User reviews

Medieval scholars will probably find substantial problems with the film's depiction of the Middle Ages, but to a non-historian it certainly feels closer than many other period movies: buildings are mostly squalid and insubstantial, the weapons and armor of the soldiers are crude and ill-assorted - Ulric (Sean Bean), the bishop's envoy, has the best of everything, while his followers are progressively less well-equipped as they descend the social scale - and it gives a good sense of the unwelcoming, sparsely-populated landscapes of medieval Britain. The casting works well too: the soldiers are, for the most part, neither Hollywood pretty-boys nor stock grotesques, but have the look of real people, 'warts and all'.

The impression of a brutal, bleak time when life was not merely cheap but nearly worthless is reinforced by the look of the film. It's coldly lit, and everything is misty and uncertain. This distinctive atmosphere creates a feeling of constantly impending disaster without the need for the cheap frights and minor chords of a horror movie.

The characterization is often surprisingly complex: Ulric may be a fanatic, but he's also a pragmatist who is no crueler than he needs to be. Even his soldiers are not one-dimensional brutes, but have their own personalities, with subtly-sketched human traits. The film encourages you to think about the motivation of even the most minor characters. Eddie Redmayne as Osmund does a good job of presenting a complex and conflicted character for much of the film.

The weak point where the characters are concerned are the women. Averill (Kimberley Nixon) and Langiva (Carice Van Houten) sometimes feel more like plot devices than people. This is not the fault of the actresses, who both deliver good performances. It's just that their characters are more constrained by the requirements of the plot.

As with any film in which religion plays a major part, there's been some debate as to whether the film is pro- or anti-Christian. To my mind, it's neither. All the characters, whichever faction they represent, are badly compromised. The only value system that it really seems to promote is that of simple humanity. It's no accident that the director gives the final voice- over to Wolfstan (John Lynch), who emerges ultimately as the film's most sympathetic character, a somewhat tarnished and world-weary ideal of what it means to be a 'good man'.

By and large, the film works well in terms of plot and pacing. It doesn't drag, and there are few obvious plot holes. Where it falls down badly, however, is with the ending segment, which feels like a hurriedly-sketched afterthought. The fact that the director felt it necessary to deliver key material in the form of a voice-over should have warned him that he needed to rethink his approach. The film would probably have been not only complete but also stronger if that whole section had simply been cut.

It isn't a standout film, but it's certainly an interesting one. It's well made and acted and it leaves you with plenty to think about. Any film-maker who wants to truly convey the feel of the Middle Ages - brutal and squalid, and at once alien and familiar - should watch "Black Death" and take notes.

Set in 1348, during the time of the first outbreak of the bubonic plague in England, Osmund (Eddie Redmayne), a young monk, is tasked to accompany a determined knight named Ulric (Sean Bean) and a group of mercenary soldiers in learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village, where the plague has not reached. While Osmund sees this as a mercy mission, Ulric believes necromancy is involved and is determined to bring this necromancer to justice. Their journey leads them into various obstacles and darker moments as secrets are unveiled.

Despite its grim mood and subject matter, this film is an entertaining and generally a thought-provoking, medieval horror/thriller. Even with the film's low budget, it is impressive to look at. The misty landscapes, the costumes, the filthy details, and the sets are impressive. Some of the makeup and soundtrack may seem a tad modern, but they are not distracting. While the film is considered a historical horror film, it is also a bit of an action flick, as it has some energetic, gritty swordplay, with some blood and limbs flying off.

The film takes place around the time of the Inquisition when there was much distrust from the Catholic church and the government toward pagans. Ulric is a zealous warrior driven by hatred. He believes he is serving God through the use of his sword against suspected necromancers. Osmund, the monk, on the other hand, believes that in order to love God, one must serve through mercy and love.

There are no characters here that are fully saintly. I felt Eddie Redmayne's performance as Osmund really made this film work. His performance feels genuine and he acts as I would imagine a monk would act and talk, and he is emotionally relatable. As the film progresses, one can appreciate his good range of emotions and acting ability. As for Sean Bean, one can't help but feel he is reprising his role as Boromir from Lord of the Rings. He has the same type of hair. He is wearing medieval armor. Again, he plays that proud, brash character who we know will do something…brash. I would love to see him someday play a real calm, jovial, intellectual character. To the film's credit, Sean Bean gets to stretch a bit as Ulric is not completely two-dimensional and we do get to know more on how he became the type of character that he is. The rest of the cast, who have their own special look and quirk, do a laudable job and work together well.

