Season of the Witch
Director: Dominic Sena
Year: 2011
Rating: 6.5
Ah, just
what I was looking for. A big fat dumb film starring Nicolas Cage. They go
together like beans and gas. I took a look at Cage's filmography over the
past decade or so. A lot of movies. Half of them seem to be versions of Taken.
And most of them getting a rating under 5.0 on IMDB. He is the Michael Caine
of our time. Does it pay? Yes. Ok, count me in. This one though is good fun
with action, mutilated bodies, plague ridden bodies, witches, witches (supposedly)
executed, demons, decapitations, CGI wolves and a beautiful girl. It is a
familiar plot. A group of men have to transport a prisoner across dangerous
terrain in order to be tried in court. The difference being that this is
in Medieval times and the prisoner is possibly a witch. And the Black Plague
is everywhere.
Behman (Cage) and his good friend Felson
(Ron Perlman) are legendary Crusaders killing the Muslims by the dozens in
battle after battle and year after year. They just wade into each battle
and start swinging their swords and down the enemy goes. Until they come
to a fortress which they take over - and Behman sees that the army has killed
women and children. It is more than he can take and he and his friend desert
the army and walk away - anyone want to try and stop us? They wander the
land until they come to a town where the Plague has ravaged the city. They
want out but they are recognized and are captured - though Behman in pure
Wuxia style bats away crossbow arrows shot at him. They are given a choice
- death or help transport the suspected witch (Claire Foy) - by the Cardinal
- an unrecognizable (but not his voice) Christopher Lee who has the plague.
Their mission should they accept it is to get the witch to a town where she
can be tried. They think that she is causing the plague. Perfect Medieval
logic.
Off they go with her in a cage and our two
warriors, a priest, a knight, a young man looking for adventure and a guide
leading the way. This is when you can play, Which Ones Will Survive. You
may or may not be surprised. Not that much happens really - a platoon of
wolves trying to kill them, a bridge ready to collapse that they have to
cross, a town full of the dead and a few demons. It is only 90-minutes long
and they squeeze a lot in. Not much humor or personality - but here was a
bit. "Why were you fighting in the Crusades?". "A priest came to Felson and
said his sins would be forgiven if he joined up". "All my sins?". "Well,
it depends on how long you sign up for". "Adultery?". "One year". "Thievery?".
"Two years". "Sign me up for 10". Every time I see a movie that takes place
in these times, I thank God or fate for being born hundreds of years later.
