rramzess Review of With Fire and Sword

With Fire and Sword (1999)

One of the biggest disappointments in polish movie history

[2/10 · 4 October 2001]

Hoffman, the director, is well-known in polish cinema for such movies like "Pan Wolodyjowski" or Oscar-nominated "Potop".These two movies were based on book by polish novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz. He wrote also "Ogniem i mieczem". Adaptation of this book was heavily commented in polish media. The expectations were big. And then came the premiere. Spotlights, well-known people from show business, politics, culture. And producers of course, this movie was the most expensive movie in polish history (now the first is "Quo Vadis"). All these people had to make the best of a bad business. Movie is boring, which is absolutely no acceptable for entertainment production. It doesn't have good plot, it is made from about 5 very light-related episodes (if you have seen "Hannibal" you know what I mean). The characters are or white like January snow, more saint then Jesus, or absolutely without expression. Whats more, their behavior is unlogic and unnecessary.Simply stupid. Battles, if you compare it with e.g. "Braveheart" or even others Hoffman's movies,, are childish (polish army consist of ten horses). In one word - disaster. Only music is good. If you want to see polish historical movie, go better for older Hoffman's work.