Black Death (2010/Magnolia/MagNet Blu-ray)
Picture: B- Sound: B Extras: A Film: A
Black Death never got a real chance to find an audience
in U.S. theaters. In a very limited
release, it did only tepid business, but this movie deserved better. Set in 1348 England during the period of the
plague (known as the Black Death), a group of agents of the church are tasked
with learning why a remote village does not suffer from the effects of the
disease. The knight Ulric (Sean Bean)
leads the band, and the monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) is sent along to assist
him and his men. Osmund secretly seeks
to reunite with his forbidden love, Avril (Kimberly Nixon), who knows awaits
him in the wilderness along the way of their journey.
The band endures internal hardships along
the way as one of their number comes down with the plague, and then they suffer
a terrible ambush by bandits. This scene
marks the film’s most brutal and intense fight scene, featuring realistically
graphic violence, and highlighting the well-made costumes and weapons the
characters wield. Shortly after this,
Osmund finds only remnants of Avril’s clothing, leading him to believe she was
taken or killed.
When the band of searchers reaches the
village, they find it prosperous and free of disease. The village leader, a haunting woman named
Langiva, welcomes them, but things quickly degenerate. What follows is a series of shocking events
that turn the movie on its head. The
characters are forced to make terrible choices that leave them forever changed,
or worse.
The gritty realism, intense action,
accurate costuming, and great locations all combine to make Black Death a
must-have for Medieval action fans. Its
underlying message indicts both the religious fanaticism of the Christians at
that time, and the opportunism of pagan charlatans. However, if one tallies up the score of
misdeeds for this film, the pagans come out slightly ahead!
Extras include deleted scenes, a featurette
on the making of the film, interviews with cast and crew, a trailer, and behind
the scenes footage.
Director Christopher Smith does a fine job
managing the script and the excellent performances of Mr. Bean, Mr. Redmayne,
and Carice van Houten (Langiva). The
rest of the cast also delivers great performances, and the movie closes on a
bleak note indeed. Fans of period action
movies will indeed find much to enjoy in Black Death, but if you’re
looking for a happy ending, steel yourself for disappointment!
-
Scott Pyle
