I made the mistake recently on complaining to the Work Geek that most of the movies I've seen recently were simply OK - nothing amazing, nothing awful. This led to him lending me this movie, filled with the sort of things he enjoys like bloody sword-fighting, mean-ass baddies and moody weather environments for the aforementioned sword-fighting. Trouble is, I demand more from these sort of hack-and-slash movies which is a genre standing isolated in the shadow of "Lord Of The Rings" after being sullied in the Eighties by the likes of "Red Sonya" and "The Beastmaster". Sadly, this is just the sort of adequate fare I've been trying to avoid but at least it provided me with suitably grubby, vicious entertainment for a while.
James Purefoy plays Solomon Kane, a medieval bad-ass with a couple of pistols and many tricks with a sword up his sleeve. After escaping from the Devil's Reaper who's sent to claim Kane's soul, Solomon returns to England and abandons his wicked past for a life of pacifism and solitude. But the Devil does not give up that easily and soon, Kane finds the land ravaged by murderous hordes led by a mysterious masked warrior and the sorcerer Malachi (Jason Flemyng). After vowing to rescue a puritan's daughter (Rachel Hurd-Wood) who is kidnapped by Malachi's followers, Kane must once again do battle against a vast number of enemies or face losing his soul and those closest to him.
It might not be the most original tale ever told but "Solomon Kane" does have one or two things to recommend. Firstly, it has a blisteringly central performance from Purefoy as the tortured anti-hero. I can't recall anything else he's been in but he gives Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn a run for his money. Secondly, Purefoy's supporting players all do their part led by the late Pete Postlethwaite and cameos from Mackenzie Crook and Max von Sydow. It also looks the business - muddy battlefields and ruined castles all have that authentic feel to them as do the costumes. The sword-fighting is also very well done - stunt-work is to be commended. Sadly, the film has some very rough edges and none more so when CG is involved - some aspects are simply appalling though others (like the fiery Hell demon towards the end) are better. The script needed to be a bit tighter as it rambled on through what felt like unnecessary scenes and the dialogue felt clichéd and lifted straight out of other movies of this type. It didn't surprise at all as the film continued the bloodshed as if that was all the film was about.
Having said that, this is still a good action movie that fans of fight scenes will appreciate. In a weird way, it reminded me of "Bad Boys 2" - scene after scene of quality action and stunt-work but sadly linked by a tired plot and dialogue you've already heard elsewhere. Of course it's entertaining but you're left with a feeling that it could and should have done more. Naturally, it's left open for a sequel but it needs to feel different and not tied to too many other films and clichés. "Solomon Kane" is a good, if somewhat wet and gloomy, hack-and-slash movie but I just wanted more from it and to be honest, I felt a little let-down.
James Purefoy plays Solomon Kane, a medieval bad-ass with a couple of pistols and many tricks with a sword up his sleeve. After escaping from the Devil's Reaper who's sent to claim Kane's soul, Solomon returns to England and abandons his wicked past for a life of pacifism and solitude. But the Devil does not give up that easily and soon, Kane finds the land ravaged by murderous hordes led by a mysterious masked warrior and the sorcerer Malachi (Jason Flemyng). After vowing to rescue a puritan's daughter (Rachel Hurd-Wood) who is kidnapped by Malachi's followers, Kane must once again do battle against a vast number of enemies or face losing his soul and those closest to him.
It might not be the most original tale ever told but "Solomon Kane" does have one or two things to recommend. Firstly, it has a blisteringly central performance from Purefoy as the tortured anti-hero. I can't recall anything else he's been in but he gives Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn a run for his money. Secondly, Purefoy's supporting players all do their part led by the late Pete Postlethwaite and cameos from Mackenzie Crook and Max von Sydow. It also looks the business - muddy battlefields and ruined castles all have that authentic feel to them as do the costumes. The sword-fighting is also very well done - stunt-work is to be commended. Sadly, the film has some very rough edges and none more so when CG is involved - some aspects are simply appalling though others (like the fiery Hell demon towards the end) are better. The script needed to be a bit tighter as it rambled on through what felt like unnecessary scenes and the dialogue felt clichéd and lifted straight out of other movies of this type. It didn't surprise at all as the film continued the bloodshed as if that was all the film was about.
Having said that, this is still a good action movie that fans of fight scenes will appreciate. In a weird way, it reminded me of "Bad Boys 2" - scene after scene of quality action and stunt-work but sadly linked by a tired plot and dialogue you've already heard elsewhere. Of course it's entertaining but you're left with a feeling that it could and should have done more. Naturally, it's left open for a sequel but it needs to feel different and not tied to too many other films and clichés. "Solomon Kane" is a good, if somewhat wet and gloomy, hack-and-slash movie but I just wanted more from it and to be honest, I felt a little let-down.