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7

FDT44Mar 17, 2011

A dark, cabalistic medieval-pic that spews the spread of carrion and pandemic pestilence, "The Black Death" is gripping; growing on you like a leprotic sore. As the film advances, the grave urgency to escape a diminishing land of languishA dark, cabalistic medieval-pic that spews the spread of carrion and pandemic pestilence, "The Black Death" is gripping; growing on you like a leprotic sore. As the film advances, the grave urgency to escape a diminishing land of languish intensifies, and the fight for survival begins. The horrifying sights of death and decay are blended cohesively with the times, where the forces of religion and honor are emphasized with rightful adulation. This delineation of the period, and the film's name, however, is stalled once the strong-willed barbarics arrive at their "escape." Here, we see the film take a slant that strays from the times, and becomes lost amidst a mystically situated paragon of life. Following the abrupt, yet laconic change of course, the film is redeemed, where the strong sense of unity, religious piety, integrity, and pride are relinquished towards the picture's close. "The Black Death" is a potently felt exploration into the infestation, desolation, and despair of the Black Ages that doesn't hold back, and delivers, where the forces of human nature emanates.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

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8

PaperThingMay 30, 2012

Put simply; this movie is surprisingly good. It's analogous to "Conan The Barbarian" (1982) by John Milius. Pros: 1 - Acting (especially Eddie Redmayne and Sean Bean);
2 - Writing;
3 - Intensity and Gore; Cons: 1 - Nonstop shaky cam; 2 -Put simply; this movie is surprisingly good. It's analogous to "Conan The Barbarian" (1982) by John Milius. Pros: 1 - Acting (especially Eddie Redmayne and Sean Bean);
2 - Writing;
3 - Intensity and Gore;

Cons: 1 - Nonstop shaky cam;
2 - Sporadic pacing;

Overall: Hardly the best Horror film of 2011, but still very good to Rent.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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9

FalaaxApr 6, 2018

Great movie, interesting plot and a lot of gore (but not too much). I find it really interesting that they stayed in the realistic and gave a good representation of how it was during these dark days. Totally recommend it to anyone who isGreat movie, interesting plot and a lot of gore (but not too much). I find it really interesting that they stayed in the realistic and gave a good representation of how it was during these dark days. Totally recommend it to anyone who is interested in medieval ages.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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9

ThumbThunderMar 16, 2011

This is a good old fashioned thinking manâ

6 of 7 users found this helpful61

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10

JamesIrish68Aug 10, 2014

I'm giving Black Death a 10 because 6.3 doesn't do it justice...and might discourage some from watching it, which would be a pity..Its dripping with atmosphere..A grim 14th century atomosphere of dreariness, damp and disease. Not an out andI'm giving Black Death a 10 because 6.3 doesn't do it justice...and might discourage some from watching it, which would be a pity..Its dripping with atmosphere..A grim 14th century atomosphere of dreariness, damp and disease. Not an out and out horror but enough here to make a few feel uncomfortable and give everyone a sense of foreboding..Every actor delivers..Not one weak performance which is high praise I think. If you enjoy the game of thrones..then you'll get a lot out of this. Sean Bean is excellent as usual. I'm an unabashed Sean Bean fan. Will watch anything with him in it..and Redmayne who I haven't seen before is one I will look out for in the future..… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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10

pulkmeesJun 26, 2011

So what can I say about this movie in general - it has gore, faith, death, love.In that order.
I wouldn't say it's a horror movie, it takes more from movies like The Wickerman rather than typical horror flicks, though the amount of gore itSo what can I say about this movie in general - it has gore, faith, death, love.In that order.
I wouldn't say it's a horror movie, it takes more from movies like The Wickerman rather than typical horror flicks, though the amount of gore it has makes me think it was also influenced by The Saw movies. The Good - plot was.....fun to watch unravel, it's thrilling, I wouldn't say the ending was predictable(coming from a guy, who likes movies with a twist), it was however logical.That much death, violence and deceit can seriously damage a human's mental state.The characters were believable, non-stereotypical(imo). The Bad - maybe too much gore, though it was important to show the violence.After all the medieval times weren't a picnic, but more like a gritty day-to-day fight for survival.… Expand

6 of 8 users found this helpful62

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9

TheQuietGamerOct 28, 2014

Not your traditional horror movie. There aren't any monsters or ghosts, and nothing is jumping out at you. Instead the horror is derived from the cruelty of people. It's dark, cruel, and encourages standing strong in one's faith.

FantasticNot your traditional horror movie. There aren't any monsters or ghosts, and nothing is jumping out at you. Instead the horror is derived from the cruelty of people. It's dark, cruel, and encourages standing strong in one's faith.

Fantastic performances all around. Don't ask me what it is, but whenever you give Sean Bean a sword and some armor you're in for a treat. The plot may seem slow-paced to some, but I found it to move excellently. The characters are all well written and have believable dialog.

