Black Death (2011)
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
Theatrical Release: March 11, 2011
Director: Christopher Smith
Not Rated
Review by James Klein
British director Christopher Smith's newest film is yet again very different than all of his previous films. He has dabbled with a monster movie, (Creep) a comedy-action-horror film, (Severance) and a thriller (Triangle). Now he jumps into a period piece about the Dark Ages, witch hunting, and the Bubonic plaugue. Black Death is yet again very different than any of his other films and this is so far his best. However, the film may not be for everyone as the tone can be pretty bleak and violent but it is also very powerful.
A young monk decides to help lead a crusade to a small village that is rumored to be uneffected by the black plague that is killing everyone. The crusaders believe they are doing God's will and that this village may be filled with witches and demons who can bring the dead back to life. As these crusaders go on their journey, they themselves are hit with not only the plague but also forest thieves, witch hunters and soon the actual villagers from this village. I have always been a fan of sword fighting films and period pieces set during the Middle Ages. Black Death is different in that the film plays out like a drama but then mixes in action and horror. The best way to describe the film is think Braveheart meets The Wicker Man with just a touch of The Witchfinder General thrown in.
Black Death's script poses many questions regarding organized religion. How important is our faith? Can our beliefs be dangerous? Should a religion push their beliefs onto others? The script is assisted by a stand out cast that includes Sean Bean, Eddie Redmaybe, Carice van Houten, John Lynch and the great David Warner. The action scenes are good although I could do without the "shaky cam" as the sword fights got a bit confusing. The movie does go on for a bit too long but the climax of the film came as a shocker to me and provided a very bleak and "dark" climax.
If done by a inexpereinced director, Black Death would not have worked, coming off as pretenscious or heavy handed. Luckily, Christopher Smith knows what he's doing behind the camera. He can mix genres with interesting results and has yet to make a bad film.
Black Death is currently available on VOD, look for it at BlackDeathFilm.com.
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