Review of Saxon

Saxon (2007)
9/10
Fresh, Fun and Original Feature Debut!
11 September 2007
I had the good fortune of watching this film at a preview screening in London last week. I hadn't heard a lot about the film and neither had most people at the half full cinema. Well more fool the half of the audience who didn't turn up as this was without doubt one of the freshest and funniest feature films to emerge in ages.

Right from the gripping opening sequence, Saxon grabs you by the scruff of the neck and pulls you along for an uproarious ninety minutes. It's difficult to classify the movie, part spaghetti western, part thriller, part dark comedy with a touch of redemption and dash of romance set in a run down estate called Saxon. To it's complete credit it never feels like a mish mash of ideas, in fact the complete opposite. It all works and combines seamlessly to introduce different characters and subtle story lines that all build to an explosive ending.

There are numerous little sight gags and one-liners that had the audience in stitches throughout the film, as well as touching moments that had you really rooting for Eddie, the anti-hero. Sean Harris does an excellent job in the lead role and is supported by a cast that most people will never have seen before but who are all superb, particularly the actor who plays the estate villain. I'd never seen or heard of him before but he certainly made the head bailiff extremely menacing.

It's hard to find fault with the film, even more so when you find out that this film was made on a shoestring budget by a first time feature writer/director. It never feels that way and looks superb. Sure you can see that a few corners have been cut here and there but it never detracts from what is a completely rewarding ninety minutes!
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