Red Sonja: Rebooting the Hyborian Age

Casting 6’ 1” Brigitte Nielsen as the “She-Devil” made a lot of sense, but the notorious 1985 fantasy bomb committed many grievous cinematic sins. Without question, the worst was the absence of her iconic chainmail bikini. To its credit, this film does not make that error. The wardrobe is legit, but there is also a little bit of the warrior spirit in M.J. Bassett’s Red Sonja, which releases this Friday on VOD.

Essentially, Roy Thomas “created” Red Sonja to be Conan the Barbarian’s female colleague in hacking and slashing. Technically, he took the name from another Robert E. Howard story, but that Red Sonja was a non-Hyborian warrior, of Ukrainian descent, seeking vengeance against the Ottoman Empire. (Obviously, Putin never read “The Shadow of the Vulture,” either.)

Like Thomas’s Sonja, Bassett’s Sonja became a wanderer after her family was brutally murdered, but she is more of nature-loving seeker, on a quest to reunite with last remaining Hyrkanian people, instead of the cynical hedonistic anti-heroine fans know and love.

Thanks to her upbringing, this Sonja immediately defends the forest creatures from Emperor Draygan’s pillagers, which gets her condemned to the arena as a gladiator. So far, very Conan-esque, right? Wisely, the arena armorer only gives her wooden swords and for protection, only supplies the intentionally impractical chainmail. Of course, Sonja refuses to play ball. Instead of earning her freedom by slaying her fellow Damnati, she foments revolution against the empire instead.

There is a lot of conspicuous CGI in this Red Sonja, but that is part of its eccentric charm. Frankly, it is forgivable, because it helps depict the kind of grandly over-the-top fantasy world that fans appreciate. It also distinguishes Bassett’s film from the maligned 1985 movie. There is no shortage of slicing and dicing, as fans would hope. Plus, there is some impressive animal handling, like that of Sonja’s loyal mount, who is pretty smart for a horse.

Bassett previously helmed the better-than-you-might-expect Howard-adaptation Solomon Kane, so he clearly shows an affinity for the pulp writer. The action and fantastical elements work quite well. However, Tasha Huo’s screenplay lacks the sexy attitude that made Red Sonja a geek-favorite in the first place. While Gail Simone’s recent comics and novel embrace Sonja as a Hyborian Age feminist, her recently asserted bisexuality further enhances the franchise’s sexual overtones, but that is all entirely absent from the film.

Still, they have the chainmail bikini (whereas the cover of Simone’s recent novel inexplicably depicts a piece of snake jewelry). Matilda Lutz’s portrayal of Sonja would ordinarily be more than sufficiently compelling for a popcorn fantasy, but she lacks the fierceness fans would expect from the She-Devil. Oddly, she is too vulnerable and too human.

Solomon Kane: Puritans Kick Butt

Yes, it’s been said before, but it bears repeating—don’t pick a fight with the Puritans.  Seventeenth Century ruffians are particularly advised to give a wide berth to a reformed killer with a satanic price on his head.  There will be a fair amount of dark fantastic swashbuckling as Robert E. Howard’s hero searches for redemption in Michael J. Bassett’s Solomon Kane (trailer here), which wayfares into theaters this Friday.

Kane was once a warrior so ruthless, he sort of accidently made a pact with the Devil.  When Scratch’s minions come to collect, the adventurer is a bit freaked.  Taking refuge in a monastery, Kane converts, pledging to never take another life.  With the forces of darkness still pursuing him, Kane’s presence is rather bad for business, so the penitent sets out to confront his destiny.  He finds it with the Crowthorns, a truly Christian family of pilgrims.

When his traveling companions are attacked by a demonic militia, Kane watches helplessly out of obedience to his oath.  However, when they carry off the eldest Crowthorn daughter, Kane pledges to rescue her, even if it costs his very soul.  Yet, Kane will find her fate is intertwined the secrets of his past, as we would expect.

If nothing else, Kane is a nattily accessorized action hero.  Although some liberties are taken with his origin story, Bassett taps into something powerfully archetypal in his depiction of the menacing Puritan.  His script treats concepts of damnation and redemption with deadly earnest, which is appreciated.  In a way, SK is a far more effective Evangelical film than those made for the express purpose of proselytizing.  There is also a fair amount of hack and slash.

James Purefoy is about as good fit for Kane as one could hope to find.  He is no Ryan Gosling or Reynolds, thank the merciful Heavens.  Quite good in the superior Ironclad, he is equally credible here both in the action scenes and brooding like a man accursed.  Adding further heft, the late great Pete Postlethwaite memorably portrays the dignity of faith as William Crowthorn.  Max von Sydow is also very Max von Sydow as Kane’s noble father, seen in flashbacks.

Yet, when you get right down to it, SK ought to be more fun than it is.  The religious overtones are actually rather distinctive, but the film just gets bogged down too often.  There are simply too many scenes of Kane riding through forests, while the climax over-relies on Harry Potter style magical pyrotechnics.

Still, Bassett was definitely onto something in Kane.  Howard readers should appreciate how well he captured that sense of ancient corrupting dread.  Not perfect but a worthy effort, Solomon Kane is recommended for Howard fans and more adventurous Evangelical audiences when it opens this Friday (9/28) in New York at the AMC Empire.