DIY VIRAL
The author Robert Scucci
| Published
Once again, Rotten Tomatoes has misled me and turned me away from Nicolas Cage Season of the Witch – a dark, supernatural action-adventure fantasy film set during the Smirniote Crusades, robbed me of one of our greatest actor's best films during a time when he was releasing mostly direct-to-video content. Although this film is not Cage's finest hour (still waiting National treasure 3 here), it in no way deserves the 11 percent critical score it currently has on the popular review aggregator.
My ego is also inflated to the point of no return after watching Season of the Witch because my theory has been proven right once again: if you watch enough (supposedly) terrible movies, sometimes you strike gold in the form of a fun movie with awesome pacing, crazy action sequences, and punchy dialogue.
will Season of the Witch will be remembered as one of the greatest films of our time? Absolutely not. But it's one of those rainy Sunday afternoon movies streaming which definitely deserves 95 minutes of your time.
A delightfully good time
Season of the Witch brought by Sir Bechman von Blaybrook (Nicolas Cage) and Sir Felson (Ron Perlman), two knights who have seen their share of slaughter during the 14th-century Smirnio Crusades. Disgusted by their massive acts of violence in the name of God against all non-believers (including innocent women and children), Bechman and Felson decided to abandon their mission and walk away from the violence that had defined most of their adult lives. Bechman and Felson are eventually outed as deserters while traveling through plague-ridden Styria, tasked by an ailing Cardinal D'ambroise (Christopher Lee) to deliver an alleged witch named Anne (Claire Foy) to a group of monks. distant monasteries so that a fair trial would be ensured.
Refusal of the mission means imprisonment and possible death by hanging or burning (Felson would prefer a quick hanging if given the choice of how he dies), but both knights will receive a full pardon if they agree to cross the dark forest. good with delivery.
Along with the priest Debelzak (Stephen Campbell Moore), the cardinal's head guard Johann (Ulrich Thomsen), a map expert and con artist named Hagamar (Steven Graham), and an alter boy with chivalrous tendencies known as Kay von Wallenbar (Robert Sheehan), Bechman. and Felson went in search of a monastery. Cardinal D'Ambroise believes that Anne is responsible for the Black Death raging throughout Europe. Season of the Witchand he has reason to believe that the monastery holds the key to stopping the plague.
Buddy Cop Banter for Days
There is a certain identity crisis, Season of the Witch looks more like a buddy cop movie than an epic fantasy adventure movie. Not only are Bechman and Felson brutally going through the motions, as you'd expect, but they seem to be having the time of their lives crossing the treacherous desert and bringing Anna to trial and eventual execution. During the epic battle montages at the beginning of the film, the two have been war buddies, and they're so desensitized by the violence that they crack jokes like old college roommates on a bachelor party.
While they take their mission seriously, they certainly sizzle as they work to break the mold, giving this film a charm I didn't expect.
Season of the Witch establishes this dynamic between Bechman and Felson early on, with shocking battle sequences that remind me of War Road found in the film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Brad Pitt. Troy. Before descending from the mountains to execute hundreds of men by sword, Bechman and Felson first discuss who will be the hero of the day and who will buy beer and medals after a well-fought battle. Against the grim theme at the very center Season of the WitchI appreciate how much that sense of humor breaks the tension when things start to get serious.
Don't let cynical critics fool you
At the end of the day, all I want from my media consumption is to be entertainedand Season of the Witch ticks all the boxes on my “beam it to my eyeball” bingo card. Between epic battles, witch wolves roaming the dark forest, and endless chemistry between Cage and Perlman, you'd be hard-pressed to find a film about the Black Death as entertaining as this one.
If you don't believe me, consider this:
1980s Xanadu currently at 31 percent of the critical rate Rotten tomatoeswhich is significantly higher than Season of the Witch. At least the latter title actually has some semblance of a plot, and there aren't any roller disco song and dance routines in place of stories. of course Season of the Witch is disappointed by the lack of Kublai Khan's Joy Dome, but I'm willing to stick my neck out and say it's probably for the best.
You can stream at the time of this writing Season of the Witch free on Tubi
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DIY VIRAL
