss a certain character that pops up near the end but feel that the experience of that character is best enjoyed by just watching the film. As I said before, this film is split in two parts: a road trip and a stay in a village. Director Christopher Smith does not use too many different sets either. He finds a way to make scenes take place for a long time in a single set and still make the story and drama satisfying.

I'm going to keep this review short and just highly recommend this flick. It's a good Medieval drama that has elements of horror, action, and road trip as well. The characters are fleshed out and their arcs and themes that they tackle are intact as well. This is ultimately a very emotionally engaging action film that you won't often find in such a contemporary world of cinema. I'm going to place most of the film's success upon that it was a British/German production. Therefore, what could have been a generic American actioner (a-hem, Season of the Witch), is instead a thought provoking and graphic tale of religion.

"One does not simply walk into a village."

Rating: 9/10 - A first rate Medieval drama that is not to miss! Highly recommended to fans of action, horror, and the greatness that is Sean Bean.