Anazapta Movie Review:


Set in 1348 when the black death was raging across Europe, this medieval thriller has a lot going for it, mainly in the way it makes the very most of a low budget. Alas, the script lets it down badly! The story centres on Matilda (Headey), wife of landowner Walter (Finch) who owes a lot of money to the corpulent local bishop (McNiece). But Walter's been captured in battle in France, so Matilda is left to cope on her own. Then her nephew (Flemyng) comes back from the battle with a prisoner, Jacques (La Haye), who they can use as a bargaining chip to get Walter back. But there are strange goings on in their muddy parish; people are dying with religious phrases (such as "anazapta", a plea for health) carved into their boil-ridden bodies. And Jacques seems to be the key to everything.

There's an intriguing central idea here--writers Sand and Sciamma make a bold leap with the script, connecting social and religious issues with the events of the period. Unfortunately, they seem unable to work these themes into a coherent story. It alternates as a religious melodrama, slasher flick, revenge thriller, lusty bodice ripper and slow-burning romance. There's a lot going on here, so we're never bored; but it's all so corny and arch that we don't care about anyone. And there are frequent moments of unintentional hilarity, such as the scene in which someone saves a life by accidentally (!) performing CPR. Headey is the only actor to emerge with any dignity--her performance is subtle enough to rise above the laden dialog. The rest ham it up shamelessly: La Haye is almost pathologically wan, McNiece is far too slug-like, Flemyng chomps scenery like a rabid puppy, and so on. Meanwhile, Sciamma directs his socks off--the film looks terrific, with cheap production values that look great on screen and Dan Jones' sumptuous orchestral score lending weight to the whole thing. It's also pleasingly gruesome, with grisly medievalness and incessant rain. But it's not enough to surmount the muddled, confusing story at the centre.

Rich Cline

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