Black Death (2010)

Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  I think I expected more from this movie. It was not bad. It was decent enough but nothing super exciting.

• moon r

  
  Medieval England, and church officials wonder if the plague sweeping the land is a punishment from God. Also there is word of a village in the marshlands where the plague does not reach ... and a Chaucerian road trip follows. Somebody will be gettin' medieval on somebody in… More
  Medieval England, and church officials wonder if the plague sweeping the land is a punishment from God. Also there is word of a village in the marshlands where the plague does not reach ... and a Chaucerian road trip follows. Somebody will be gettin' medieval on somebody in this violent yet gutless look at the sway superstition holds, and how its directly tied to results.

• J P

  
  I kind of liked this movie. I like how the characters developed especially Osmund. He turns into the exact type of person his friend told him not to become, and he changed. It was a pretty depressing story all around. There wasn't any happiness in it. A few twists, and it was… More
  I kind of liked this movie. I like how the characters developed especially Osmund. He turns into the exact type of person his friend told him not to become, and he changed. It was a pretty depressing story all around. There wasn't any happiness in it. A few twists, and it was pretty sad. It was good though. Really violent and the people were all so angry, but I liked it.

• Greg S

  
  A group of witch-hunters take a young monk along on a trip to a remote village that has somehow escaped the surrounding plague; due to demon worship, it's suspected. Interesting, morally ambiguous historical adventure/drama that dimly evokes THE WICKER MAN and WITCHFINDER… More
  A group of witch-hunters take a young monk along on a trip to a remote village that has somehow escaped the surrounding plague; due to demon worship, it's suspected. Interesting, morally ambiguous historical adventure/drama that dimly evokes THE WICKER MAN and WITCHFINDER GENERAL; it flirts with turning into a horror movie but never quite does.

• paul s

  
  A funny thing happened on the way to making this medieval tale - a morality tale ensued, and to that I say, thank whatever deity you adhere to; otherwise this slow moving tale would have been all atmosphere, little action, and very little to think about. The film sets off rightly… More
  A funny thing happened on the way to making this medieval tale - a morality tale ensued, and to that I say, thank whatever deity you adhere to; otherwise this slow moving tale would have been all atmosphere, little action, and very little to think about. The film sets off rightly enough, with Sean Bean playing a knight Templar, commissioned by the Vatican to seek out a village allegedly immune to the Black Death of the title, and also rumored to be in the thrall of a necromancer (a wizard able to raise the dead). On his way to find the village he stops in a town and visits its abbey, itself not immune to the clutches of the plague. He hires a young acolyte to act as a guide, as said acolyte was raised in the forest wherein the village lies. The acolyte readily volunteers, as he sees it as his opportunity to reunite with the girl of his fancy, whom he has sent away to save her from the plague. Ok, so much for the setup - the film becomes a medieval road tale for a stretch, with a few battle scenes between the knights and bandits thrown in (unfortunately using way to much hand held shaky cam). When the knights, replete with all kinds of lovely torture devices (used to get at the, ahem, "truth") arrive at the village they find it very normal... at first. Without going into the details, what the film then boils down to is a simple case of point of view. The villagers believe in what they believe, while the church knights of course believe that anything that steps outside of their narrow tenants is blasphemy and heresy punishable by death (or torture resulting in death, depending on the mood of the knights). That the villagers resort to the same kind of tactics in order to protect themselves is the telling of the tale for the film, which really tells more about faith than anything else. Cast in the dark ages as it is, the conflict between mysticism and the almighty church is relevant, as the populace, for the most part, are simple and unread (and unwashed for that matter...). What is suggested by Bean's knight is that the church was in a spot of trouble. They blamed the plague on God's wrath (yep, the people were bad sinners and needed to be punished) - and yet that strategy backfired as people don't like being told that they are to blame for anything. Further, when the plague started hitting the abbeys and priests, the people just had to wonder if perhaps the church wasn't just a sham after all. I wish the film would have devoted itself more into this fascinating argument concerning faith, but it remained rooted too much in its depiction of the dark ages, and then committed the sin of throwing in a surprise twist followed by a totally bogus tag ending that made carried no emotional impact nor made much sense.