The action scenes have a good amount of tension and intensity, but the shaky camera effect can be dizzying. There is about one major fight scene, which happens midway into the film. Once the main characters make it to the village, things get a little more surreal and one realizes that this is not necessarily an action film, at least in a conventional sense. I've noticed the characters in the village feel, talk, and look strangely modern. I'm guessing these villagers still farm for a living, but they seem quite clean and manicured.

The script is sharply written, with good detail in the dialogue. The film attempts to explore how extreme situations can turn people into hateful zealots, or a violent fundamentalist. There is a twist at the end, which is interesting, but somewhat hard to swallow. The film doesn't attempt to give any big answers, but it is an interesting exploration of man's dark nature, the cycle of vengeance, and how good people can turn cruel when evil is done on them.

For more of my movie review updates, you can find them on http://twitter.com/d_art

From the humble beginning to the violent end, this movie was solid gold. Particularly the ending, there are only a few movies out there that leave you questioning your own believe and this movie surely does that.

Obviously built on a tight budget but this movie sure can pack a lot of punch. And the acting performances are truly awesome! Sean Bean was amazing and the lead guy Eddie Redmayne was spot on.

This movie highlights the cruelty of the Black Plague in Europe and all the sinister twists that it took on the mind of the people. I don't usually enjoy period movies but the story is what really kept me hooked on.

The concept of the inquisition and witch hunt are present too. All in all, this movie was truly amazing.

Set in 1348 the Black Death is at it peak, however, one village appears to be immune to the plague. Ulric (Sean Bean) devoted Christian enlist the help of a Monk (Eddie Redmayne) to lead him and his men through dangerous lands to this unholy village where it is said the dead are being brought back to life.

Two British directors and writers really standout for me in recent years, Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, Descent and Doomsday) and Christopher Smith (Creep, Triangle and Severance). Smith's latest offering has it the mark with a blend of swords, Catholicism and Wicker released the same year Neil Marshall's well advertised Centurion, which on first viewing was bloody but average compared to Marshall's other work.

Smith's vision with marshes, fog and mists across the lands it oozes atmosphere. The gritty realistic sets and settings are note worthy, everything looks authentic and aged, perfect for first outbreak of bubonic plague. There's some great practical effects, cadavers, dismemberment's and blood. The flights are finely choreographed and swordplay is raw and relentless as limbs are hacked off.

The latter part of the film slows down, building tension in the seemingly safe village, Smith's develops the eerie strangeness of the rural superbly, reminiscent of the Wickerman (1973 & 2006), In the Name of the Rose (1986) and The Village (2004).

Although in fear of being typecast as another chain armoured soldier Bean gives a passionate and gripping performance, and newcomer Redmayne plays the confounded monk Osmund's admirably. The supporting cast, even though another band mercenaries are memorable and the characters are developed. Comedy actor Tim McInnerny is satisfactory in an unusual serious role as the village head. There's a notable cameo by David Warner as The Abbot. However, it's Carice van Houten who steals the show as Langiva the striking necromancer.

There's a little too much shaky hand held camera work at times, that aside the cinematography is first rate. Dario Poloni screenplay is the icing on the cake, as the dialogue feels authentic and unforced, compared to the aforementioned other period piece. It explores religious beliefs, faith, witch hunts, occultism and much more.

With low expectation's for another period piece, I was pleasantly surprised by Smith's vision. Certainly not perfect or the grandest film; however, it's a gripping medieval, satanic mystery action that has a nice original twist at the end.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I sat down to watch this movie. I knew Sean Bean was in it and that it was set in the middle ages during the plague, but that's about it.

It turned out to be a good suspense movie with some nice plot twists. The best part is how the suspense is slowly built up, until you think you might know what is really going on, and then later you understand its something completely different. No spoilers, but the way the story keeps you guessing and fools you is quite well done.

The acting is good too with all the minor characters doing believable performances. Carice van Houten is especially noteworthy and interesting as the village leader. She was entrancing and definitely the stand out in the movie. Sean Bean does a workmanlike job as a righteous knight, and as usual is a good presence in the film.

A note on the ending - yes, as other reviewers have said, the ending feels rushed and tacked on, and completely unnecessary. But I can overlook it because it's quite brief and can be shrugged off and doesn't detract from the rest of the movie to any degree in my opinion.

