A One Mann’s Movies review of “Firebrand” (2024).
There have been so many films set around the tumultuous reign of King Henry VIII of England. “Firebrand” is the latest, but takes a number of significant liberties with the facts!
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
It’s the mid 1540’s and a dangerous time to be a member of the court of King Henry the Eigth (Jude Law). The elderly and increasingly ailing king sees insurrection and plots everywhere. Sadly, Anne Askew (Erin Doherty), the childhood friend of Henry’s sixth wife Catherine Parr (Alicia Vikander), is spreading religious heresy around the country putting Catherine in grave danger.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: “Strong violence, injury detail, domestic abuse, sexual violence, sex”.)
Talent:
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Eddie Marsan, Simon Russell Beale, Sam Riley, Erin Doherty, Junia Rees, Ruby Bentall, Bryony Hannah, Patrick Buckley.
Directed by: Karim Aïnouz.
Written by: Henrietta Ashworth & Jessica Ashworth (& Rosanne Flynn). (Based on the novel by Elizabeth Fremantle).
Running Time: 2h 1m.
“Firebrand” Summary:
Positives:
- Beautifully shot historical drama.
- Jude Law is fabulous as Henry VIII, as is Alicia Vikander.
- A great supporting cast.
- Portrays Henry as a dangerous unhinged monster, just as I imagined him.
Negatives:
- It takes a lot of liberties with history!
- I absolutely hated the general branding of the titles and particularly the end-title music.
Review of “Firebrand”:
“Jude Law as Henry VIII…”, I scoffed, “… get away”.
I just couldn’t see the suave and sophisticated Jude Law as an aging and cranky Henry the Eighth. But he absolutely pulls it off. He oozes danger like a poorly kept stick of dynamite in “Lost”! His court dances around his moods and his truly disgusting suppurating leg wound. Sex with Catherine Parr is him climbing on top and letcherously pumping into her. Truly obnoxious.
Alicia Vikander
I always loved Vikander since she really commanded my attention in the wonderful “Ex Machina“. Like a fine wine, she is improving with age. Here she makes a splendid Catherine Parr: strong, commanding but utterly (and justifiably) terrified for her life and the lives of her handmaidens (Ruby Bentall and Bryony Hannah).
Great support.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I am a big fan of Eddie Marsan. Here he delivers another typically quiet but commanding supporting role as Edward Seymour, nephew of Edward VI (to be) and adviser to the king. Also great is Simon Russell Beale as the scheming Bishop Gardiner and Erin Doherty as the doomed Anne Askew.
Sat next to a spinning historian
The Illustrious Her Indoors Mrs Movie Man (History BSc Exon) was quietly spinning in her historical seat while watching this one. The film has a couple of “Historical Advisors” and some “Religious Advisors” but I reckon the director slipped them a few quid to look the other way on occasions. A few of the aspects that really annoyed her were that the ‘sickly’ Edward VI was played by the robustly healthy Patrick Buckley; and that, yes, Catherine was imprisoned at one point… but not like that! As for the finale… well, I thought they were seriously taking the piss!
With that being said…
If you view this as a fictionalised version of history (like “Wolf Hall”) then you can wallow in the joyous recreation of Henry’s court, filmed on location in Haddon Hall in Derbyshire. (I was actually in the vicinity during the period that this was being filmed… we couldn’t go and visit it for that reason.) It’s fabulous to look at and has a real feel of what court dinners might have been like.
Curiously, one plot point, concerning one of the queen’s necklaces, is strikingly similar to the plot of last year’s “The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan“.
But, why oh why oh why?
I grimaced a little at the start of the film at the garish titles font used which seemed in poor keeping for the subject matter of the film. “FIREBRAND” goes the title in HUGE letters across the whole width of the screen. (As the illustrious Mrs Movie Man comically put it, “matching the font to the requirements of the target audience”… LOL!). However, this paled into insignificance as the end titles came up, with more of the garish colours and font but with the addition of a noisy and highly inappropriate modern pop song over the end titles. What? Why? This felt wrong on just so many levels. Maybe, if the film had been a modern interpretation set on some East London estate, then it just might have worked. (“KATE?”. “Yes Haz?”. “HAVE YOU F*****G POPPED OUT ANOTHER SPROG YET YOU LAZY SLAG!”.”N..n..no my king”. “WELL, HURRY YOURSELF UP, OR ELSE… YOU DON’T WANT THE SCRAP METAL EMPIRE TO GO TO SICK EDDY OR UGLY LIZ DO YER? DO YER???” I’ll work it up, if some producer could green light it please? 😉 ).
No no, no – just horrible.
Summary Thoughts on “Firebrand”
If you treat it with a big historical pinch of salt, this is an entertaining and engrossing historical romp, anchored by two terrific performances by Alicia Vikander and Jude Law. Recommended.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “Firebrand”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyAK_isFwbU.
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