Review of Ironclad (2011) by Sa5Ha — 23 Feb 2012

In the genre of action adventure, Hollywood has earned a reputation of painting idealized realities for viewers to delve into. Realities that depict virtuous heroes, worthy adversaries, adequate character development, enlightened conclusions, and the triumph of good over evil.

This brief combination of themes and techniques offers viewers glimpses into ideal worlds. The films Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Robin Hood are just a few which more often than not follow this basic outline, earning audience's admiration and love in regards to the heroes and heroins and the film's ideological pursuits and conclusions.

In comparison to the a fore mentioned films, Ironclad paints a more brutal and realistic picture of medieval life and warfare, focusing more so on brutal action than on plot and character development which is nearly non existent and comically terse.

The audience primarily, and almost singularly, receives a rich visual experience of what weapons can actually do to the human body while also not receiving the privilege of well rounded developing characters.

The heroes don't survive battles with merely a scratch to the head or a cut to the arm, but rather with life threatening gashes and blows that gush fatal amounts of blood. It nearly appeared that the director of the film was eager to discover just how many different ways a sword can slice and puncture a human body.

The visual experience is not romantic, nor heroic and certainly not for the faint of stomach. Even the hero of the film explains that it is not a "noble" thing to kill a man and we as viewers quickly understand why nobility is not a direct product of bloodshed.

With the film primarily focusing on brutal battles and nearly not at all on maintaining the human interest side to the story, the end result seems unbalanced and incomplete. At times, the film offers viewers an occasional comically serious scene between one note characters which ultimately hints to the film's desperate attempt not to forget that there are actually characters involved in the bloody event.

This stark contrast between Ironclad and other medieval films such as Gladiator, brands Ironclad as incomplete, desperate, and unbalanced while films like Gladiator are rich, balanced, and complete while being inspirational.

On the flip side however, Ironclad offers something that very few films do: an honest education on the grim and vicious reality of war. In this respect, Ironclad has, dare I say, nobly shed the fantastical curtain of Hollywood and offered audiences true reality, communicating that nobility is obtained from a "life serving others" rather than killing and dominating on the battlefield.

This conclusion is sobering as it is refreshing, for not all adventures are as decorated and dynamic as that of Gladiator. Lastly, I must honestly state that after viewing this film, any office working man who secretly dreamed of being a medieval knight would seriously reconsider his fantasy for one that did not nearly guarantee to rip him to shreds.