Set during the period of English history when the Bubonic plague spreads death across the land, a troubled young monk named Osmund is recruited by a band of soldiers to investigate a village that remains untouched. What they find there will change them forever.

Having enjoyed Christopher Smith's previous movies ("Creep", "Severance" and "Triangle"), I had high hopes for "Black Death" and was not disappointed. Although the gore of his previous movies is still evident during the battle scenes in which arms are severed by swords and heads crushed by maces, it's largely underplayed here with the script placing greater emphasis on the story's themes of faith, religion, superstition and love. It is this emphasis, along with the various twists in the plot, which make the choices faced by the characters in the third act of the movie so very interesting.

I was repeatedly reminded of the original "Wicker Man" whilst watching "Black Death", not only because of the central theme of a devout Christian confronting something terrible which attempts to challenge and undermine his own beliefs, but also because of the cold, bleak cinematography reminiscent of a seventies horror movie. The entire production is nicely directed and Smith utilises his horror knowledge to keep a constant and oppressive threat running throughout the film, regardless of the scene, to maximum effect. The visual effects, whether for the symptoms of the plague itself or for the various wounds suffered by the characters, are also excellent.

The cast are universally fantastic, although Sean Bean's towering performance – portraying the leader of the soldiers and a man "more dangerous than pestilence" – steals the movie. Eddie Redmayne does well in the central role of Osmund and manages to make his character's personal journey both interesting and believable, whilst Carice van Houten is also memorable in an important role during the second half of the movie.

I was very impressed by "Black Death" and would recommend it to those who enjoy atmospheric horror movies such as the aforementioned "The Wicker Man" or "Don't Look Now", as well as those who seek out movies set in or around this period of Britain such as "In The Name Of The Rose" and "The Reckoning". Although parts are grim and even upsetting, it's never dull and is definitely a movie worthy of your time and support.

"Black Death" is superficially about the Bubonic Plague that struck Europe in the 14th century. Going deeper than that it is about the God-fearing and the godless.

A warrior for the Church named Ulrich (Sean Bean) was in search of a small village where the plague hadn't touched. He was convinced that they were seeking the devil's protection and were aided by a necromancer. He used a young friar named Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) to help him and his band of men find the village. Once there they faced a people, led by a woman named Langiva (Clarice van Houten), who weren't ready to willingly give up their way of life.

"Black Death" was religious and you know what they say about politics and religion. It never made the men of religion sanctified. They were willing to torture in the name of Christianity and "Black Death" points that out. If seeing Christianity pitted against paganism bothers you then stay away.

While some may see this movie as having a not so subtle undertone of 'the greatness of Christianity', I saw it as an interesting exploration of religion itself. The characters in this movie all differ in their religious views, allowing you to identify with them based on your own religious persuasion. There is the fanatic, the believer, the non believer, the good, the bad, the in between etc.

The plot itself helps this journey, as the characters move from one setting to a vastly different one, all the while suffering the same basic experiences. Their initial motivations, in addition to their reactions to these experiences, all differ along the lines of their beliefs, and help either strengthen or weaken those beliefs. This movie shows quite well, that people's attitudes to religion have not changed in hundreds of years. God is still used to explain things we do not understand, and fear and "miracles" are still used to recruit and keep believers.

Human behaviour also has not changed much. Even faced with the 'black death', one of the worst pandemics in human history, people still found reason to divide and fight amongst themselves assigning blame and punishment rather than band together. The way these themes fit in so appropriately with the medieval setting, makes it all the more surprising that they can still be applied in today's world. All in all, a good movie for open minded people because although the film explores these themes, it makes no conclusion. That is left to the audience to determine who was right, who was justified and who was wrong; who was good and who was evil.

For some reason, I've long had an admittedly morbid fascination with the black death. So naturally I was thrilled that there would be a movie that took the subject head-on. When it finally came out and I saw it, I was actually angry. This is not a movie about the Black Death. This is an ax-grinding about religion that happens to take place during the black death. The sad fact is, there is so much material to be mined from that devastating tragedy, but instead they decided not to make a movie about the subject of its title. Don't waste your time. Instead, read John Hatcher's "The Black Death" or William Defoe's "Journal of The Plague Year".

