(Not So) Weekly Movie Review #12: Solomon Kane (2009)

Greetings,

     Optiluiz here once more for another (Not So) Weekly Movie Review. Today I review Solomon Kane, adapted from the stories of Robert E. Howard about the titular demon hunter and directed by Michael J. Bassett. I'm actually a fan of Mr. Bassett, having really liked Deathwatch. I follow his blog as well, and am pretty excited for Silent Hill 2. So, when this movie finally showed up on Blu-Ray here in Brazil, I couldn't resist.
     Like Deathwatch, Solomon Kane is all about atmosphere. There is something ethereal to the film, regarding the lighting and enviroments surrounding the story. It really captures the tone of what a "sword and sorcery" tale should be. Michael really shows love towards the genre, by capturing the essence of such stories and bringing his own original view of Kane's journey. Sure there are quite a few clichés on display, but most of the time they don't detract from the experience.
     Speaking of Kane, James Purefoy was perfectly cast. He nailed the role like... I can't really think of an appropriate metaphor here. Anyway, he brought a certain depth to the character that made the movie much better. This is, after all, a character-centric piece. The acting in general was also pretty good, but James really stole the spotlight as the hero with a dark past.
     The score was great as well. It's not as memorable as it could have been, but it served its purpose. The soundtrack helped add a sense of scale that the film's budget would not allow, much like the original Star Wars. More on that later. The end theme in particular was also pretty nice.
     Well, I'd like to say that this a perfect movie, with everything a fan of the genre could want, but alas, it's not. Mr. Bassett has proven that much can be done with a smaller-than-usual budget. However, the end of the film could have been better with a bigger budget and greater sense of scope. Even so, it was a decent finale for a great movie.
     Michael really did Howard's character justice with this film, and he deserves credit for that. This is a must-watch for fans of the original Conan The Barbarian, and fantasy literature/film in general. I regret that it had such a limited release. Sure it made a few slips towards the end, and it could have been amazing with a bigger budget, but overall, I give it a 7.5/10.  I just can't wait for Silent Hill 2. Could it finally be the one to break the video-game movie curse? Now here's a trailer for Solomon Kane.

Chainsaw Cheers,

-Optiluiz out...

PS: The film's narrative progression actually felt like that of a tabletop RPG. I like that.

PPS: Reposting this review in the future, I'm sorry to say that Michael J. Basset has driven the Silent Hill sequel intro a shallow grave.