SWORD OF VENGEANCE (2015)

Sword of Vengeance (2015)
Directed by: Jim Weedon
Written by: Julian Unthank, Matthew Read
Starring: Annabelle Wallis, Ed Skrein, Edward Akrout, Gianni Giardinelli, Misa Beric, Stanley Weber

SWORD OF VENGEANCE (2015)
Directed by Jim Weedon

Set after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Earl Durant is put in charge by William the Conquerer to oversee the lands in England. With the aid of his sons Artus and Romain, Earl Durant orders his men to kill, rape and pillage the Saxon settlements to exploit their new land. When a stranger, known only as the Shadow Walker, rescues a Saxon woman and her father from rape and death at the hands of Romain, they join forces to protect their village with nearby settlers joining their Saxon army against the Norman rule. Leading the army but keeping his cards close to his chest, could the Shadow Walker have an agenda of his own?

Medieval action movie Sword of Vengeance is a stylish approach to Saxons vs Normans with plenty of brutal throat-slitting, hand-chopping and flesh-stabbing to unleash the blood-thirsty savage inside of you. Focusing on a mysterious wanderer, who’s more than capable of using a sword, the film logs his partnership with a group of Saxons led by female warrior Anna and their battle to stop Earl Durant’s tyrannous rule once and for all. However, the mysterous Shadow Walker seems to have his own reasons for wanting Earl Durant and his sons dead as he enjoys taunting the young men and sending threatening messages to the Earl, ones that he understands only too well.

I’m a great lover of period battle films with one of my all time favourites being Mel Gibson’s Braveheart. Unfortunately, despite its brutality, Sword of Vengeance has very little going for it except for its beautifully shot visuals and attention to visual detail. We have a bunch of characters, both Norman and Saxon, who feel very two dimensional and empty due to a lack of character development so when we see characters being injured, threatened or killed off, it’s very hard to feel any sort of emotion in response. Though they are given almost 90 minutes to become more than just a face and a weapon, that’s all they remain so their slaughter is quite meaningless as are any plot threads that involve them in the movie.

A mediocre plot, one that we’ve seen in countless movies before but done better,  coupled with shallow characters means the film often drags its feet throughout the running time. Even a very brief sex scene does nothing to spice up the on-screen action with no chemistry between the two characters. The female character also looks too clean and modern for the role, especially when she looks as though she’s been using eyeshadow and other cosmetics. Tthe last time I checked, there wasn’t a Boots or Superdrug operating at that during medieval England.

Close-ups of the action often leave the combat scenes feeling intimate rather than a group affair although this works to great effect on each individual’s battle. The use of greys and dark colours create a rather bleak scenario, whatever the outcome, with only the flickering red, yellow and orange of the roaring fires adding the much needed vibrance to the screen. There never seems any hope for these people, even if the battle is won, as though there will always be more trouble around the corner. However, the Saxons are more than equipped and know how to craft weapons and shields. If I was fighting in this particular battle, I’d definitely want them on my side! The prop and costume department have really gone all out to create an authentic looking movie and should be commended for their efforts.

Sword of Vengeance may be a stylish and savage affair, but much like Earl Durant, the film is lacking that much-needed heart and passion.

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