• Nathan H

  
  Hauntingly Beautiful is what comes to mind, when thinking of Black Death. The story follows a young monk, while his journey causes him to question his own faith. The story is a magnificent tale that causes one to think. The cinematography is proper for the time period, having a dark… More
  Hauntingly Beautiful is what comes to mind, when thinking of Black Death. The story follows a young monk, while his journey causes him to question his own faith. The story is a magnificent tale that causes one to think. The cinematography is proper for the time period, having a dark atmosphere. The acting, as well, is fantastic, specifically Sean Bean's. Much like Kingdom of Heaven, this historical piece will capture you.

• Dean !

  
  A disappointing film, that is far too slow paced and never reaches the climax you hoped for. Straight to DVD release and can't say I'd heard of it before, despite Sean Bean being in it was a warning sign. The production is ok, but I thought this would be a big battle,… More
  A disappointing film, that is far too slow paced and never reaches the climax you hoped for. Straight to DVD release and can't say I'd heard of it before, despite Sean Bean being in it was a warning sign. The production is ok, but I thought this would be a big battle, adventure film set in the times of the plague. It's a different type of film altogether and not a particularly interesting one.

• Melvin W

  
  Osmund: May I ask, how did your husband die? Langiva: Men like you killed him. Osmund: Men like me? Langiva: Men of God. Black Death is a very dark thriller set in 1348. The plague is whipping out villages and there's battles between Christians and the non-believers. I… More
  Osmund: May I ask, how did your husband die? Langiva: Men like you killed him. Osmund: Men like me? Langiva: Men of God. Black Death is a very dark thriller set in 1348. The plague is whipping out villages and there's battles between Christians and the non-believers. I really like the religious aspect of the movie. It makes for some very interesting scenes, especially the last quarter of the movie. Sean Bean is perfectly cast as Ulric and delivers a powerful performance. Although, I did like the movie; I feel like it could have been so much better. But for a little movie I hadn't heard of until recently it was a pleasant surprise.

• familiar s

  
  A draaaaaaag to which I can't think of anything to give credit for. But I'm giving it one star for it managed to keep me awake till the end of the movie. That's a big achievement IMHO, and it deserves one star for it alone if nothing else. How I wish I had dedicated… More
  A draaaaaaag to which I can't think of anything to give credit for. But I'm giving it one star for it managed to keep me awake till the end of the movie. That's a big achievement IMHO, and it deserves one star for it alone if nothing else. How I wish I had dedicated this time to watch another movie (lots are waiting eagerly). But then again, I can't be too sure if that alternative would have been any good than this one.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, David Warner, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon, Andy Nyman, Tim McInnerny, John Lynch, Johnny Harris, Tygo Gernandt Director: Christopher Smith Summary: Sean Bean stars in this historically rooted horror-thriller as Ulric, a church-appointed… More
  Cast: Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, David Warner, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon, Andy Nyman, Tim McInnerny, John Lynch, Johnny Harris, Tygo Gernandt Director: Christopher Smith Summary: Sean Bean stars in this historically rooted horror-thriller as Ulric, a church-appointed knight in the age of the Bubonic Plague's first wave who's tasked with investigating rumors of a woman (Carice van Houten) who can bring the dead back to life. A young monk (Eddie Redmayne) named Osmund is aiding Ulric on his quest to root out the necromancer -- and to determine whether or not she has ties to Satan. My Thoughts: "Religion aside, this is a great thriller. The fight scenes are exciting and the acting is great. The story is very interesting and I enjoyed the few surprising twists along the way. Although the film is based around religion, I felt it was more about Osmund's struggle with love, betraying God, and where his grief took him. Its dark, depressing, and bloody. It was a much better film than I had expected it to be."

• Cynthia S

  
  I think that this was a fine example of me expecting too much. I was REALLY wanting to see this..and ultimately was disappointed. All and all it seemed like a half-hearted attempt at what could have been a great movie. For about 40 minutes it was intriguing. But after that, the film… More
  I think that this was a fine example of me expecting too much. I was REALLY wanting to see this..and ultimately was disappointed. All and all it seemed like a half-hearted attempt at what could have been a great movie. For about 40 minutes it was intriguing. But after that, the film doesn't just lose steam--it disintegrates. Not for lack of trying, mind you, by all involved. There are some fascinating moments, but not many. I am bummed...

