Ogniem i mieczem

If you love war epics, great sword work, and quirky characters, this movie is unbelievably good. They must have poured an incredible amount of money into the costuming, as well, because the entire production looked amazing. The film's length wore on me at times, but I loved those characters so much that I almost didn't want the film to end. If you don't like bloodshed, then don't watch a freakin' war movie. But if you do, you will not be disappointed by this film in the least. The battle sequences are at times stunning and all beautifully coordinated. I can't think of a single fight that didn't just completely kick bottom.

As for the yum factor, the bad guy Bohun is incredibly hot. He's like a Cossack Heathcliff. Both he and the "good guy" (there really aren't any good guys in this film) were droolable. The Princess was lovely, but too clean for all her adventures. That was the only real Hollywoodism of which the film can be convicted.

Mostly for Polish viewers, some basic knowledge of 17th century Poland may be helpful if you want to understand the movie. It's about the rebellion of Ukrainian Cossacks against their lords - Polish nobility (it was before tsars conquered Ukraine). Polish prince Jeremi Wisniowiecki fights them with extreme atrocity but when they ally with Tatars, is forced to withdraw to the fortress of Zbaraz. These events form a background for the love between one of Polish commanders and girl he meets while carrying out some emissary mission for the prince. The movie is based on the novel "With Fire and Sword" (orig. "Ogniem i mieczem") by Henryk Sienkiewicz (Nobel award for "Quo Vadis"). This book is the first part of a trilogy, other parts have also been filmed. I think it's important to read the novel and see all mentioned movies - "The Deluge" (orig. "Potop") and "Pan Michael" (orig. "Pan Wolodyjowski").

Ogniem i Mieczem has amazed me!Indeed with such "small budget"(9 million dollars even for Polish cinema,europe is big) well Hoffman made a impressing historical movie. Nice battle scenes,costumes,landscapes,the characters are interesting especially villain and you can learn a lot from Polish-Ukrainian history. Something different from "common" western european or US history... Some will say that expected more...maybe true but remember..it is not 60 or 100 million budget movie with famous stars...it is european,pure polish production and has nothing to be jealous from hollywood. Actors did good work,as Hoffman in direction. of course plot can be weak in some parts but is not always easy to copy from a book,in detail and perfection especially Sienkiewicz ones. I recommend this movie,am happy to see historical european productions with other perspective and not in american way. You will not regret seeing that movie. I give it 9/10.

First of all, I am not delighted with Ogniem i Mieczem. But I think, it is a decent piece of adventure movie, which by the way, can also teach a bit about Poland's and Ukraine's history. There is one great thing, that Hoffman did - he modernized original Sienkiewicz's book, which was written in 1884 in very different circumstances. At that time, Poland was not existent country for almost 100 years, and the goal of Sienkiewicz's Trilogy was to raise Polish morale. That's why the Cossacks in the book are just enemies, evil and cruel, and their cause is not just, while the Poles (and loyal Ukrainians, like Prince Jeremi Wisniowiecki) are good, less cruel, and their cruelty is justified. Hoffman made a movie for modern times instead, when Poland and Ukraine are independent neighbors and they have to cooperate and built friendship among citizens (I must add here, that last local slaughters between citizens of two nations took part during World War II). In a movie, we see also Ukrainian point of view. Of course, the movie still remains Polish-centric, but it also shows Cossacks as people, who had they cause as well - what was guaranteed by engaging the Ukrainian actor (Bohdan Stupka) as Khmelnytsky.

Of the cast, Zbigniew Zamachowski as a fencing master Michal Wolodyjowski is disappointing, but I think he must have been under pressure of comparisons with highly praised Tadeusz Lomnicki, who played this character in earlier other two parts. And yes, Scorupco was a bad choice - after several days of marching through villages and bushes, she still looks like a cosmetic advertisement ("Despite all these things, my make-up still remains intact"). On the other hand, Daniel Olbrychski, playing a minor part of Tukhay-Bey, reached the mastery in my opinion.

Everyone in Poland have been waiting for this movie for a long, long time. Some of us even twenty years. But these ones who have watched other parts of the Trilogy now are not disappointed (maybe not everyone but the most). Jerzy Hoffman made a really great movie. I agree that not every actress(read: Izabella Skorupka-this is her Polish name) was good in her role but thanks God we wouldn't have to watch many scenes with her. Of course we can forgive this to mister Hoffman. Everyone can make a mistake. But if we look at this work of art from the other side we can see many fantastic Polish actors like: Daniel Olbrychski(who played in every part of the Trilogy), Michal Zebrowski, Krzysztof Kowalewski or Andrzej Seweryn. They are really great in their roles. They are vivid and credible. I have to say that I cried watching this movie. There were two scenes at which my handkerchief was wet. First: when they found Skrzetuski crying in the village and second it was almost the last scene: when Jan finds out that Helena is alive. But one there is one thing which I hate in Hoffman's movies: his no-limits cruelty (for example in the movie "Pan Michael" he had drowned an alive horse in the stream). He loves to watch the viewers human's and animal's pain and suffering. I know this is in every Sienkiewicz's book but I just cannot accept it.I must confess that I haven't read any Sienkiewicz's book. At the cinema I can close my eyes and only listen but if I closed my eyes while reading a book I wouldn't find out what had happen. I know that many of you won't agree with my opinions(for example about Scorupco) but this is my point of view and everyone has free will and everyone can say how he looks on some things. PS. I have been learning English for 1,5 year so there can be a lot of mistakes-forgive me this.