Jonathan English
Ironclad

King John has granted the "Magna Carta Libertatum." After a long conflict with the English barons, this document ideally establishes peace between the two parties. But John is a king who shows little respect for agreements, greedy, aggressive: his goal, after granting the "Carta," is to once again subjugate all his vassals to his will, reconquering fortress by fortress all the possessions in southern England. It's difficult to oppose the king's force, who is aided in this reconquest by the Danish fighter Tiberius and his mercenaries. The castle of Rochester becomes the bulwark of resistance against tyranny, where Baron William of Albany and the Templar Thomas "The Marshal" choose to oppose the king with a small band of soldiers.

This is the setup for "Ironclad," a feature film by Jonathan English, which premiered in theaters last 2011. We are faced with an epic film with distinctly "artisanal" traits, where the simplicity of cinematic construction prevails, while the strictly historical aspect remains in the background. English deliberately plays his work almost entirely on the various assaults on the construction of Rochester, staunchly defended by the rebels. On one hand, this device makes the film decidedly dynamic and capable of erasing "dead times," but on the other hand, it flattens the entire story onto a single perspective, effectively truncating a work that had the potential to give more.

"Ironclad" is a niche, epic, spartan film, but at the same time refined (note the splendid landscapes) and very attentive to the atmosphere and the reconstruction of the places. It is also imbued with a strong dose of realism, especially concerning the violence, which is sometimes quite acute, almost as if to resurrect the putrid climate of the full Middle Ages. This retro aura (which greatly recalls Neil Marshall's "Centurion" and to a lesser extent Refn's "Valhalla Rising") clashes, however, with a poor screenplay and a love story that is not intrusive but perhaps a bit out of place.

A decent cast supports English's framework, but a mention deserves Paul Giamatti, in the role of a bastard, selfish, and unscrupulous King John. The good Paul demonstrates his versatility even in this role, delivering another excellent performance.

"Ironclad" leaves the historical element aside, deliberately overshadowed by an epic imprint full of pathos and violence. An interesting work, albeit limited within choices that are difficult to agree with. But even in its marathon of assaults, blood, and catapults, "Ironclad" manages to have its own reason.