• Chris W

  
  This film is a variation of the 'men on a mission' trope. It is the story of a monk who travels with a group of knights to look for and kill a supposed necromancer during the time of the Black Death in Europe, specifically the year 1348. Going into it, I wasn't quite… More
  This film is a variation of the 'men on a mission' trope. It is the story of a monk who travels with a group of knights to look for and kill a supposed necromancer during the time of the Black Death in Europe, specifically the year 1348. Going into it, I wasn't quite sure what to realy suspect, but I had a feeling that this would end up being a cool idea that became a half baked b-movie that fell short of the mark. I'm glad that I'm wrong, because this was a really solid film that was far better than it needed to be. The fact that there's some substance here is even better. This film is all about guilt, suspicion, faith, and putting beliefs to the test. The time period being used here is suitably appropriate as a result, and, for the sake of cinema, the subject matter also leaves room for flexibility and lee way in terms of specific conten, ie supernatural stuff is okay. The crew seem to have done some homework. I'm no expert on the time period, but I've taken courses on it. I know the Church too, and, a few minor errors aside, they got that pretty good too. There are a few moments of anachronistic dialogue, but, given the context with how they are used, it's totally forgivable, and it works. This isn't some heady art film, but it's not a cheapie cast off either. The themes are present, but this is more of a supernatural thriller instead of a heavy dose of intellectualizing. Besides having a decent story and some cool ideas, the film is absolutely creepy and unnerving, and the script isn't totally predictable either. There's a wonderful sense of atmosphere, and some truly great shots and moments. The cast is good, or good enough. They get the job done, let's just put it that way. Special props though, for the fact that Tygo Gernandt is a dead ringer for Klaus Kinski as Aguirre, especially since this was intentional and not some coincidence. I didn't absolutely love this movie, but I'm giving it an extremely high B+. I liked how the film gave no simple answers and played with ambiguity, especially moral ambiguity, but I'm not sure if everyone will be cool with that. You should still see this though, because it's really well made, entertaining, and will give you some things to ponder over afterwards.

• Lewis C

  
  "Even if you survive, the world out there will change you." Black Death is a brutal, dark film set in England during the Middle Ages. A young monk accompanies a group of soldiers in search of a village that has been untouched by the black plague that is ravaging the land.… More
  "Even if you survive, the world out there will change you." Black Death is a brutal, dark film set in England during the Middle Ages. A young monk accompanies a group of soldiers in search of a village that has been untouched by the black plague that is ravaging the land. Rumors are that witchcraft and necromancy are at the heart of why the village has been spared. After a journey through danger and death spawned both from the plague and men, they reach the village. The story proceeds onward from there, and you have a fine 14th century horror/thriller on your hands. The movie is shot with a realistic style and muted colors, which goes well with the frequent scenes of disease-borne misery and bloody violence. The cast does fine, though I was only familiar with two of the actors previously. Sean Bean, who is always a great choice in anything involving swords (or any movie, period), and Johnny Harris, who you may recall from his memorable role in the recent Disappearance of Alice Creed. And now I'm also familiar with Carice Van Houten and Eddie Redmayne, who play two of the most important parts of the movie and do an absolutely sterling job. I really liked Black Death. The plot quickly grabs you and takes all sorts of interesting twists and turns before the end, there's enough action to satisfy nearly anyone (though it's not the focus of the film), and the characters are surprisingly three dimensional. Highly recommended.

• Jameson W

  
  I'm completely torn on this film. There were parts, particularly in the beginning, that I didn't enjoy that much, but other parts towards the end that I found very excellent. I think the main issue with the film is the pace, it's very slow. It's not at all boring,… More
  I'm completely torn on this film. There were parts, particularly in the beginning, that I didn't enjoy that much, but other parts towards the end that I found very excellent. I think the main issue with the film is the pace, it's very slow. It's not at all boring, it's just extremely difficult to get connected or interested to in story. I loved the Medieval setting and the Bubonic Plague as a driving force of the story, but something was missing. As the film progressed, the story picks up alot. In fact, the last 25 minutes or so were very nice. The intensity picked up, emotions came out, and the film began to dig into some theological ideas that I think really worked here. The ending "twist" was also nice, it wasn't mind blowing or anything, but it was unique and completely fitting. Overall i'd say this is a pretty good film. Not stellar, but I was pleased with the film. I'd recommend it.