"Black Death" uses the bubonic-plague era to form a compelling tale. One that shows just how dangerous people can be when they're scared of death. Mixing it in with aspects of religion may drive some away, but I think the movie uses those aspects to good effect. It shows what dark places people can go to for their faith. OVerall I find it to be an excellent movie. One that does something different for the horror genre. My total score for it is a 9.7/10.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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8

AwesomeThrillerJan 7, 2013

Black Death is a fine piece of film making and what I really loved about it is the fact that it has some well-put twists and surprises that you simply won't see coming. It's not a typical movie that portrays the eternal conflict between goodBlack Death is a fine piece of film making and what I really loved about it is the fact that it has some well-put twists and surprises that you simply won't see coming. It's not a typical movie that portrays the eternal conflict between good & evil, the church & the blasphemous ... No! it's more of a philosophical journey inside the psyche of a human being, an analysis of how grief and guilt seeds can grow and influence the path of those who see them selves as righteous.

Let's not ruin your fun with philosophy... Anyway!!! The fighting scenes are beyond awesome, the script is simple for a Gothic Thriller yet very impactful and throughout the movie's running time you feel that the characters' words, intentions and thoughts are really heavy and have the most influence on the way that the story heads. Christopher Smith made the best use of the historical context of the story in order to make us relate to the characters by creating a sort of bond that links us to this band of mercenaries despite their cruelty and ignorance, and no matter how extremely orthodox we think their ideas are.

This thriller features some award deserving performances from all the main actors especially Sean Bean and Eddie Redmayne, they plunged into their characters and delivered one of the most believable piece of acting I've ever seen! So, if you want a thought-provoking movie that you'd want to debate with your friends afterwards then Black Death is a really good choice!… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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10

Weyland-YutaniMar 18, 2014

Excellent movie. Absolutely loved it. Sean Bean is a master of the craft. Story kept me guessing. I highly recommend this one. Not sure how it got a 6.2, but thats an atrocity. Script is magic. Unfortunately, because of simpletons that scoreExcellent movie. Absolutely loved it. Sean Bean is a master of the craft. Story kept me guessing. I highly recommend this one. Not sure how it got a 6.2, but thats an atrocity. Script is magic. Unfortunately, because of simpletons that score this movie low, the likelihood of another thinking man's/women's movie getting made becomes more slim by the day. Make room for Transformer 18.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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3

AlienSpaceBatsDec 26, 2013

Rubbish. Tonally reminded me of Hammer Horror's Witchfinder General (1968), a medieval snuff masquerading as an action film. The story is meaningless, though if all that was to be accomplished by the writing is the notion that all sorts ofRubbish. Tonally reminded me of Hammer Horror's Witchfinder General (1968), a medieval snuff masquerading as an action film. The story is meaningless, though if all that was to be accomplished by the writing is the notion that all sorts of religious people kill other religious people for no good reason, then mission accomplished.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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6

SchweinehundMar 11, 2011

The movie takes place in a plague-ridden medieval England. Our protagonist is a sensitive young monk, struggling to balance his sexual cravings for his secret lover and his religious purity. That was actually quite annoying. So you got thisThe movie takes place in a plague-ridden medieval England. Our protagonist is a sensitive young monk, struggling to balance his sexual cravings for his secret lover and his religious purity. That was actually quite annoying. So you got this remote village, that somehow was unaffected by the plague, and this buncha guys set out on a quest to find the cure. Oh, and the young monk tags along with them. I enjoyed the first half of the movie, it had that gritty "dark age" atmosphere you are probably looking for when you watch a movie with the title of Black Death. There is a sword fight in the woods with some bandits, which I enjoyed. The latter half of the movie, when our guys get in the touch with the locals, is too slow and quite boring actually. I don't want to spoil it, but there you have this witch that has taken control of the village and she doesn't like strangers very much.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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4

in2themusicMar 22, 2011

BORING with a capital Oring Although the acting was good the story had no meaning, was totally predictable and no real ending...I kept feeling like there would be a twist or revelation that hadnt already been figured out but it never came

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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1

mellejulieJun 20, 2011

This is a Horrible movie with emphasis on "Orrible". Indeed the title does live up to it's name. I do give this film props for living up to the period but the whole film concentrated on medieval torture and gore. It was predictable, ifThis is a Horrible movie with emphasis on "Orrible". Indeed the title does live up to it's name. I do give this film props for living up to the period but the whole film concentrated on medieval torture and gore. It was predictable, if totally boring through out. They added gore just to make it shockingly irritating. I only got through it all as my husband was controlling the channel changer. I think Ill return back to my facebook page and find something else to watch, thank you!… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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0

MegWhiteleyMar 13, 2012

Very boring film, When I'm watch this movie I believe that I found a great horror title, but sorprise, I'm sleep with this film. Black Death is a very awful film.