I was interested in seeing Black Death every since I read it's storyline, saw it's awesome title, and saw it's positive reviews. I have not seen a medieval-ages film in more than five years, so I thought this should bring back a fresh perspective on film based on this medium. I was not disappointed.

The film hooked me from the beginning. It's extremely entertaining, not to mention that it has the perfect atmosphere and cinematography. It's nice to be able to enjoy a film like this and still appreciate how hard the filmmakers have tried (and succeeded) on giving it the perfect look. The performances are all pretty great, better than was to be expected. It's not hard for a film like this, with all of it's 'mighty' dialogue about God, fate, and faith to become laughable, but never once did this film become that. Credit especially on that the aspect of religion played the most part in how it was able to sustain power and become so effective. This film is so much more on the surface than what one might generally think at first.

If i had to point out one flaw it would be the running time. I think that the last segment of the film, the 'aftermath' could have been extended longer. I feel that the film should have been longer, but at the same time the pace of the last segment gives it the feeling of how disconnected the events were so maybe extending it wouldn't have been such a great idea. The first hour it was a very good film, but the last 30 minutes give the film a greatness to it. I strongly recommend this film, although I am not so sure if I would consider it a 'horror' film, and trust me, coming from me that is surprising since I consider many films that aren't thought to be horror by many actual 'horror' films.

14th century knights along with a headstrong young monk named Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) undertake a dangerous adventure in a hostile England devastated by the Black Plague originating havoc . The emissary of the bishop named Ulric (Sean Bean) arrives at the monastery recruiting a religious man to guide his knights and him through the woods and the marsh to the village . As the monks (David Warner) deduce witchery powers could be the source of the Black Plague which spreads death across the lands and villages , decimating life across Europa . This thrilling film deals with 14th-century knights at a beleaguered location deeming sorcery the culprit of the plague, they carry out a mission that pulls him toward a village ruler who has made a dark pact with evil forces located on a far swamp . The bunch will face the ultimate battle against evil and their quest is to hunt down a fearsome necromancer , someone able to bring the dead back to life. Torn between his love of God and the love of a young girl (Kimberley Nixon) , Osmund learns the necromancer , a mysterious beauty called Langiva (Carice Van Houten) who is being helped by her hoodlum Hob (Tim McInnerny) . Set during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague , some warriors are tasked with learning the truth about his fate as Ulrich (Sean Bean) is charged in leading his group of soldiers (John Lynch) who have to go a remote place where they will perform a ritual in hopes of ending the pestilence . It's an exciting story plenty of battles , action and excitement . The scenery is beautiful, and so was the cinematography . The music was great. The acting and directing was acceptable . The group must fight mysterious enemies and every living thing in their path . Eventually surrounded by the frightening and ferocious foes , they must conquer his personal fears and help battle the illusive invaders who emerge out of the shroud of fog in the black of the night. When the embattled party arrives at the marsh , a horrific discovery jeopardises the knight's pledge to ensure the mission troubled by mythically hostile wilderness and pits them against an inexplicably powerful and destructive force .

This Middle Age adventure movie begins with a real sense of wonder and intrigue with pest casing ravage and wind up with continuous struggles and surprising finale . This thought-provoking story deals with God , Devil , Catholic Church and several other 'Age of Darkness' issues . The picture packs great loads of action , mystery , twists and turns , breathtaking combats and a little bit of gore and blood . Stunning battles scenes illuminate the full-blown adventure with a plethora of engaging action set pieces on the combats in which the heads and limbs are slice off here and there . Exceptional and colorfully cinematography is shot on location in outdoors from Burg Querfurt, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany ; Zehdenick, Brandenburg, Germany . The camera work by Sebastin Edschmid in this film is moving and thrilling . Our perspective is intimate and that lends a great deal of excitement to the movie experience . Beautiful scenery, tense and bloody fights and a stirring climax lift this story . Acceptable acting by Eddie Redmayne , he's a expert on Medieval characters as proved in 'Pillars of the earth', Rupert Friend was initially cast as Osmund but was replaced by Eddie . Good performance by Dutch Carice van Houten, Lena Headey was going to play Langiva, but was replaced by Carice ; Famke Janssen was also briefly attached to the role. Musical score by Christian Henson is evocative and spectacular . There's something for everyone here ; fans of history , fans of action, fans of medieval adventure should all find something to enjoy about this film . It may not be the best film ever made, but its still one passable movie. The motion picture is professionally directed by Christopher Smith who has got a brief career full of successful horror movies as ¨ Creep , Severance and Triangle¨ . Rating : 6,5 . Acceptable and entertaining film that will appeal to Sean Bean fans .

