Solomon Kane: a dark and bloody triumph?
- 22 September 2009
- Gerard Wood
Early reviews of Michael J. Bassett's Solomon Kane, which had its first public screening at the Toronto International Film Festival last week (and reportedly one of the largest midnight turnouts ever), have generally been positive. Fans, as you might expect, are considerably more enthusiastic than some in the "official" press, but that is only to be expected.
Based on Robert E. Howard's pulp fiction about a sombre and no-nonsense 16th Century Puritan Soldier, both Howard's stories and I suspect Bassett's movie are an acquired taste: a seriously grim and grimly serious tale about one man's blood soaked and gore-splattered quest for redemption. Better known perhaps as the creator of Conan, Robert E. Howard wrote the Solomon Kane stories for Weird Tales in the late 1920s and early 1930s, setting them in a brutal and violent period in which the ascent of reason was in conflict with superstition (not unlike today when you come to think about it).
Bassett's movie, the first in a planned trilogy, traces the origin of Solomon Kane, a ruthlessly efficient killing machine in the service of the Crown (and the coin) who comes to the realisation that with each bloody act he has damned himself in the service of the Devil. Turning his back on this brutal life he strives to be a man of peace but Fate, the Devil and his own violent nature have other plans, and circumstances inevitably draw Kane back to the field of battle. Even though his unrivalled skill to kill is now in the service of Righteousness, uncertainty continues to haunt him: does each kill redeem him or is he deluded, and really still in the service of the Devil?
Not yet having seen the movie, it's unclear how much of Kane's internal conflict and spiritual angst make the transition from the page to the screen, although the signs are promising. Bassett, who also wrote the screenplay, describes the character of Kane as "a dark hero who has faced terrible things and turned to God for redemption and guidance. He sees himself as a righter-of-wrongs but is conflicted by a growing realization that he might be both a force for evil as well as good." This complex duality could well be lost without a talented actor in the lead role, so it's reassuring to read Bassett's assessment that James Purfoy, the distinguished Shakespearean actor who landed the role, understands this duality: "I know he'll bring a really powerful and intense heroism to the screen. He's perfect for the role - and the fact that he's devilishly handsome doesn't hurt either." The movie's Producer, Sammuel Hadida (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Brotherhood of the Wolf, True Romance) believes that Purfoy's "ability to embody Kane's complex heroism, struggles and failings as he wages a mortal battle made him the perfect modern hero in this epic fantasy."
If there is any lingering doubt about the transition of this complex duality to the screen, there is no doubt that the bloodiness of the source material made it all the way and with gusto, and the skilfully choreographed fight scenes have been singled out for special praise. A criticism from some sources however has been with the monster effects (particularly in the closing scenes) which apparently betray signs of the movie's reportedly small budget (US$40 million has been quoted). While it's hard to be sure judging by the official trailer, it doesn't look as if there's much to be concerned about, and the Balrog-like Devil in the closing scenes is suitably impressive. But we'll have to wait and see as there is an art to creating trailers that often conceals an ugly truth.
When all is said and done however the trailer has a certain grim and dramatic intensity to it that has me siding with the fans. This movie has me excited.
A distributor has yet to be finalised for the US (although the movie gets a 24 September showing at the Austin Fantastic Fest) and the only other release dates indicated so far are for Russia (31 December) and the Netherlands (14 January 2010). Given the generally positive reaction to the movie to date, it's looking likely that we'll see an announcement soon about international distribution. We'll keep you posted.
If you haven't seen the trailer yet, check it out below. Let us know what you think, especially if you're one of the fortunate few who saw Solomon Kane in Toronto.
On paper, Disney’s John Carter has much going for it. First ...
Marcus Nispel’s Conan the Barbarian doesn’t really justify t...
You know there’s something rotten with the state of distribu...
Michael J. Bassett’s Solomon Kane may well be the best epic ...
The long wait is almost over for those of you in the UK who ...
Michael J. Bassett's Solomon Kane is taking its good time to...
