AN EYE FOR AN EYE // A FILM REVIEW OF "MEDIEVAL"

BY MATEO MORENO

Based on (or I should say "Inspired by") the true story of Jan Žižka, a famed Czech general who never lost a battle and is now a Czech national hero, MEDIEVAL is a tale of knights and swords, a kidnapping and rescue and everything in between. Žižka (Ben Foster) begins the film, in 1402, with he and his crew hired to save Lord Boresh (Michael Caine) from a political assassination. Boresh then hires Žižka and his men to kidnap the niece of the King of France, Lady Katherine (Sophia Lowe). She is married to Henry of Rosenburg (Til Schweiger), a shady nobleman who is doing some shady scheming with King Sigismund of Hungary (Matthew Goode). The kidnapping of Lady Katherine is a kidnapping for ransom, to help persuade Rosenburg to fund Prague's money troubles.

From that point on, we go between the companies, with Žižka, Lady Katherine and the crew to the behind the scenes dealings of Rosenburg and King Sigismund. Katherine doesn't immediately know what to think of her situation until she learns of her fiancée Rosenburg's dark side. We see common folk often come to the aide of Žižka, helping him escape and even fight, eventually leading to a brutal battle that takes away one of Žižka's eyes (he famously continued to lead with only one eye and even continuing after losing his sight). He continues on, aided by Lady Katherine and his loyal men and locals, leading up to a final showdown between Rosenburg and Žižka himself. 

MEDIEVAL is a rousing, if a bit formulaic, sword and action film with some beautiful cinematography leading the way. Ben Foster is stoic and strong, giving a muted but solid performance as the unstoppable warrior. Michael Caine is a delight as always and the multinational cast is put to good use here. Sophie Lowe has a very strong presence here, showcasing more depth and honesty than perhaps is even on the page. And mugging up the villany is Matthew Goode and Til Schweiger, both having a grand time. It never reaches a fever pitch excitement level of, say Gladiator, but Medieval is a worthy addition to the genre, with a lot of bloody fun action sequences. If you like this kind of film, Žižka's tale is worth your time.

GRADE: B

SCREENPLAY BY Petr Jákl STORY BY Jákl Sr. BASED ON A STORY BY Marek Dobes, Michal Petrus DIRECTED BY Petr Jákl STARRING Ben Foster, Sophie Lowe, Michael Caine, Til Schweiger, Roland Møller, Matthew Goode, William Moseley NOW PLAYING IN SELECT THEATRES

SECRETS & LIES // A FILM REVIEW OF "BLOW THE MAN DOWN"

BY MATEO MORENO

NOTE: This review was originally presented as part of the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival coverage. It is now reprinted for the digital release.

Lost somewhere along many of small towns are secrets. Some not so impressive, some that will never be told, and some that the entire town seems to be in on. That last description can describe the Maine fishing town that BLOW THE MAN DOWN takes place in. It’s a town lost in time and one that’s not begging to be found.

The Connolly sisters (Sophie Lowe, Morgan Saylor) are here for their Mother’s funeral. Priscilla (Lowe) is the good girl, determined to keep the family’s name strong in this town. Mary Beth (Saylor) is a woman who can’t be pinned down and although she was there for her Mother in the end, she’s ready to hit the road. Their Mother’s best friends (June Squibb, Annette O’Toole, Marceline Hugot) are a trio of older women who seems light and innocent but hold a lot of power in this town. A friend from their younger days, the always electric Margo Martindale, own the town brothel and seems indebted to the women.

However, that’s all just the backing of the town’s story. The plot of the film kicks in when Mary Beth ends up going home with a guy whose bad news and attacks her. When he ends up dead, the sisters devise a cover-up, which sets all the pieces in motion. And that’s not even the only dead body that appears. This quiet, innocent town is anything but, and the ghosts of the past can’t stay buried for long.

The entire cast are sly, moody, and overall perfect. Danielle Krudy & Bridget Savage Cole’s script is punctuated with great dialogue and a whip smart plot that keeps you intrigued, as long as you keep paying attention. BLOW THE MAN DOWN takes the typical elements of a mystery and twists them around, making them feel fresh and unsettling. It’s a sharp film, one that will linger with you, long after the fog clears away.

GRADE: A

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy STARRING Morgan Saylor, Sophie Lowe, Margo Martindale, June Squibb, Annette O'Toole, Marceline Hugot. NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON Amazon Prime.

"BLOW THE MAN DOWN" // TRIBECA 2019 REVIEW

BY MATEO MORENO

Lost somewhere along many of small towns are secrets. Some not so impressive, some that will never be told, and some that the entire town seems to be in on. That last description can describe the Maine fishing town that BLOW THE MAN DOWN takes place in. It’s a town lost in time and one that’s not begging to be found.

The Connolly sisters (Sophie Lowe, Morgan Saylor) are here for their Mother’s funeral. Priscilla (Lowe) is the good girl, determined to keep the family’s name strong in this town. Mary Beth (Saylor) is a woman who can’t be pinned down and although she was there for her Mother in the end, she’s ready to hit the road. Their Mother’s best friends (June Squibb, Annette O’Toole, Marceline Hugot) are a trio of older women who seems light and innocent but hold a lot of power in this town. A friend from their younger days, the always electric Margo Martindale, own the town brothel and seems indebted to the women.

However, that’s all just the backing of the town’s story. The plot of the film kicks in when Mary Beth ends up going home with a guy whose bad news and attacks her. When he ends up dead, the sisters devise a cover-up, which sets all the pieces in motion. And that’s not even the only dead body that appears. This quiet, innocent town is anything but, and the ghosts of the past can’t stay buried for long.

The entire cast are sly, moody, and overall perfect. Danielle Krudy & Bridget Savage Cole’s script is punctuated with great dialogue and a whip smart plot that keeps you intrigued, as long as you keep paying attention. Blow the Man Down takes the typical elements of a mystery and twists them around, making them feel fresh and unsettling. It’s a sharp film, one that will linger with you, long after the fog clears away.

VERDICT: MUST SEE

GRADE: A

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy STARRING Morgan Saylor, Sophie Lowe, Margo Martindale, June Squibb, Annette O'Toole, Marceline Hugot. Playing as part of the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. For more information: http://www.tribecafilm.com/filmguide/blow-the-man-down-2019