Today’s quick review: In the Name of the King. Farmer (Jason Statham), a humble farmer, has his life disrupted when his farm is burned, his son is killed, and his wife is captured by the vicious, orc-like Krug. Aided by his neighbor (Ron Perlman), his brother-in-law (Will Sanderson), and the royal wizard (John Rhys-Davies), Farmer must pursue the Krug, rescue his wife, and save the king (Burt Reynolds) from a villainous sorcerer (Ray Liotta) who seeks to take the kingdom by force.
In the Name of the King is a budget fantasy film with an unusually strong cast, poor writing, and poor direction. The movie is based on the Dungeon Siege video game series and is directed by Uwe Boll, who is infamous for his video game adaptations. In the Name of the King tries for a high fantasy feel, and its plot fits right into the genre: evil sorcerers, razed villages, orc-like enemies, etc. But these classic elements are not put together well. The plot is cliched and predictable, the setting has nothing unique about it, and none of the characters are memorable for any positive reasons. The acting is hammy, but given the caliber of the cast, this appears to be more a product of the writing and the directing than the actors themselves. The sole worthwhile aspect of the movie is its panoramic helicopter shots, and even these are overused in an ill-considered attempt to match The Lord of the Rings for scenery.
Watch In the Name of the King only if you get pleasure from watching low-quality films. Despite an impressive cast and the makings of a passable if generic high fantasy adventure, In the Name of the King only manages to deliver cringe-worthy lines, overacting, and cut-rate fantasy. Skip it if you like Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, or Burt Reynolds, or if you’re looking for the action-packed fantasy epic the movie could have been. Give it a shot when drinking with friends for a few cheap laughs.
3.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 4.0 for quality and a 7.0 for perverse enjoyability.