Ironclad Released 4 March 2011 Director Jonathan English Starring James Purefoy, Brian Cox, Paul Giamatti, Derek Jacobi, Kate Mara, Jason Flemying, Mackenzie Crook, Charles Dance Writer(s) Jonathan English, Erick Kastel Producer(s) Rick Benattar, Andrew J. Curtis, Jonathan English Origin United Kingdom, United States Running Time 120 minutes Genre Action Rating 16

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The Medieval Seven.

The Siege of Rochester in 1215 wouldn’t be the best-known battle in English history. The prologue sets it up nicely as what happened after King John signed the Magna Carta, the set of rights given to the common man after years of tyrannical rule by the monarch. King John had signed the charter against his will after losing a war with the rebel barons. The King was driven by a religious conviction that he was the God-appointed leader so instead of honouring the terms he raised an army of mercenaries to take back his throne.

King John (Paul Giamatti….no, really) is a vicious tyrant who shows no mercy to those he feels betrayed him. The rebel Barons are led by Brian Cox and when he receives the news about the King’s plan he resolves to gather a group of men together to make a stand at the castle at Rochester. He’s helped by Marshall (James Purefoy), a Templar Knight who stumbled across the King’s army by chance. Marshall is on his way back from the crusades, so is a handy killing machine to have around.

So far so reasonably historically accurate, but things take a turn for the Hollywood after this as Cox puts on his best Yul Brynner and goes about recruiting a team of his old soldiers played by reliable English character actors. There’s Mackenzie Crook, a useful archer, Jason Flemying, an angry lover and a fighter and Jamie Foreman, a cackling ne’er-do-well. Throw in Aneurin Barnard as a young but brave squire and a “Little John” type figure and Cox has his team of seven.

They travel to the castle where its Baron (Derek Jacobi) is far from pleased to see them. The same can’t be said of his much younger wife (American actress Kate Mara) who’s stuck in an arranged marriage to the old man. So when Purefoy’s dishy knight enters the castle, she says ‘to hell with the siege’ and decides she’s getting into his pants no matter what.

With a dozen or so of Jacobi’s men, the group take a stand against the King’s legions and strive to hold out until reinforcements can arrive from France where the rebel Barons have done a deal with King Louis. They fight bravely and manage to hold out against the odds for months, but then face the problem of starvation as supplies run scarce.

This is not the sort of historical drama that takes itself too seriously. It’s a lusty, bloody slice of entertainment that is quite enjoyable if taken with a pinch of salt. It’s remarkably gory however, and the squeamish may want to stay away as director Jonathan English finds new and inventive ways to maim, eviscerate and disembowel in the realistic action scenes.

The cast seem to be having some fun anyway. Giamatti and Cox have what seems like a “grandstand off” at one stage where both seem to be competing to see who can shout the loudest at each other. Purefoy (something for the ladies) smoulders away as the tortured man of war although the seduction scenes with him and Mara are plainly just filler between the battle scenes. Crook has the look of a man slightly embarrassed to be there but Flemying and Foreman chew the scenery with relish.

The line that best captures the tone of the film goes to Cox, who when berated by Jacobi for the death and destruction he’s brought to his home, just looks at him wearily and says "Get off my back!" It’s a wink to the audience indicating that this is nonsensical fun not to be taken seriously.

- Jim O’Connor