Solomon Kane: This modestly-budgeted picture is based on the Robert E. Howard character of the same name, the Puritan adventurer fighting evil and the supernatural across Europe and Africa. This film plays as more of a prequel, showing the journey of Kane (played by James Purefoy of “Rome“ fame) from English privateer on the run from Death itself to religious warrior, and ends at roughly where Howard’s stories begin. Purefoy is good (Kane is a bit wooden emotionally in the stories, so it’s appropriate here; he‘s even more aloof in the stories) and he does add shades to the character that you don’t get from the various Kane stories. Jason Flemying, Pete Postelthwaite, Max von Sydow, Rachel Hurd-Wood and Alice Krige co-star. It’s fine for a middle-of-the-road action film with fantasy elements, but the plot is extremely derivative (one of the subplots has been used in every Robin Hood film made in the last 30 years - wayward son helps reclaim usurped family home). The special effects are fine. Not bad, but also not remarkable in any way. Supposed to be the first of a trilogy. No North American release for this one yet. Woodchuck sez, “Worth a look.”
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