Medieval Brings ADHD Entertainment to Middle Age BOhemia
Medieval quietly premiered with an elite cast, some solid production values, and a story very few in North America had ever heard. The movie is about the Czech hero Jan Zizka, a knight who lived in the late Middle Ages in the Kingdom of Bohemia, then a part of the Holy Roman Empire. The movie is based on historical events but those events are a bit convoluted and tough to understand for non-history buffs. The movie also doesn’t have the patience to explain or lay it out effectively for the audience, thanks to its ADHD pacing, which ultimately brought it down from being a potentially great period piece to a perhaps slightly above average one.
Usually a nice synopsis of the movie is added here but to avoid getting lost in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire, let’s just say Jan Zizka is tasked with kidnapping a lord’s wife, Katherine played by Sophie Lowe in order to place pressure on him to support the King of Bohemia. His crown is at risk from his brother, the King of Hungary, and other internal forces that see him as weak.
It isn’t exactly a chivalrous act and, for some, tend to make him out to be the villain rather than a hero. Well, things get a little complicated after that as we learn her husband is a true villain, something she comes to realize while in captivity.
The most noticeable feature of this film is its short scenes and quick-fire dialogue. There are very few real conversations, only bursts of dialogue meant to set the scene and provide a bit of exposition. Once something happens, the movie rapidly moves on to the next thing, then the next, at a pace that is suited for viewers with shorter attention spans or just straight up ADHD.
For those who like scenes to develop and for dialogue and character development to have a chance to ferment, the movie is frustrating. The complicated politics doesn’t help either, not to mention the anti-heroic act Jan must do in kidnapping an innocent woman and holding her deep in the mountains against her will. A bit of Stockholm Syndrome develops, although Katherine’s change of heart is largely based on learning the truth rather than psychological trauma or manipulation. She realizes her husband is not what he seems and that Jan is no monster.
The combat tactics and melee were all impressive and looked authentic. Jan Zizka is a legendary tactician and it is claimed he never lost a battle. This is the strongest part of the movie but there are quite a few battles in the movie. After a while it starts to lose its effect.
Ben Foster does a good performance as Jan Zizka, as does Sophie Lowe as Katherine. Michael Caine plays a modest role but his actions drive the plot from the start. The cast and even the writing was a strength, other than the rapid pacing.
Overall, it is a solid movie but may annoy those who like a little more character development and tempered pacing. The obscure historical figure and time period may also present challenges for those who aren’t history buffs and need some added exposition to understand what is happening.