
The story revolves around the Magna Carta, a document that
grants Englishmen equal rights and reduces the overarching powers of the
monarchy. Forced to sign it by a group of Barons, King John decides to go back
on the agreement and starts a vicious military campaign to destroy the Barons
one by one. En route he kills Abbot
Marcus, who was being protected by 3 Knights Templar. One of them, Marshall
vows to avenge the Abbot’s death and with the help of Baron Albany, puts
together a small team of men and proceeds to take control of Rochester Castle,
the key to Southern England. King John with his group of Danish mercenaries
arrives and the siege begins.
The film is not cerebral at all. The characters are uni-dimensional
and the body language and the belligerent manner in which they interact has all
the makings of an action film minus the brains. The small group of defenders is
a poor imitation of the spaghetti western with characters as diverse as a
portly warrior, a nymphomaniac and a carpenter who leaves his 2 children behind
(remember Unforgiven?).
However, Jonathan English’s direction can be praised for the
rawness with which he has shot the battle sequences. That alone is the usp of
the film. Although the scale is small, the sequences showcase the brutality of
real action vs. cinematic bells and whistles that are often added. You can see
mining techniques being used to demolish the castle, using pig fat as the explosive.
His attempt to showcase the love between a reluctant Marshall and the daughter
of the protector of Rochester falls flat with both actors unable to ignite the
passion. A deeper characterization of John, Marshall and the Barons would have
helped add depth to the story.
The acting honors sadly go to no one. The incredibly
talented Paul Giamatti’s portrayal of King John, shows him to be depressed,
weak and slightly off-center. Although history suggests that John had a complex
personality, none of that comes forth in this film. The one scene where he
berates Baron Albany on the virtues of the Royal family is the stand out
performance in this film. James Purefoy as Marshall, does not pass muster as
the brooding Knight.
‘Ironclad’ is a passable film, if you are tired of heavy
films and need some mindless action.
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