Review of Ironclad (2011) by Gerardo M — 09 Oct 2011

Though happy to see such a stellar cast of actors such as Gosford Park's Charles Dance and Derek Jacobi, HBO Rome's James Purefoy, From Hell's Jason Flemyng, Sidways' Paul Giamatti and legend Brian Cox, and the battle sequences are enough to get your blood pumping, the story doesn't seem to enjoy a full screenplay, which I find to be crucial for any good film.

The action is pretty well-crafted and the gore is there but not to the extreme that many people say, I have seen far greater gore in Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust and Pasolini's Salo. The film might have actually been better off actually depicting the events leading up to the drafting and signing of the Magna Carta rather than the aftermath of this highly-fictionalized story.

Writer/Director/Producer Jonathan English made a great attempt, but it appears he took a great inspiration from Ridley Scott's Robin Hood and Michael J. Bassett's Soloman Kane in the scope and design of the film, and it doesn't serve the story and the acting the justice it needs.

When relaying such a traumatic and essential part of English history, you need a screenwriter whose talents are greater than simply directing the Green/McDool screenplay Minotaur. Potential, but it falls tragically short of a premise and promise that could have made a wonderful period piece but simply remains in a stagnant pool of blood, hollow romantic cliches and battle scenes that were at times far too shaky and up-close to know what was going on.

With such a cast and budget, English didn't give English history the respect and precision that it needs. Though, for what it remains, it still is a decent watch if battles and random soldiers' antics are what you desire.