On June 13, the historical drama was released in cinemas «Firebrand» starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law. The plot of the film is based on the debut novel by the English writer Elizabeth Freemantle «The Queen’s Gambit», which appeared on bookstore shelves in 2013. In the review below, we tell you what passions were raging in the palace of King Henry VIII and whether they are worth the viewer’s attention.
Pluses:
Jude Law's excellent acting; authentic filming in a real palace; the painstaking work of the costumers is visible to the naked eye;
Minuses:
the title character looks less interesting than Jude Law's character; the plot is not very exciting; there is no sense that the protagonist is really in danger of anything, even despite her precarious position in the royal palace;
«Firebrand»
Genre historical drama, thriller
Director Karim Ainouz
Starring Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Sam Riley, Eddie Marsan, Simon Russell Beale
Premiere movie theaters
Year of issue 2024
Website IMDb
England, 1540s. While King Henry VIII is off fighting on the battlefields of France, in the royal palace, his sixth and, as it turns out, last wife, Catherine Parr, is acting as regent. A deadly plague is raging in the country, but the queen seems to be paying more attention to the Protestant reformist sermons of her friend Anne Askew. This, of course, puts both of them at risk of ending up on the scaffold.
Suddenly, the king returns to the palace ahead of schedule. He is so exhausted that he can’t even ride his horse properly, and the wound on his leg has festered badly and does not bode well. The more the cruel husband, who ordered the beheading of his two previous wives, rots, the more paranoia and distrust will overcome the victim. Given his reputation as «Bluebeard», this situation is very dangerous for the queen, who has something to hide from her despotic husband.
«Firebrand» — is the first English-language project by Brazilian director Karim Ainouz. The film premiered at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and competed for the main award — «Palme d’Or», but the victory went to «Anatomy of a Fall» Justine Trieu.
At first glance, it might seem that Ainouzes’ film is a classic costume drama with a strong heroine in the foreground who has to face many trials. Among them are the conspiracies and court intrigues that are obligatory for the genre. Of course, the movie is not without all this. But «Firebrand» is no longer a story about the triumph of feminism, but primarily a story about abusive relationships and the queen’s attempts to preserve her life and dignity in this cruel patriarchal world.
For example, one of the many dialogues mentions that Katherine Parr has published a book and is not going to stop there. This emphasizes her education and high intelligence. However, this achievement remains a mere mention, not playing a crucial role in the development of events.
A much more profound significance in the plot is given to King Henry VIII and his all-consuming paranoia, which spreads in the monarch’s mind as rapidly as the rot on his long-suffering leg.
In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Jude Law unwittingly pulls the blanket over himself and overshadows Alicia Vikander throughout the entire runtime. The latter’s complete restraint is obviously due to the precarious position of her character. But this does not negate the fact that the vile, obese despot, in whom it is difficult to recognize the well-known British sex symbol, evokes genuine emotions, unlike Katherine Parr.
It even went so far as to use a special sprayer with a liquid that smelled like rotten meat on the set for greater authenticity. This way, everyone around him could actually feel disgusted when they were near the actor.
The authenticity factor in «Firebrand» really deserves a special mention. The filming took place at Haddon Hall Palace, which is located near the town of Bakewell, Derbyshire. Therefore, much of what we see on the screen — is the interior of a real historical building, not a studio set. The local costumes are also pleasing to the eye: it is noticeable that the creators have taken the trouble and done serious work on this, of course, important aspect.
But despite all the efforts of costumers, actors, etc., this historical film can hardly be called extremely exciting and a must-see. It is a well-known fact that Katherine Parr did not suffer the fate of the previous wives of the tyrannical monarch, so it is unlikely that anyone will feel a real threat to Vikander’s character while watching the movie. And in general, the movie can be recommended only to ardent fans of costume dramas because a neutral viewer runs the risk of getting bored.
«Firebrand» is definitely not a bad movie; rather, it just leaves you indifferent. And if you suddenly miss Alicia Vikander in a historical setting and in luxurious outfits of a long-gone era, it’s better to watch «A Royal Affair».
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