Solomon Kane

It's not everyone cup of bloody tea, but an unapologetic genre treat for those willing to dive in.

Mr. Basset is too enamored of the usual action film clichés, down to some Hollywood-gangsta gun play. But he has a graphic visual style that suits the simplistic material and he keeps you watching even as the wet, sucking sounds of skewered flesh grow tedious.

A brutal fusion of angst and action, this mini-epic gives the sword-and-sorcery genre a bleak, brusque new life. Watch it for some terrific limbchopping and a mighty turn by James Purefoy.

If weapons and wizardry get your blood up, and you prefer your movies dark and brooding and minus the sandals, Solomon Kane fits the bill. It may lack The Lord Of The Rings' majesty, but Robert E. Howard fans will lap it up.

It's taken a while for Kane to make it to the big screen, maybe because fantasy barbarians and long-ago kings have more immediate appeal than pious, slouch-hat-wearing men with poor senses of humor, but Solomon Kane gives it a go anyway. The results suggest a compelling movie could be made from the material, even if it isn't this one.

Michael J. Bassett's Solomon Kane is been there, done that.

It's always raining or snowing or misting. This makes for a nice visual, but it also makes the scenes look interchangeable. This is even more of a problem because the writer-director, Michael J. Bassett, imparts no shape to the story. Many movies suffer from worse problems, but not many waste the talents of Max von Sydow, as Solomon's father, or Pete Postlethwaite.

A simply fantastic movie in every way. A perfect swashbuckling blockbuster with a great hypnotic performance by James Purefoy. How it took over three years for this film to reach the States is beyond me and even more why is anybody please doing a sequel My kids and wife love this film too. A great piece of entertainment. I would like to Solomon Kane now journey into Africa into one of his many adventures. Come on Hollywood, wake up and pick it up.

In the 17th England, a ruthless warrior set to rediscover his path. There's no reason, but after a long due I saw this. I'm pretty impressed with the film's production, but in the end it was an average film for me. James Purefoy was good, but the story needed someone very husky looking actor to play the Solomon. That's what spoiled my watch, other than that I enjoyed most of the film. Because the tone and the pace were excellent, but it was a predictable story. A savage warrior leading his men somewhere in the Northern Africa, when he's sensing he almost defeated them, comes to know his soul is damned. He escapes there, leaves his all that life behind and looks for a peaceful future. He was born to be a warrior, that's why he left his own kingdom. So in his second chance to rediscover his path, he must achieve the impossible to defeat his opponent. Full of dark and wet atmosphere really gives that required medieval look. The locations were well used and also the costumes, so if you like films that sets in this era, particularly stunts, then you might enjoy it. But if you ask me, I would say it is just a one time watchable film. Entertainment is guaranteed, but because of something, the film does not not look complete. So recommended for the selected viewers. 6/10

The acting is pretty painful at some parts, and the characters are sloppily written and uninteresting, but the thing that saves Solomon Kane from complete failure is its dazzling visuals and well executed action.

This film quickly became absolutely tedious, with poor action and unsatisfying action sequences, buttressed by horrible pacing and embarrassing dialog. The character of Solomon Kane had wonderful potential, again, with his conflicted and complex back-story, but he became static, with only formulaic motivation propelling his dull and boring quest.

This movie has no redeeming qualities except for that Pete Postlewait and Max von Sydow put in an appearance. It lacks interesting characters, captivating music, an engaging storyline and much more. You will be better of rewatching House of the flying daggers or Pirates of the Caribbean. Heck, watch them a third time if you have to. To say it in haiku: meandering path grim and dreary woods, uphill no better visions