Good day readers! Hope you all had a nice Halloween- hamstrung though it was by Coivd 19. Mine was good! Played some Resident Evil 2 and got to try the Avengers game. As you are also no doubt aware, I also watched Aliens as part of my Halloween celebrations- my review of it can be found here.
But now, normal service will be resumed, and its time to watch another film I suspect to be a bit pants. This time, it’s 2011’s Ironclad- A British Historical Action film starring a pretty impressive sounding cast. It features Paul Giamatti, Derek Jacobi and Charles Dance alongside central characters played by James Purefoy and Kate Mara. However, initial investigations seem to be suggesting that this film is brutal action and not much else; lacking in meaningful plot and historical accuracy. Indeed, there appears to be some disconnect between people who enjoy the film’s bloody violence despite (or perhaps because of) the lack of characterisation and narrative weight, and those who are unimpressed by limb-chopping alone. These two groups broadly follow critic/ fan groupings where most critics deride the film, but some avowed fans defend it. However, this is not the whole story! Some critics accept that the film is what it is, and appreciate that it succeeds at its core competency: mindless violence.
As for myself, I, of course, reserve judgement until after I’ve seen the film. But for what it’s worth, I don’t think a film HAS to be clever or well plotted to be enjoyable. If the film sets out its own terms and succeeds on them, that can be more than enough. After all, I love Martial Arts films, which are basically just 90 minutes of fighting. But having said that, action alone is usually not enough to carry a film, unless it is perfectly paced. So we shall see!
The other issue critics point to is the lack of historical accuracy in this film. It uses real figures (or at least one in Prince John) and a real event (the siege of Rochester Castle) but plays out in a fashion very different to reality. Despite my being a History graduate, this does not inherently bother me. I don’t believe, as some do, that inaccurate action films are ruining our nations concept of its history. Indeed, even inaccurate films can give people an interest in or flavour of real history. What matters more in a film like this, which no one is going to mistake for a documentary, is whether the historical setting and changes to history result in a compelling and worthwhile film. Only my viewing next week will tell!
Until my post then, enjoy these links to film ephermera!:
Firstly, and presented largely without comment, is the trailer for ‘Killer Sofa’, a film my friends recently watched which, despite not being able to join them, I’m pretty confident is a masterpiece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBrjlDkN65g
Secondly, this excellent SNL parody which fuses Sesame Street and everyone’s favourite Taxi Driver remake: Joker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqpak5lFxvs (yes I know this is old now but I’ve only just seen it).
Until next week then!
-Tom
Pound Shop Flix 
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