THE WAR LORD is somewhat typical of the Hollywood historical adventure film in that the period it depicts looks nothing like it would have looked in real life. It's the odd haircuts and the silly armour that helps to spoil this one, although it's not a bad little film when it gets going and at least the storyline is rather atypical.
The film pairs director Franklin J. Schaffner and stars Charlton Heston and Maurice Evans just before they had a big hit with PLANET OF THE APES. THE WAR LORD isn't in the same league, and for a long time in the middle of the film it's rather stodgy, bogged down by endless romance scenes between an autopilot Heston and an insipid Rosemary Forsyth. However, the film is book-ended with action sequences, and in particular the large-scale siege warfare at the climax is well worth the wait and one of the better Hollywood depictions of medieval combat.
At all times, THE WAR LORD is a very obviously artificial viewing experience. Let's just say that California looks little like France, no matter how much they try to dress it up. Heston is oddly subdued and the likes of Richard Boone and James Farentino don't fit in the era at all, although Niall MacGinnis is reliably fluid. Still, I'm a sucker for a siege film, and at least the last half an hour is a lot of fun, almost making up for the problems found elsewhere.
The film pairs director Franklin J. Schaffner and stars Charlton Heston and Maurice Evans just before they had a big hit with PLANET OF THE APES. THE WAR LORD isn't in the same league, and for a long time in the middle of the film it's rather stodgy, bogged down by endless romance scenes between an autopilot Heston and an insipid Rosemary Forsyth. However, the film is book-ended with action sequences, and in particular the large-scale siege warfare at the climax is well worth the wait and one of the better Hollywood depictions of medieval combat.
At all times, THE WAR LORD is a very obviously artificial viewing experience. Let's just say that California looks little like France, no matter how much they try to dress it up. Heston is oddly subdued and the likes of Richard Boone and James Farentino don't fit in the era at all, although Niall MacGinnis is reliably fluid. Still, I'm a sucker for a siege film, and at least the last half an hour is a lot of fun, almost making up for the problems found elsewhere.