I had high hopes for this film and it nearly disappointed. Sean Bean is a legend in my eyes, what with 'Lord of the Rings', taking on much the same roll and exactly the same costume, 'Black Death' gave the viewer a slightly different version of "The Wicker man". A galiant troop of warriors fight their way through a medieval world only to be outdone by a lonely, Christian like village with weird morals and strange beliefs. There is something about the supposedly but apparently powerful band of men, being overrun by the minions that makes the viewer want to watch with interest and intensity. A dark film from Smith, great cinimetography at times, well worth a watch.

Humans can be evil and cruel, and when driven by religious fervor, even worse. Osmond, a novice Monk, is in love with Averill, and the setting is 1348 England during the black plague. Osmond send Averill into the woods to be safe from the plague, and soon after along comes Ulric, sent by the Bishop to go to a village in the marshes that is free of the plague, and root out the demons that have to be there. Osmond knows the general area, as it is where he sent Averill, so he sees his chance to see her, and volunteers as a guide. Ulric and his men are fully equipped with torture devices to extract a confession from the demon, which they know has to be in that village. They find the village, and it is isolated and untouched by the plague. They are welcomed into the village, but it doesn't seem particularly religious. Therefore, they must be right about a demon. Things don't go well all around. The movie starts with dead bodies being brought out, and for me, it brings memories of the famous scenes in that particular Monty Python movie. But here it is deadly serious, and they are on a mission from God. While the Osmond character seems tentative and cautious, there is a twist at the end which adds more cruelty in the name of religion.

Black Death is a hidden gem, as others have put it, and far from the Hollywood slop it so sharply contrasts. It could not be much more true to its' name, which is quite possibly the bleakest title a film can be given, while it feels genuine to its period backdrop. Everything here feels true to its' nature. And there is no excess of special effects or melodrama, or anything watered down, and instead the story is full of substance.

In 1348, the young monk Osmund finds himself conflicted at the films start, as his secret love Avrill is fleeing their plague-ridden city and provides him the choice to meet her in the marshland. Upon asking for a sign for guidance, his monastery is visited by Ulrich and his party of Christian fundamentalists. On a mission to a village beyond the marsh in search of a necromancer and any other witches to stamp out, he asks for a guide and young Osmund obliges. Thus begins an ugly and gritty crusade across an English countryside that is riddled with fear, intolerance, and the Black Death.

The struggle is personal as well as conceptual. For Osmund it is personal, as his love for Avrill causes him to question his own faith due to the charms and tricks of the pagans (huge plot twists underly this theme)and the brutality of the band he guides. And then the bigger picture, the struggle between the Christians and the pagans, is tastefully portrayed with an objective narrative. In the film, there are cruelties and acts of brutality inflicted from both belief systems. This was perhaps my favorite element to the movie. While personally I rooted for the pagans against the tyranny of the church, I found that my brother and I could argue over who was the demonized side, and the writing offered no kind of resolution. That the oppression of the church and the clandestine nature of the pagans only fueled one another is probably truer to history than textbooks will ever show, this movie portrays the idea brilliantly (despite the dark feel).

If you think the movie sounds interesting, and are interested in it for plot, substance,and a gratifying experience, check this one out.

This morbid, but hearty little slow-grinding Gothic period action horror is something like the "Witchfinder General" meets "The Wicker Man". Those two are favourites of mine and while it might not reach the heights of those mentioned films, it still doesn't put much of a foot wrong. This medieval piece is set during the times when the black plague ravaged England and a group of mercenary knights along with a young monk (who's torn between his faith and the affection of a women) head out to hunt down a Necromancer, where it's believed they're using their witchery to keep away the plague from their small remote rural community.

Christopher Smith is an up and coming British director (with likes of "Creep", "Severance" and "Triangle" behind him) and his next diverse effort "Black Death" didn't disappoint. While the direction is descriptively slick and steady (and well photographed), he really captures the dark, turbulent atmosphere of the period, as the stench of death and the bleak colouring covers the screen. While conventional in some story arches (the camaraderie between a ragtag group), it remains smartly written and jarringly effective by never centralising on one viewpoint but actually opening up with more stinging questions. The harrowing back-end is rather despairing and chilling, therefore quite enthralling due to a central character's delusional mindset. The violence can be furious, brutal and gusty, but still underneath it all is a creepy and cruel menace. Sean Bean's ruggedly virtuous performance sticks out, but there's good support from Eddie Redmayne and an eerily succulent turn by Carice van Houton whose manipulative presence was always hypnotic when on screen.

