Crusade in Jeans

Crusade in Jeans is one of the most popular Dutch children's books. There have been plans for a movie for several years now, but due to the budget it was never realized. Until now. Ben Sombogaart, Foreign Movie Oscar nominee for Twin Sisters, directed a solid, exciting and even moving version of the book. Even more praiseworthy: the budget was only about 10 million euros (12 million dollars)!

This English spoken movie is about 16 year old Dolf Wega (a great Joe Flynn). He just screwed up an important soccer match and wants to use the scientific experiment of his mother - a time machine - to go back in time to fix it. Unfortunately he types in the wrong data and arrives in the year 1212. He almost gets mugged by two thieves but he's rescued by Jenne (Stephanie Leonidas). He joins a children's crusade heading for Jerusalem and with his modern wit and responsibility he becomes the actual leader of the group. But what are the real plans of the people who organized this crusade? And why are they heading for Genoa in Italy instead of Israel?

Compared to the book director Sombogaart took the liberty of changing a lot. Jenna wasn't in the book for example. Neither was the soccer play. But all these changes work out fine. The Dolf from the book was almost a super being. But in the movie he's much more human: he's afraid, venerable and not that strong physically. If you filmed all the scenes from the book you'd have a movie that lasted about 4 hours. Now it runs a little longer than two. Although we were watching a version that wasn't 100 percent finished – some of the special effects were lacking, the soundtrack needed more music – I was pleasantly surprised by the scope of the movie. There were some SFX scenes with big crowds giving the movie an epic feel, but most of the time Sombogaart kept the action small. And that worked out fine because of the way the actors performed. Both Joe Flynn (Dolf) and Stephanie Leonidas (Jenne) were great. There's a real chemistry between the two, making you really care for the characters. And of course there's Emily Watson, giving a great performance as Dolf's mother.

So was it a flawless movie? No, some things could have been better. The building up to the end for example, realizing why the crusade was really organized. That could've used a little more suspense. The look of the streets in the Middle Ages: it all looked too clean to me. But then again, I have never been there myself.

But the piece de resistance was really the moving ending. It differs a lot from the book, emphasizing the fact that they're actually two different things. Unlike other films I know I will still pick up the book again to read it. This movie hasn't spoiled that for me. Crusade in Jeans is a great movie that everybody should see. I sincerely hope that it will also be released in the States and England, because this film deserves to be successful. Go check it out when you have the opportunity!

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.

Ever since I first read the book Crusade in Jeans I was hoping they would turn it into a movie. And now they finally did. Dolf Vega is a rather selfish teenager. Because of him a crucial soccer-match is lost. His mum is a scientist and she's working on a time machine. Dolf is seeking revenge for his shame and wants to use the machine to get a chance to get even. But things go wrong and he's stranded in the year 1202! The moment he arrives he's almost killed and saved by some children and a young lady. They take him to the children's crusade on its way to Jerusalem. Soon Dolf uses his modern day wit and knowledge for the good of the poor hungry and sick children. Will he ever get back to his own modern life? This is a great adaption of the book. Not completely faithful but very satisfying. The young leads, in fact, everybody is cast really well. The production looks great although some scenery is obviously computer enhanced. The story is captivating and the running time is just right. The only thing that did not satisfy me personally was the ending which was not like in the book and a bit vague. Highly recommended for children and their ( thirty-something ) parents.

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.

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.