Featured articles
25 Mar 2012
No movie release in 2011 was more misunderstood and unfairly maligned as a result of misunderstanding than Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch. Odds are you’ll disagree with that statement. An indication of the movie’s reception by “audiences” (non-professional reviewers) and the critics can be found on Rotten Tomatoes, where audience approval is calculated to be 47%, and of the 196 critical reviews... Read more
05 Oct 2009
Science fiction authors have long been outcasts from the literary world, in some cases critics using the worst examples of the genre as ammunition against it. Unfortunately though, at times even science fiction authors themselves can turn on their own kind: "Science fiction is rockets, chemicals and talking squids in outer space,” mocked Margaret Atwood (The Guardian, 28 January 2009), one of her... Read more
08 Jul 2010
Almost any time we write anything about Neil Gaiman, you can be sure that someone will feel the need to post a comment “outing” the man as a Scientologist. While we have a fairly relaxed attitude to comments and will publish almost anything that contributes to an article, you won’t find many comments about Neil Gaiman’s alleged ties to the Church of Scientology published on this site. We simply... Read more
02 Aug 2011
Dan Simmons’ latest novel, Flashback (July 2011), is “[a] provocative novel set in a future that seems scarily possible,” proving “why Dan Simmons is one of our most exciting and versatile writers." So says the publicist anyway. Dan Simmons is one of our most exciting and versatile writers, but sadly Flashback doesn’t prove that. And yes, Flashback is a provocative novel, but it doesn’t... Read more
09 Dec 2007
After 25 years since its original release, a definitive version of Ridley Scott's science fiction masterwork Blade Runner, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, has arrived. So what exactly has changed? And is it worth all the fuss? After attending a recent screening I can report that there are significant differences, mainly improvements, between this new version and Ridley's first Director's Cut released... Read more
16 Oct 2007
Daren Aronofsky’s The Fountain is a movie that divides opinion. During its press screening at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival in September 2006 it was booed; at the public screening the following evening it received a 10 minute standing ovation. To get an idea of just how divided opinion is, take a look at Rotten Tomatoes, a website that rates movies based on published reviews. Of 181... Read more
19 Oct 2011
After watching the pilot to Fox’s ambitious TV time travelling dinosaur fest called Terra Nova, I am praying that when I watch the next episode the entire cast gets eaten by dinosaurs (in fact, that hope is the only reason I’ll be able to sit through another one). The entire cast’s gruesome deaths at the hands of a frenzied T-Rex or a velociraptor having a bad day can’t come soon enough.... Read more
30 Jan 2012
If you own an iPhone 4S you may have impressed your friends (or perhaps not) with the built in, voice-driven personal assistant called Siri. You can ask it to book appointments, call people, search nearby restaurants, make calculations, and a great deal more. Most of the time it gets it right too. Now Siri has an Android rival called Evi, and if first impressions are anything to go by, it's an impressive... Read more
07 Jun 2010
Finally having had the opportunity to watch Nicholas Winding Refn’s Valhalla Rising, I now appreciate why it was received so well at film festivals and yet failed to get a wide theatrical release. It’s hard going. On one hand it’s almost unbearably brutal and on the other it is layered with the sort of mind-bending symbolic meaning that leads the viewer to the brink of utter confusion and leaves... Read more
10 Mar 2012
I have a confession to make. I'm not proud of it, but there's no use trying to hide it any longer, the damage has already been done. I was an Apple fanatic. Hard core. Completely obsessed. I'm not proud of my behaviour. I have no real excuses. All I can say in my defense is that I have always been a gadget fan, so naturally I was ripe for the plucking. My psyche was compromised, wide open to the fruit... Read more
Latest videos
 |  |
![Men In Black 3 Trailer 2 Official 2012 [1080 HD] - Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Y2r9AIfYcV8/0.jpg)
![Looper - Official Trailer [HD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UZyZWFYyxcU/0.jpg)
![Total Recall 2012 Official Trailer [HD]: Colin Farrell Recalls His Dangerous Past: ENTV](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sWMhADqlPYg/0.jpg)
Re: Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell to cameo in Quantum Leap movie
Some remakes are ok becausecof improvements in special...
Re: Chronicles of Riddick 3: Dead Man Stalking - Science Fiction World
What, Riddick became Lord Marshall and now hes...
Re: Rotten Apple: the war on Google's Android - Science Fiction World
That will be the legacy of Steve "Palpatine"...
Re: GodMachine
Strange...but cool. Definitely not EFC related in any...