Black Death is directed by Christopher Smith and written by Dario Poloni. It stars Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, John Lynch, Tim McInnerny, Kimberley Nixon, Andy Nyman, Johnny Harris and Carice van Houten. Music is scored by Christian Henson and cinematography by Sebastian Edschmid.

1348, Year of our Lord, the bubonic plague is ravaging Europe. When word spreads of an isolated community that is plague free, a gang of Gods' soldiers are tasked with seeking it out under the impression it might be a haven to occult dealings. Guiding the group is rookie monk Osmund (Redmayne), who after falling in love with a young girl is conflicted about his faith. He takes the soldiers' request for a guide as a sign to find his true calling, what he and the soldiers find at the end of their journey, however, has far reaching consequences for them all.

Considering it was a limited release in theatres it's a little surprising to find so many have sought it out on home format release. What isn't surprising, given its themes, is how it has polarised opinions. Personally I love it, this in spite of director and writer cribbing from notable Brit movies of our past. Yet even when in the supposed sanctuary of our home during this latest visit to the film it was met with derision from the lady love of my life! After director Smith (Severance/Triangle/Creep) has well and truly pulled the rug from underneath us to tantalisingly leave things ambiguous, he slots in a coda that muddies things still further, simultaneously infuriating another portion of the movie watching populace. I write this because of two reasons, the first is to obviously intrigue potential first time watchers into taking the plunge and giving it a go, the second is to negate the underselling of the movie by its own director!

Somewhere along the way Smith chose to not sell it as a battle between religion and atheism-Christians against Pagans, but went for the more pleasingly medieval men on a mission aspect, which for the first half of the movie it is. Perhaps those sneaky loans from the revered films that have influenced it weighed heavy on the director post the release and critical appraisals? But undeniably it's the second half that carries the thematic thrust. True enough to say that following a chainmail clad Sean Bean and his grungy band of "mercs" traverse the land, fighting off bandits and the plague along the way, is good formulaic fun, but it's when they happen upon the marshy set village, greeted by a ghostly Carice van Houten and a unnervingly smiley Tim McInnerny, that the film really hits its stride. Thus opening up debates as the battle for Osmund's soul truly begins and we are asked just who are the good and bad guys here?

Filmed out in the forests of Saxony Germany, the film looks terrific in the context of the period it is set. The colours are deliberately stripped back and muted, this plague ravaged land, and persons, demand that to be the case. There's some initial annoyance with the "shaky-cam" formula during the more up-tempo sequences, this is something that is becoming a staple requirement by directors of historical pictures, but Smith thankfully doesn't over do it and achieves good atmospheric realism throughout. It's interesting to note that the Pagan villagers are clean and sprightly, while the Christian soldiers are grimy and grotty, life of the medieval soldier was bloody and bloody dirty work . When the excellent Andy Nyman as Dalywag takes a leak up a tree, he merely wipes his newly whetted hand on his tunic, it's little things like this that keep the film in the realm of realism, an awareness of the time indeed. Cast attack the material with good thespian seriousness, with Lynch and Harris scoring well as polar opposite characters in the supporting ranks of Ulric's (Bean) band of not so merry men.

It's not overly gory, Smith choosing (correctly) to let us at times fill in the blanks in our head, while the fight scenes are very well staged (Bean was very pleased with how they turned out). But ultimately it's the themes in the story and period setting that is of the most interest here. What ever side of the fence you sit on as regards religion, or how you feel about humanity being depicted so coarsely, Black Death will get a reaction out of you. 8/10

A little birdie told me that this film was one of the most underrated from last year. Just the thing to peak my interest. The theme is also one that interests me - religion in the Middle Ages.

The emissaries of the church march forth with their implements of torture rooting out all opposition. They seek a village where the Black Death has not reached, believed that Satan rules there. Indeed, a necromancer is in charge.

Now, there are Oscar-caliber actors in this film, so you have to look at it as an ensemble. All-in-all, they did not disappoint. I especially liked Carice van Houten (Black Book) as the necromancer.

A battle between good and evil ensues. Evil wins.