Review of Ironclad (2011) by Hendra Y — 26 Oct 2011

This is one of the best Medieval historical adventure movies that I have seen. The only movie I can think of that compares with it is Camelot (Eighties version). If a person likes realism in their adventure movies this Medieval sword-fighting gore-fest shouldn't disappoint anywhere.

This film is grotesque in its depiction of Medieval battle, and I loved it for that. This is not a romantic depiction of death and dismemberment, this is what it must have looked and sounded like somewhat.

It gets gross. Yeah! The makers of this film didn't think we should get all bleary-eyed about knights and damsels, except for the hero and heroine some. There is a small quantity of the romantic, though its to show that human nature can overcome even the most horrible of barbaric surroundings to some extent.

King John of the Magna Carta signing is made to be a really villainous scoundrel. The story is mainly about the exploits and battle prowess of a Knight Templar who is recruited by a civil Baron to defend the last castle protecting London from the treacherous King.

One thing that might have been expanded some was the characterization of the Templar; he is mostly made out to be a perfect Christian knight, and only passing mention is made of the fact that the Knight Templars were Medieval Satanists.

Somewhere around a century later the French King and the Pope disbanded the entire Order of the Templars and executed its leaders for their Satanic heresy and growing power within France. More characterization of the Templar and his possible heresy might have added another interesting aspect to the film.

Other than that though the movie was a great historical adventure film, and not many are made like this.