A few thoughts: Stuart Gordon is one of those directors who you can always count on to deliver the goods -- if by "goods" you mean exploitative trash. This time he takes on the Spanish inquisition, which was very unexpected, bringing tons of gore into the fold. This is where I'd usually talk about Jeffrey Combs, but his role was small. Lance Henriksen as the grand inquisitor, however, was a huge part of this movie, and roughly 80% of the reason to watch it. If you ever doubted why he's such a massive cult actor, just watch this movie. He's ridiculously over the top, creepy, and perfect for the movie surrounding him. I was also pretty surprised by how good the movie looks. Solid attention to detail with the sets, costumes, and even more subtle touches in makeup and hair, but the way the film is lit really makes it pop. This is a striking movie, and with all that blood, it's hard to look away. This is by no means high art, but Henriksen brings it, and the movie actually works pretty well.
Fans of Stuart Gordon, but mostly people who want to see a great Henriksen vehicle. Just be warned: this is borderline exploitation with its nudity and blood.
My grade: C
No comments:
Post a Comment