How did this movie get by me? I mean, seriously, how does something this good remain out for FOUR YEARS and just now get a video release here in the States?
I spotted this at Hasting's earlier a couple of weeks ago and rented it this week not sure what to expect. The best way to explain it is a quote from a reviewer at IMDB.com -
"Ever wonder what it would be like if Van Helsing didn't suck? To take that idea a bit further, ever wonder what it would be like if the films Van Helsing and Constantine were able to mate and its offspring was a film that was actually pretty awesome? In a nutshell, that's what you get with Solomon Kane. "
The casting here is very solid. The title role is played by James Purefoy (Marc Antony in HBO's series ROME), and his father is played by Max von Sydow. Kane is a powerful mercenary warrior who fought alongside Drake during the time of Queen Elizabeth. A man of violence and bloodshed, he is informed that his soul has been damned and barely escapes when one of Satan's minions tries to harvest him. Seeking redemption, he renounced violence forever and sought refuge in a monastery. But when the abbot informs him that he must leave, he meets up with a Puritan family preparing to emigrate to America and falls in with them. Their patriarch, William Crowthorne, is ably played by the late Pete Postlethwait. When the family is attacked by marauders in the service of an evil sorcerer, Kane returns to his life of violence in order to rescue their beautiful daughter. But will he endanger his own soul in the process?
Great special effects, abundant gore, a compelling storyline, and great acting. This one is a must-see!