Movies
You Want To Get Violent? Get “Medieval”
“The story of fifteenth century Czech icon and warlord Jan Zizka, who defeated armies of the Teutonic Order and the Holy Roman Empire.” Director: Petr JáklWriters: Petr Jákl, Marek Dobes, […]
“The story of fifteenth century Czech icon and warlord Jan Zizka, who defeated armies of the Teutonic Order and the Holy Roman Empire.”
Director: Petr Jákl
Writers: Petr Jákl, Marek Dobes, Michal Petrus, Petr Bok, Petr Jakl Sr., Kevin Bernhardt
Staring: Ben Foster, Sophie Lowe, Michael Caine, Til Schweiger, Matthew Goode, William Moseley, Roland Møller, Karel Roden
Release Date: September 9, 2022
IMDB
Medieval (2022) is exactly what it says it is. It is Medieval. The story takes place in the 15th century and follows revered Czech warlord Jan Žižka (Ben Foster) as he defends his land, and a damsel in distress, from hordes of enemies. You can tell this is Petr Jákl’s personal project, and the former stuntman and Judo Champion does not shy away from the brutality. Medieval has political backstabbing, bloody violent (and seemingly realistic) violence, and existential themes at stake.
We can talk about the plot here, but just know that the story is not the reason Medieval is quasi-recomendable for certain genre fan types. It is for the bloodshed, which is incorporated into the story at the beginning, in the middle, and definitely the end.
Alright, how to summarize Medieval’s plot without going overboard? The word is divided by a series of conflicted rulers and treacherous plots. Wenceslas IV (Karel Roden) is the King of Bohemia and the Roman Emperor, but his rule is not honored by many. The country is actually under the leadership of Henry III of Rosenberg, but his Lord Boresh (Michael Caine) has eyes on keeping Wenceslas IV in power. Žižka is hired by Lord Boresh to kidnap Katherine (Sophie Lowe), who is engaged to Rosenberg.
This plotting involves Žižka among the political games he is not used to playing. Things get more dangerous when Wenceslas IV’s brother King Sigismund (Matthew Goode) hires Torak (Roland Møller), Žižka’s former mentor, to hunt down Žižka after he acquires Katherine.
While the two are on the run with one another, Žižka begins developing feelings for Katherine and his sense of duty versus personal preference becomes conflicted. When all things come to a head and an ultimate choice is to be made, Žižka risks everything he has, and the following of loyal supporters he has amassed with his courage, in order to fight for what he believes in just and right.
Petr Jákl’s movie asks the audience to go back into a time of history they know absolutely nothing about. The way Medieval paints its plot out is still a bit abstract, even for someone who had wikipedia during the movie trying to make sure they were getting all the characters right. That is strictly hypothetically though, of course.
The exposition dialogue that borders the first half of this story does not do the best job of identifying all of the key figures and all the tangled webs. The double take moments begin right from the jump when Žižka saves Lord Boresh from danger. You don’t know their relationship from the jump, but it is an odd thing to see Žižka saving this lord and then 20 minutes later having this lord ask Žižka to kidnap Katherine.
Žižka is the main character of the story, but Katherine may be the most important. Sophie Lowe plays the part of the pinball getting battered around from place-to-place. Katherine is the bargaining chip and the moral compass. She is appalled at the violence happening in the land, and her resolute quest to make the normal person’s life better affects Žižka.
The summaries of Medieval all note how Žižka falls in love with Katherine and that is what propels him to his revolutionary tendencies. That romance, it isn’t there. I think there is fascination at the ideals of Katherine, but the traditional feelings of love we see perpetuated are not reflected in Bohemia’s muddy waters. Not sure if the blame goes on the screenplay or the performers, but the connection between kidnapper and kidnapped isn’t waking up from any nap.
Medieval’s biggest notch in the win column (besides the action) is that it reminds the audience that Ben Foster is a really good actor. A short man by stature, Foster is built perfectly for the underdog role and his physical acting style fits well for Žižka. The character speaks softly but indeed holds a massive, metal, brain-bashing stick. Foster doesn’t play a ton of talkative roles so taking the part of Žižka isn’t too far a departure from the norm.
Foster is a recognizable talent from Medieval, but there are plenty of “oh shit, that guy” faces that pop up in Medieval.
Michael Caine has popped up in a pair of random movies for me over the last month, and Medieval is a much better watch than Stonehearst Asylum (2014). The name Til Schweiger may not be lighting up any bulbs in your brains, but if you have seen Inglourious Basterds (2009) then you will point him out as Sergeant Hugo Stiglitz. Matthew Goode pops up as King Sigismund and his face immediately makes me think of Ozymandias from Zach Snyder’s Watchmen (2009). It was also pointed out to me that William Moseley played the pretty boy Peter Pevensie in The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005).
Medieval is not a Kingdom Of Heaven (2005) scale production and nor does it reach the same level of success. But the smaller production and personal-project feel of Medieval gives it a forgiving lens.
Petr Jákl puts all his action experience into the bone-breaking battle scenes, and the ruthlessness of the mallet-blasting guerilla warriors is put into a bloody red-hued spotlight.
It should be noted that after the main story concludes, Medieval gives the viewers an epilogue that ties into a bow the events that transpire after the movie’s limited lens ends. Turns out that Sigismund does become king, but the country hates him. There is a revolt against him, so Sigismund orchestrates to try and retake the land, but a dutiful and unbeaten Žižka stands in his way still keeping to his values that we saw him develop throughout Medieval
As of Early July 2023, Medieval is streaming on Hulu.
STANKO RATING: C-
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