Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 8 Ratings

  • Starring: Paul Bettany, Willem Dafoe
  • Summary: This murder mystery, set in the Middle Ages, is steeped in moral dilemmas about the power of art, the temptations of evil and the search for justice that continue to haunt us in modern times. (Paramount Classics)
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 28
  2. Negative: 3 out of 28
  1. This is a brilliant and unpretentious movie to raise the bar for contemporary popular entertainment, designed for the upper-tier thinkers at the multiplex.
  2. 75
    Has just a little too much of the whodunit and the thriller and not enough of the temper of its clash between cultures, but it works, maybe because the simplicity of the underlying plot is masked by the oddness of the characters.
  3. 60
    An intriguing mix of the familiar and the alien. DaFoe's distinctly American speech patterns are a little jarring amid a tangle of British inflections (French actor Cassel's accent is justified within the story), but it doesn't spoil the film's overall effect.
  4. The crucial evidence has to do with rigor mortis. The movie's a stiff too.

See all 28 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. 7
    I did enjoy this movie. I don't think is an excellent film, but I don't think is bad. It is different and I like the fact that is not focused on the stereotypical image of 'the warrior' but if these guys are 'warriors' I like the fact that their swords are not literal, but their swords is their art!. Great performances of Dafoe, Bethany, and I loved seeing Vincent Cassel in that role, too! Give this film a chance! It is not overly famous, but should have more credit! To me this film is underrated while many other movies that shouldn't have a high score, have it. I usually review only those movies that I think they are either very good or very bad... or those that, even though they are not masterpieces, in my opinion are rated unfairly and need some support (i.e this one). If you like this one, show your support to it too! Expand
  2. RichardG.
    6
    Good Movie, very watchable, but the movie forces some issues on the views. Issues such as, actors are "done wrong" in the middle ages and Good will prevail. There are many holes in this movie, MANY. and many BIG movie mistakes especially at the end when the protagonist confronts Degese. This is a very good story though, and if this movie was in the hands of a better director it could be a very good feature film. Expand

See all 4 User Reviews

Trailers