0 of 11 users found this helpful011

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5

worleyjamersDec 7, 2012

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.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 a lot. 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.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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2

paulraisedFeb 3, 2019

It's young Melissandre vs Ned Stark, but with even less production money, if that's possible. Acting is superb, everyone is british, so that's to be expected. But the lack of budget and substance made it boring AF

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

MattBrady99Jun 20, 2019

A brutal and grim medieval drama.

Not a great movie with issues in the story narrative, but I was entertained enough to stay with it.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

FilipeNetoSep 25, 2021

This film takes us to one of the most tense moments in European history: the Black Death was the great pandemic par excellence, it killed millions of people in a few months without any effective measure being consciously taken, becauseThis film takes us to one of the most tense moments in European history: the Black Death was the great pandemic par excellence, it killed millions of people in a few months without any effective measure being consciously taken, because nothing is known about viruses. If today we face considerably more benign pandemics with a certain degree of confidence and knowledge, we owe it to these moments. Outbreaks of plague would be recurrent all over Europe until the 18th century, but none were like the one in 1348. And honestly, it's hard for me to think that one day our civilization might have to go through something like this again. We are no longer psychologically prepared for such a high degree of mortality.

In this film, a monk tries to save the woman he loves, and then leaves the monastery to join her, taking advantage of the passage of a military escort who goes to a swampy area, where it is said that there is a village that, by Demon's evil spells conjured by a witch or necromancer, has managed to escape the advances and retreats of the disease. Of course, the soldiers' mission is to hunt the necromancer, even if that means massacring the village.

The great value of this film, for me, is the deft way it creates and builds the ambience of a historical period when, for most people, the world were living on the brink of the Armageddon. With the Church unable to stop the disease and all the masses, processions and prayers being ineffective to combat such a great evil, the people believed that they were facing one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and God was punishing the World. Fear and superstition reigned, and the film dexterously deals with it. There are, however, errors of anachrony, and several characters that sound strange for the unmedieval way in which they think and act, but I'm willing to pardon some of these flaws.

Of the cast, Sean Bean is the actor who stands out the most. He's becoming one of those actors specializing in period movies (he's done "Lord of the Rings", whose ambiance couldn't be more medieval, and the "Game of Thrones" series) and is competent when wearing the armor. The actor naturally stands out in this film and gives us another good job. Eddie Redmayne is convincing as a monk, even though his way of acting sometimes has very little medieval. Carice van Houten is charismatic and elegant, but too pretty and young for the character, as her leadership role in the village called for an older figure. In that period, the elders were an important authority to follow.

Technically, the film has several positive points, starting with the excellent cinematography and film work, which makes the best use of natural light, cloudy days and fire shadows to thicken the atmosphere of supernatural tension. Interestingly, there is nothing in this film that is supernatural, apart from the witch and the resistant Germanic paganism. Good choice of filming locations and satisfactory construction of sets and costumes helped.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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2

DawdlingPoetNov 28, 2021

This is understandably a dark and bleak watch. The plot pace is a little slow to build and there's some quite jerky/wobbly camerawork used, adding to the sense of unease, apprehension and panic, although I know some people can't stand jerkyThis is understandably a dark and bleak watch. The plot pace is a little slow to build and there's some quite jerky/wobbly camerawork used, adding to the sense of unease, apprehension and panic, although I know some people can't stand jerky camerwork, so I thought I'd mention it. It felt a little forced for my taste, personally.

For a film categorised on some sites as a horror, its not fast paced enough, or gory enough, for me to regard it as such - IMDB classify it as an action, adventure and drama film, which seems more appropriate but given its title and cover image, I'd imagine most people would assume it to be a horror film. There is certainly bloody violence present, don't get me wrong but it felt more, to me, like perhaps a mysterious part thriller, part period drama film. It didn't appear to have a big budget, having the feel of a TV film I'd say but I thought it was generally reasonably watchable, that is if your ok with the disorientating aspect of the often shaky camerawork during the faster paced scenes (there are some) and the not entirely clear plot direction.

I thought it was interesting to see Eddie Redmayne play the role of one of the main characters - Osmund, an adolescent monk hoping to find the truth behind tales of people cured from the bubonic plague. He did pretty well playing someone still somewhat growing up, trying to gauge what might be out there, what truth(s) there may be and so on but the camerawork did put me off and I wish the plot direction was a little more solid (it seemed a little directionless at times). Its not a really awful watch per se but its by no means great either - an ok watch overall, at the best. I also wouldn't say its not at all spooky or sinister in tone but it seemed a little too bland mid way through - I wasn't convinced we were going to reach any real conclusions as such.

Would I recommend it? if your a big fan of Eddie Redmayne and would like to see him play such a role, then it may be worth watching for that reason but otherwise I wouldn't go out of your way to see it, no.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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