Writer: Petr Jákl based on a story by Petr Jákl Sr. and Petr Bok
Director: Petr Jákl
Czech general Jan Žižka is considered one of the greatest military tacticians in history having never lost a single battle. Medieval, written and directed by Petr Jákl , serves as an origin story setting out the events and circumstances which shaped Žižka’s development and motivated his actions.
In the 14th century Europe is hopelessly divided without clear leadership or direction. Wenceslas IV (Karel Roden) might serve as ruler but is weak, unable to stand up to the despotic Henry III of Rosenberg (Til Schweiger) or his manipulative half-brother King Sigismund (Matthew Goode). Wily Lord Boresh (Michael Caine) considers the best way of forcing Rosenberg to behave is by kidnapping his fiancé Katherine (Sophie Lowe) and engages mercenary Jan Žižka (Ben Foster) to take her hostage. But as Rosenberg’s soldiers include a former colleague of Žižka who holds a grudge, things do not go to plan.
The narration which opens Medieval, describing the conditions of violence, tyranny, intrigue and power present in Europe at the time, lulls the audience into hoping for a Games of Thrones type epic. The battle sequences are certainly violent and bloody enough to satisfy fans of that show as well as being refreshingly varied and convincing demonstrations of Žižka’s tactical skills. The ambush which opens the movie takes place on a stretch of road narrow enough for horses and riders to be pushed off into a nearby river. A vastly outnumbered army overcomes a superior force using smoke from smouldering bundles to conceal themselves and converting the sides of waggons into shields.
Yet the pace of Medieval is literally pedestrian. Possibly due to financial restrictions few horses are used so much of the film is absorbed by characters marching around. The film is shot using natural light so parts are obscured due to poor lighting- one very odd scene features a conversation in which eyes and teeth are the only parts of the characters visible. A battle in a tunnel is full of suitably squishy noises and screams but very hard to see any action. Despite the promise of intrigue once Caine’s character slips into the background the film settles down into a long cat-and-mouse chase with Žižka and his prisoner alternating between fleeing from, or attacking, their opponents.
The characters in the movie are not well developed so their decision to turn traitor or their deaths in combat have little emotional impact. There is some bold casting- Michael Caine and Matthew Goode outside of their usual urban and urbane roles- but it is largely wasted. Caine makes some impact as a mentor, but Goode’s role is little more than a cameo; in a weak climax there is no indication whether the chief villains suffered any consequences for their actions. The motivation of the central character has been borrowed from the legend of Robin Hood with a brief description of young Jan Žižka aspiring to be a soldier but is forced to become a bandit by the extreme actions of the ruling authorities.
There is the common irritant of modern phrases (‘’ You’d better back off’’, ‘’You’ll never get away with this’’) and present-day concerns appearing in an historical setting. Sophie Lowe’s Katherine is highly socially aware and very concerned about the villagers her fiancé abuses. In the manner of a James Bond villain Wenceslas IV keeps a lion caged in his castle which you just know is not a good idea.
The convincing battle scenes are let down by a humdrum plot and poorly-developed characters making Medieval a diverting but routine tribute to one of history’s heroes.
Medieval will be released in cinemas, on digital, and on demand from 28th October.
