Black Death

Rating: ***/*****, or 6/10

Thematically intriguing but too overtly low budget and conflicted action/fantasy flick set in medieval times. When England is struck by the outbreak of the Black Death, the bubonic plague, the young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) is ordered to investigate a remote village which supposedly has not been stricken by the disease, much to the chagrin of church authorities who suspect witchcraft is involved. Accompanied by a band of grizzly mercenaries under the command of the butch but superstitious knight Ulric (Sean Bean once again playing in the genre he fits in the most), Osmund discovers a peaceful community of atheists led by the beautiful “witch” Langiva ("our" own Carice van Houten, but with a normal English accent this time) who do not take kindly to the intruders intending to introduce God to the villagers by force and violently dispatch the wicked woman, instead casting the first stone upon them, which leads to a harrowing series of executions, chases and general goriness. The notion of atheists forcing Christians to renounce their religion in a time when that religion tolerated no different points of view is a charming reversal of roles, but the resulting dark climax of the film either doesn't bother making a point or simplistically states 'we're all just faulty human beings'. Overall, playing with religious themes and upturning them makes for an interesting addition to the genre, but eventually ends in general bloodshed all too easily without taking such intriguing content much further. Good action and damn fine acting regardless.

Starring: Sean Bean, Carice van Houten, Eddie Redmayne

Directed by Christopher Smith

UK/Germany: HanWay Films, 2010