Film File - Ironclad

Even back in the Middle Ages, kings often had a tough time holding on to their royal privileges. Throughout English history, various rulers of the realm faced rebellion both from peasants and the aristocracy - upheavals that usually ended with the power of the throne coming out on top. In 1215, however, the despised King John (Paul Giamatti) faced the strongest opposition in royal history when his Barons - major landholders and rulers of vast swathes of England - forced him to put his royal seal to the Magna Carta, an iconic document upholding the rights of free men and designed to allow greater democracy amongst all subjects of the country. Like the current day dictators in the Middle East, King John was far too used to the pleasures of absolute power and had no intention of observing the laws outlined in the document signed at Runnymeade. Within months, he had reneged on his oath and assembled a mercenary army on the south coast of England with the intention of bringing the barons and the country back under his tyrannical rule. Before he could reassert his Middle Ages version of a dictatorship, King John had to conquer the majestic Rochester Castle - seat of the rebellion and symbol of the mass movement toward greater liberties for the lower orders. Working a similar rich vein of history as Ridley Scott did with last year's Robin Hood, director and writer Jonathan English goes all out with his attempt at a medieval epic where good and bad are clearly defined and leave few subtleties for the audience to ponder. This is unashamed derring-do stuff, and works quite well if you're looking for an entertainment with little taxing of the brain involved. Baron Albany (Brian Cox) leads the rebel element and enlists a force to counter the paid-up killers of King John. Amongst his followers is a Knight Templar - same as Robin Hood - Marshall (James Purefoy), a well named archer called Marks (Mackenzie Crook), petty thief Coteral (Jamie Forman), ladies man Beckett (Jason Flemyng), and a handful of other street fighters to make up the rebel's core. Similarities with The Magnificent Seven or The Wild Bunch are fairly obvious. Lady Isabel (Kate Mara) provides the obligatory castle totty, and a willing damsel for the wandering eye of warrior Marshall. Despite a script containing more than a few cringe worthy lines - "it's too quiet" just before an attack, for instance, director English does deliver a convincing portrait of a harsh age when violence and oppression was the natural order. Expect plenty of gruesome gore sprinkled through the action sequences - such as hands and feet being hacked off as well as various dismemberments. Giamatti is excellent as the villainous royal, and gets most of the best speeches which he delivers with an obvious relish. His axman sidekick, the Danish mercenary Tiberius (Vladimir Kulich), is just right as the blood lusting foreigner who's paid by the head. Charles Dance and Derek Jacobi also have notable cameo roles, and lend a touch of thespian class to proceedings. Overall, Ironclad is a good Saturday night entertainment - but perhaps more of a guy's flick than something suitable for a smoochy date.