• Lee ?

  
  Set in good ol' medieval England during the outbreak of the plague, a small band of inquisitors and torturers set off to a remote village where rumours of witches and necromancers are known to dwell. This is no half-arsed cheesy TV production, the makers have done a great job… More
  Set in good ol' medieval England during the outbreak of the plague, a small band of inquisitors and torturers set off to a remote village where rumours of witches and necromancers are known to dwell. This is no half-arsed cheesy TV production, the makers have done a great job giving the film that grim and grimey medieval atmosphere very fitting to the story and that was essential. It's not as brutal or graphic as it could have been though, probably to get a lower rating of 15 rather than 18, but blood and severed limb do occassionally fly around. I thought it was interesting to have the plot featuring the long persecuted Pagans turn the tables of their Christian torturers, but this is not an anti-christian movie, the only 'good' character in the movie is the young sympathetic Monk... for the most part at least. Overall it's a film that's very good and watchable for as long as it lasts, but it's not one that's set the movie world ablaze with anything great. It's worth a watch though.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"I am Death. Vengeance is mine."</i> Set during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England, a young monk is tasked with learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village. <center><font size=+2… More
  <i>"I am Death. Vengeance is mine."</i> Set during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England, a young monk is tasked with learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> This morbid, but hearty little slow-grinding Gothic period action horror is something like the "Witchfinder General" meets "The Wicker Man". Those two are favourites of mine and while it might not reach the heights of those mentioned films, it still doesn't put much of a foot wrong. This medieval piece is set during the times when the black plague ravaged England and a group of mercenary knights along with a young monk (who's torn between his faith and the affection of a woman) head out to hunt down a Necromancer, where it's believed they're using their witchery to keep away the plague from their small remote rural community. Christopher Smith is an up and coming British director (with likes of "Creep", "Severance" and "Triangle" behind him) and his next diverse effort "Black Death" didn't disappoint. While the direction is descriptively slick and steady (and well photographed), he really captures the dark, turbulent atmosphere of the period, as the stench of death and the bleak colouring covers the screen. While conventional in some story arches (the camaraderie between a ragtag group), it remains smartly written and jarringly effective by never centralising on one viewpoint but actually opening up with more stinging questions. The harrowing back-end is rather despairing and chilling, therefore quite enthralling due to a central character's delusional mindset. The violence can be furious, brutal and gusty, but still underneath it all is a creepy and cruel menace. Sean Bean's ruggedly virtuous performance sticks out, but there's good support from Eddie Redmayne and an eerily succulent turn by Carice van Houten whose manipulative presence was always hypnotic when on screen.

• A.D. V

  
  While I'm a big fan of Cristopher Smith this is easily my least favorite of his. Bleak, depressing, too slow and bares more than a passing resemblance to The Wicker Man. With that said it's still not awful just not as great as his previous films like Creep and Triangle.

• Phil H

  
  Totally bleak and very realistic this historical story set in the time of the bubonic plague which really is quite depressing haha the plot is of course religion based and see's a group of warriors and a young monk off to a small village untouched by plague. The reason? because… More
  Totally bleak and very realistic this historical story set in the time of the bubonic plague which really is quite depressing haha the plot is of course religion based and see's a group of warriors and a young monk off to a small village untouched by plague. The reason? because they think a witch is there and keeping the plague out, which would seem beneficial really but that's not Christian damn it. Sean Bean heads a good character driven cast (including Tim McInnerny of 'Blackadder' fame) despite looking like Boromir of 'LOTR', his mates are a dirty ugly bunch all set on pushing the Christain faith through England. The plot is basically just a gang of warriors on a mission getting taken down one by one, usual affair, but its set in the time of the bubonic plague and rather grotty hehe It looks great, you can almost smell the filth and taste the mud the group slowly wades through accompanied by some haunting chanting in the musical score, its just a shame the ending gets alittle bit silly and kinda 'Wicker Man-ish', still its a good film that has gone under the radar.

• Gordon A

  
  Smith has definitely upped his game here thanks mainly to a script which toys with some interesting conflicts between reason, religion and superstition. His previous horror genre pieces were shallow affairs but this makes time for ideas in amongst the hack and slash you would expect.

• Stuart B

  
  Its ok, but nothing special and certainly not Christopher smiths best.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings