Black plague

It's always great to see a film that, even when it's not a masterpiece of the genre, breaks the mold and stands high in the middle of the sea of mediocrity that average films create. Anazapta is one of those films.

Set in the middle age, it's very realistic in it's portrayal of how dirty, physically and emotionally that age was. The amorality and violence of the dark ages set the tone for a film about revenge and mystery in the time of the Black Plague.

A man is taken as prisoner by the inhabitants of a town. The village is suffering and needs money, and before the church takes the land, the widow of the lord of the land decides to trade the prisoner, who claims to be the son of a french nobleman in exchange of money. But the prisoner may not be who they think is, and to complicate the things, a mysterious disease similar to the plague is killing people who may be part of the mystery surrounding the prisoner.

A very interesting mix of suspense, horror and mystery set in the middle-ages is what makes this film to shine. The script, although a little bit underdeveloped, still makes justice to the premise and what we have is a chilling tale that keeps the interest of the audience who is led through the horrors of the ages.

Certainly, It's one of the most realistic portrayals of the middle age, it moves away from the nobility of knights and princes and shows us the harsh reality of corrupt institutions, dirty and poor villagers, and tired knights whose only ambition is to live the next day.

The cast is good, and while it may not be the best acting, it's better than expected in a low-budget film. In fact, the entire film looks as if it's budget were big but in fact it's low.

Maybe it's biggest flaw lays in the fact that it leaves many things unexplained, the script ends in a way that maybe will leave many people unsatisfied. I have read comments of people who could not understand the ending. I'm not sure if I understood it, but I enjoyed the film.

It's a good movie about the middle ages, and it definitely deserves a look.

Solid 7/10

"Anazapta" is one of those movies about the medieval times which does not have any characters boasting a bright, ultra-white-teeth Hollywood smile. The whole so to say "medievalness" is shown very naturally, i.e. people are dirty, rude, there's violence and brief nudity, etc. And this is great. This is the only thing that provides the movies with above the average rating IMHO. The story is twisted just perfectly for ending-guessers to figure out the grand finale some 20 to 15 minutes before time, but the very ending scene has left me wondering. Anyway, in my TV-program the film was described as a historical thriller and thriller it was indeed.

5/22/18. I only watched this because Headey was in it. Other than that the sets and costumes were nice, but the plot was not that great. Could have been better.

The movie takes its time and overall I think what it tries to do is recommendable. Putting a face to something that was a horrible event in history is not a bad idea. But until we get there, you may get bored or at least a bit annoyed. The acting is good and there is quite a few things you may like. Not the over the top cliches at points probably.

We have Jason Flemyng and Lena Headey, the latter probably having some training or at least getting accostumed to something she later revised (GoT). So for them it seems like it was fun. It doesn't quite translate to the screen. Some of the symbolism (sexual frustration, being in charge as a woman and so forth) really don't shine as much as they could. Still there have been worse movies out there

Story about amoral revenge, cold, dark, seductive, cruel and brutal, splendid reflection of Middle Age atmosphere, mixture of tension and strange romance, tale about price of gestures and powerful force of past errors, about values and trust, about ghosts and crime as projection of community's soul.

In same aspects, a love story and, in fact, subtle exploration of existence significance.

A debate-film, with some aspects from Shakespeare or Marlowe, with flavor from Dostoevki and taste of Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" but, very personal as structure and construction of end.

Film about old moral debt, about cruelty of a bleak era," Anazapta" is a mirror, with Greek tragedy as mat, image of human instincts, desires and secret fears, notion of justice and faith, greed, poltroonery and black angels. It is lucid introspection in the loops of deep reality beyond the words.

The acting, the dialogs, the lights and location are bones of a social corpse, without coffin, funeral or grave.

The innocence or the mercy are only illusions for a character in which single limb is memory beyond facts, illusions or regrets.

A destiny's butcher and his way.

And a very interesting presence of Lena Headey in magnificent role who transforms,in delicate and subtle manner, the nuances of atmosphere and the respiration of action.