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According to Robert Scucci
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Rotten Tomatoes once again misled me and kept me away from Nicolas Cage Season of the Witch – a dark, supernatural action-adventure fantasy film set during the Crusades in Smyrniote – and robbed me of one of the best films from our best actor at a time when he was mostly sending direct-to-video content. Although this film is not Cage’s finest hour (I’m still waiting National treasure 3 here), in no way deserves the 11 percent critical score it currently holds on the popular review aggregator.
My ego was also inflated to the point of no return after watching Season of the Witch because my theory has been confirmed once again: if you watch enough (supposedly) terrible movies, you’ll occasionally hit gold in the form of a fun movie with breakneck pace, frenetic action sequences, and snappy dialogue.
Will Season of the Witch be remembered as one of the greatest films of our time? definitely not. But it’s one of those rainy Sunday afternoon movies streaming which definitely deserves 95 minutes of your time.
A witchy good time
Season of the Witch borne by Sir Behmen von Bleibruck (Nicolas Cage) and Sir Felson (Ron Perlman), two knights who witnessed their share of defeat during their time on the Smyrniot Crusades in the 14th century. Disgusted by their widespread acts of violence in the name of God against all non-believers (including innocent women and children), Behmen and Felson decided to abandon their mission and walk away from the violence that had defined most of their adult lives. Behmen and Felson are eventually banished as deserters as they travel through plague-infested Styria, and are tasked with transporting an alleged witch named Anna (Claire Foy) to a group of monks by the ailing Cardinal D’ambroise (Christopher Lee). distant monastery to be judged fairly.
Refusal of the mission means imprisonment and possible death by hanging or burning (Felson would have preferred a quick hanging if he had the luxury of choosing how he died), but both knights receive a full pardon if they agree to walk through the dark forest and get good at delivery.
Joined by the priest Debelzaq (Stephen Campbell Moore), the cardinal’s head guard Johann (Ulrich Thomsen), a map expert and trickster named Hagamar (Stephen Graham), and an alter boy with knightly aspirations known as Kay von Wollenbart (Robert Sheehan), Behmen and Felson they set out to find a monastery. Cardinal D’ambroise believes that Anna is responsible for the Black Death that is spreading across Europe Season of the Witchand he has reason to believe that the monastery holds the key to stopping the Death Plague in its tracks.
Friend Policeman Days
Having a bit of an identity crisis Season of the Witch plays out more like a buddy cop movie than an epic fantasy adventure movie. Not only are Behmen and Felson reluctantly going through the motions as you’d think, but they seem to be enjoying life as they traverse the treacherous wilderness transporting Anna to her trial and possible execution. The two were war buddies during the epic battle sequences you find at the beginning of the film, and both are so desensitized to the violence that they joke around like old dorm roommates on a deer.
While they take their mission seriously, they definitely whistle as they work to break the grind, which gives this movie a charm I didn’t expect.
Season of the Witch sets up this dynamic between Behmen and Felson right from the start during the opening, shock-cut battle sequences that remind me of the Wolfgang Petersen-directed and Brad Pitt-starring War Trail. Troy. Before Behmen and Felson rush down the hills to put hundreds of men to the sword, they first debate who will be the hero of the day and who will buy rounds of beer and mead after a well-fought battle. Against the bleak subject found in the heart Season of the WitchI appreciate how much his sense of humor breaks the tension when things get serious.
Don’t be fooled by cynical critics
At the end of the day, I just want to be from my media consumption they had funand Season of the Witch it ticks all the boxes on my “bring it to my eyes” Bingo card. Between the epic battles, the wizarding wolves roaming the dark forest, and the endless chemistry between Cage and Perlman, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Black Plague movie as entertaining as this one.
If you don’t believe me, consider this:
1980s Xanadu it currently has a critical score of 31 percent Rotten tomatoeswhich is a significantly higher score than Season of the Witch. At least the latter title actually has some semblance of a plot, and not a single example of carousel disco songs and dances instead of narrative. sure, Season of the Witch it has a disappointing lack of Kublai Khan’s pleasure dome, but I’m willing to stick my neck out and say it’s probably for the better.
As of this writing, you can stream Season of the Witch free on Tubi
