Black Death (9.5/10)

This film swept the floor with me. I did not expect this movie to be so brilliant. I heard good things, so I thought it be decent. However this is a serious adrenaline filled gem of work. "Black Death" is one hell of ride. It's got traces of so many great horror themes it was gripping the entire time. It has ideas of a zombie film with the infestation, how it spreads and the fear it causes among the populace. It had glimpses of "The Wicker Man" with whole creepy community thing. The film does it like "Rob Roy" and "The Eagle" doesn't use big special effects and lets the combat flourish realistically. I even find a similarity with the video game Castlevania. that game series often has a darker hero fighting demons in a land God has abandoned. I'd say the land the film takes place in has not felt God's hand in a long time.

A young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) lives in a time where the black plague is killing all and causes the people to become savages, burning witches to appease God. A knight assigned by the bishop comes to the small monastery looking for a guide. Osmund quickly volunteers. The two are joined by several mercenaries as they go to a town where a necromancer resides and God is no where to be seen. No one in the film is innocent, it is a dark time. The mercenaries are given enough of a backstory to be interesting but still expendable. The knight Ulrich (Sean Bean showing once again he is one the most underrated talents woking today) is described as a man "more dangerous than the pestilence". Langiva (Carice Van Houten), the woman in charge of the town looks to be a angel in this hell. However is that not what the devil does, he tricks and deceives you. Or is it the knight and God who have destroyed this land? I'm trying my best not to give away to much of the story but it will keep you guessing even when you think you have the answer. I love this fact. I guess twist endings more than I should and the rest of the film goes downhill from there. With "Black Death" you want to see the mystery unfold just as much as the truth be told. There is a scene that clenches Ulrich as one of the biggest badasses of all time. It's dark, gritty, action packed, hard with the morales and one to remember. Two thumbs way up from me.

9.5/10
Recommendation: Please watch it! It's so entertaining that it can't not be like or at least peak your interest from time to time. It's now on Netflix instant que. I highly recommend it.