To Kill A King [Blu-ray] by Mike Barker, starring Patricia Kerrigan, Dougray Scott, James Bolam, Steven Webb, Melissa Knatchbull: DVDNear.com

To Kill A King [Blu-ray]

To Kill A King [Blu-ray]
by Mike Barker

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DVD Cover Information

Actor: Dougray Scott, James Bolam, Melissa Knatchbull, Patricia Kerrigan, Steven Webb
Director: Mike Barker
Brand: STARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 102 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-02-26
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Movie Reviews of To Kill A King [Blu-ray]

Movie Review: Enjoyable for History and Costume Drama Enthusiasts
Summary: 3 Stars

I had never even heard of this film when I ordered it through the Amazon Vine program, but my interest was piqued by the subject matter (the English Civil War around 1645) and the cast (surprisingly well-known: Tim Roth, Rupert Everett, Dougray Scott, and Olivia Williams).

Despite the film's obscurity (to me, at least) and the fact that it is a little after my typical period of interest in English history (the Tudors), I enjoyed it and was entertained. You can read the synopsis, but briefly, it covers a period of years at the end of the English Civil War, right when the rebels win, execute the king (Charles I, played adeptly by Everett), and take over the government. The subplot is the strained friendship between Oliver Cromwell (Roth) and his charismatic general, Lord Fairfax (Scott).

This is a generally good costume drama, although I felt like it skimmed over some of the history, pushing through a few years and only briefly touching on things like why the English was fighting against Charles I (it's only mentioned in passing, so a viewer unfamiliar with the history would be unsure whether they should sympathize with Charles or not). Scott's Fairfax is meant to be beguiling, charming, and a born leader, but I found him a bit limp. Scott didn't seem to have the oozing charisma to infuse in his portrayal of someone who inspired a country to rebel against the institution that is the monarchy. Roth is always very good, and this is no exception. I found the tension between his Cromwell and Lady Fairfax (Olivia Williams) very good. Besides Scott's strictly OK performance and the skimping on the history, I only had one more minor criticism, and that is that the camera work was a bit jolting or odd in a few places.

Don't expect this to be as sumptuous as other costume dramas, such as Elizabeth or The Duchess, but you will definitely enjoy the film if you are interested in this period of history and in the actors who reenact it.

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Summary of To Kill A King [Blu-ray]

1645: After years of civil war King Charles I is overthrown and two heroes have emerged Lord General Thomas Fairfax and his best friend and deputy General Oliver Cromwell. Their friendship is threatened when Fairfax and his wife conspire to return the King to power and Cromwell instead orders his execution seizing control. His armies spread violence and fear throughout the country and Fairfax realises Cromwell must be stopped and their bond as two comrades-at-arms irreparably broken. System Requirements:Length: 102 minsFormat: BLU-RAY DISC Genre:?DRAMA/BRITISH EMPIRE Rating:?NR UPC:?013138302885 Manufacturer No:?N3028

In Mike Barker's version of British history, Thomas Fairfax (Mission Impossible II's Dougray Scott) represents reason, while Oliver Cromwell (Tim Roth, taking on a role previously assumed by Richard Harris) embodies reform. As the lieutenant-general, who makes up in conviction what he lacks in charisma, declares, "Tom is our emblem. We are brutes without him." He could easily be referring to himself, since Cromwell would turn out to be one of England's more brutal reformers. Barker picks up their story in 1645 during the height of civil war. At the time, King Charles I (Rupert Everett, in fine fettle despite a few unfortunate ensembles) holds a tenuous grasp on the throne. Parliamentarians Fairfax and Cromwell enjoy cordial relations; though the latter's increasing fanaticism bodes poorly for the future. Further, the lord general's wife, Lady Fairfax (Rushmore's Olivia Williams), sympathizes with the king, putting her husband in an awkward position. In the end, Cromwell will decide the fate of the Crown, but many lives might have been spared if Parliament had heeded Fairfax's calls for leniency. Plagued by budgetary problems, Barker was forced to halt production on the film twice (the project was saved largely by actor/producer Scott, who paid crew members out of his own pocket). Consequently, the director opted to emphasize political intrigue over battlefield heroics. Though less satisfying than his underrated Oscar Wilde adaptation A Good Woman, To Kill a King (formerly Cromwell and Fairfax) features convincing performances and raises timely questions about the qualifications for leadership. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

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To Kill A King [Blu-ray]