Crusade in Jeans

I went to this movie with 3 of my friends, and I would lie if I said it was great. Though, most of the characters and story lines in the book had been replaced and I thought that was pityful.. For example, the character Leonardo doesn't appear in the book and the entire ending has been replaced. Let me explain; the movie ends at the most inpleasent timing when your really ín the movie, and that kind of sucks. Your expecting a hell of a lot adventures more, when suddenly the credits appear on screen (great credits by the way, they look great =D).If you read the book, I would be a fool to say you should not go to the movie, since my dad is the producer :-P. Take your time to watch it, just don't get to much expectations.

Or, Crusade in Jeans, as the international title goes. Based on a book by a Dutch writer this film tells the story of a young Dutch guy that ends up in the middle ages after a strange incident involving a time traveling device. He ends up in the middle of the German forests and found by a group of people from a crusade. A crusade of children that is heading towards Jerusalem.

I haven't read the book and as it is a children's book I probably won't get around to doing that now so I can only comment on how it is as a film. The film plays as a children's film: little rough action, no intense drama that gets more than a few seconds of screen time. I guess I might recommend it to kids between 8 and 12 years old. Anywhere outside that range will probably be bored by it. As was I.

Being Dutch I must say I was annoyed by the fact that everyone spoke English instead of the languages that were spoken in these countries back then: Dutch and German. I was even more annoyed by the fact that quite a few actors spoke the typically heavily accented English that non-native English speakers speak. I feel the film would have been better if the spoken language had been Dutch/German. That would probably mean even less chance in other countries though.

Altogether it isn't an entirely bad film, but it is meant for a rather narrow group of people. What makes it better is the way the scenes were worked out - most of them rather attractive. Getting the amount of children they were using to do what they needed to do is a true feat that I have a high amount of respect for. Still, it isn't an attractive film that I would ever pick to watch again.

6 out of 10 kids crusading for the better world.

A young teenager named Dolf Vega : Johnny Flynn, is transported by means of a travel machine, newly built by his beloved mother: Emily Watson, going to Middle Age , 1212, and there he sets out to join a children's crusade led by Nicolas : Robert Timmins, who formerly had a Christ vision that told him to carry out a divine expedition towards Jerusalem to defeat Muslims who invaded Holy Land . Along the way Dolf meets a beautiful girl called Jenne : Stephanie Leonidas. Dolf swears duty to protect them and decides that safety of the unfortunate children will be assured at whatever means. But the children are deceived when the organizer priest, Anselmus : Michael Culkin, attempts to sell them as slaves.

Adventure movie with a lot of time travels, feats, fights, action and spectacular battles, in which a contemporary teen wandering throughout a medieval scenario. There's another 1987 film concerning similar deeds, a Children's Crusade, it was "Lionheart" by Franklyn J Schaffner that resulted to be a real flop at boxoffice. This Crusade in Jeans is finely starred by Johnny Flynn as the adolescent who ends up in a Children Crusade where he confronts enemies by using modern techniques and learning the Crusade seems to be harder and trickier than he ever imagined . Being based on the succesful novel written by the Dutch Thea Beckman who gives a vivid character on the protagonist Dolf Vega well acted by Johnny Flynn . He is well accompanied by the valiant Jenne: Stefanie Leonidas with whom he falls in love, Emily Watson as his intimate mummy, Michael Kulkin as the nasty priest, Benno Furmann as a good friar, Herbert Knaup as a scientific, Robert Timmins as Nicolas, the cult actor Udo Kier, among others. This Netherland/ Belgium/Luxembourg was professionally directed by Ben Sombogaart.

The picture is partially based on historical events, succeeded after fourth Crusade, these are as follows : the historians tell about two possible Children Crusades, the first began in Germany when a German shepherd led about 7000 young people crossing Italian Alps and arriving in Genova, but many of them deserted or were abducted or sold as slaves, as in Europe as in far countries, as Alexandria, Egypt. Other history deals with thousands of children, around 20.000, led by a very young French shepherd called Esteban De Cloyes from Chateaudun and arriving in Saint Denis. Meant for kids, it turns out to be a decent, enjoyable and agreeable film. Rating 6.5/10. Worthwhile watching.

Other movies dealing with Crusades are the following ones : The Crusades by Cecil B DeMille with Henry Wilonson, Loretta Young, Ian Hunter. King Richard and the Crusaders by David Swift with Laurence Harvey, Rex Harrison, Virginia Mayo, George Sanders. Lionheart 1987 by Franklyn J Schaffner with Eric Stolz, Talia Shire, Dexter Flecher, Nicholas Clay, Deborah Moore, Gabriel Byrne. Kingdom of heaven 2005 by Ridley Scott by Orlando Bloom, Lian Neeson, Eva Greene, Michael Sheen, Bernard Gleeson.

I just saw crusade in Jeans, and have to say it really impressed especially if you take in to account the low budget (12 million dollars) that the production had to deliver the epic feel. I truly hope that this movie takes of internationally so that the 2 trilogy's that she wrote can be made into really extravagant and big productions that can truly deliver the epic feel that I had when I read those books.

But back to crusade in Jeans even though some adaptations where made for the big screen it still stays very true to the original story and also delivers a great feel of the middle age period. I truly liked the way the ipod is used in the movie but also the gradual change from modern western clothing until the complete change towards middle aged clothing. There not much to improve about the movie although a thought that a couple of effects could have been done a bit more believable.

All in all a great movie to see, go see it or get it on DVD when it's released.

I've read the book a long time ago as a kid and I remember loving it. It was exciting, it was adventurous, it had an excellent main character. It had, my favorite subject, time traveling. And it was very good and convincingly written by Thea Beckman. What more do you want?

This film is of course based on the book, thank god. It usually doesn't end up well with movies that try to stick to the story to much. I tried to imagine how this movie would be like to watch when I was twelve. I think I would have loved it! Great leading actor, I mean, which boy doesn't want to be him? Great adventures, and the story is convincing. And look at the beautiful settings it was shot in. I don't understand the 6,6. It deserves a little bit higher from my point of view.