Today’s quick review: Season of the Witch. Behmen (Nicolas Cage) and Felson (Ron Perlman), a pair of knights in the Crusades, desert from the army when they are ordered to kill innocents. On their way back home, they pass through a region suffering from a plague. There the two knights are pressed into a dangerous mission: transporting a witch (Claire Foy) who is believed to be the cause of the plague to an abbey where her power can be driven from her.
Season of the Witch is a medieval fantasy movie that explores the supernatural side of the Middle Ages. Season of the Witch has a decent premise, two fine leads, and a setting with plenty of potential. However, the movie fails to capitalize on its strengths. Uninspired writing keeps it from exploring what could be interesting themes, while weak action limits the impact its fantasy elements. The result is a watchable but unexciting fantasy action film.
Season of the Witch takes an unusual approach to the fantasy genre. The movie features a historical setting and real-world conflicts such as plague, witch hunts, and the Crusades. Sprinkled into this slice of history is a taste of the supernatural, mostly involving witches and their powers. The blend of a grounded setting with a touch of well-justified fantasy could be quite interesting, but the writing does not take full advantage of the setup.
Season of the Witch’s failings are basic problems of execution. The story is linear and feels short. The crux of the drama is whether to trust the accused witch, but the tension is mishandled and the question leads nowhere rewarding. The characters are halfway developed, given the motivations they need but missing the embellishment. The action is mediocre and back-loaded, only ramping up in the last third of the movie.
Watch Season of the Witch if you are in the mood for fantasy and don’t mind a hit in quality. Season of the Witch does enough right to be a watchable and even moderately satisfying movie. But its bleak tone keeps it from being a good popcorn flick, and its flawed execution cripples the good ideas it has. For a similar caliber of medieval fantasy with more action, check out Solomon Kane. For a poorer but more amusing fantasy film, check out In the Name of the King.
5.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 for passable execution that falls well short of its potential.