Review of Black Death (2010) by Archibald T — 22 Mar 2011

The year is 1348. It is the height of the Bubonic Plague in Europe. People have begun dying from it left and right. Some are superstitious of it by claiming that it is God punishing them. As it spreads, a young monk named Osmund is confined briefly in a room.

He was been put there because other monks believed he had been sick and they didn't want to take any chances. He is set free when another monk who had the plague dies and returns back to Averill, his only love for whom he is confused over since he is a monk and his duty is to God.

He tells her to leave for fear that she might catch the plague. She tells him that she will wait for him every day for a week at the martyrs cross. If he doesn't show by then, she'll be out of his life forever.

Osmund must choose between his duty to God and his love for Averill. He prays for a sign and it comes in the form of a fearsome knight named Ulric who needs a man of God to lead him and a group of mercenaries to a remote marsh that hasn't been touched by the plague to hunt down a necromancer (a person who can bring the dead back to life) and bring him (or her) to the Bishop.

Osmund takes the lead since where they're going happens to be on the way to the martyrs cross for where Averill waits. He joins them. Introductions are made among the group, each one is as eccentric or damned as the next.

Ulrich, however, is a knight with nothing to lose. Someone to have in a fight. Sean Bean plays Ulrich like he did with the character Boromir in 'The Lord of Rings' except more bolder and interesting than that character.

Now you have to remember the plague is rampant during the film and while these men are on their journey each one has to be aware of it. If one man has it than they must die or else they all do. When they arrive at the martyrs cross, Osmund comes across a grim discovery.

Blood stains and Averill's torn clothing can only mean one thing: abduction. But who would do such a thing? That question is answered once they cross the marsh to the village they are sent to.The inhabitants include a variety of women who basically outnumber the men.

One woman, in particular, is the high priestess except her religion is one without a God. Her name is Langiva and she turns out to be the one they seek, the necromancer. Her spells are casted upon these men, sending them into a weak state of mind only to be captured and one by one killed unless they renounce God as their savior.

Osmund's faith is put to the test when Langive brings back his beloved Averill. Can he decide to renounce God based on this miracle from a witch? This was a very entertaining film with surprising depth and emotional resonance.

It was the first time I think since Solomon Kane that a film of this type actually restore my faith in the Medieval times genre. After seeing Clash of the Titans and Centurion, a film like this can not be compared to those overrated CGI induced trash that Hollywood produces.

For a low budget film, it uses it's time wisely and provides a great gothic based tale. It does borrow, however, from 'The Wicker Man'. A tiny bit, but if anything this film fits just nicely as an original piece of work with, of course, a pagan theme attached to it.

Overall, a very interesting take on 'The Wicker Man' spun into a Medieval based film.