Solomon Kane

"Fight evil... With evil."

2009 1h 44m EN

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 1,600

AdventureFantasyAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A nomadic 16th century warrior, condemned to hell for his brutal past, seeks redemption by renouncing violence, but finds some things are worth burning for as he fights to free a young Puritan woman from the grip of evil.

“Fight evil... With evil.”

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Cast

James Purefoy
Solomon Kane
Pete Postlethwaite
William Crowthorn
Alice Krige
Katherine Crowthorn
Mackenzie Crook
Father Michael
Max von Sydow
Josiah Kane
Jason Flemyng
Malachi
Rachel Hurd-Wood
Meredith Crowthorn
Mark O'Neal
Kane's Soldier #1

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: MJ Bassett
Writers: MJ Bassett, Michel Doré, Tyler Gooden
Languages: English, Arabic
Countries: Czech Republic, France, United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 44% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 17 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Arabic.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: Czech Republic, France, United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by MJ Bassett, shot by Dan Laustsen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Klaus Badelt. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Andrew MacRitchie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

James Purefoy and Pete Postlethwaite and Alice Krige carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

MJ Bassett directs. Dan Laustsen behind the camera. Klaus Badelt scores. Andrew MacRitchie cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Czech Republic, France, United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English, Arabic.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 44% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 17 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Arabic.
4International production across 4 countries: Czech Republic, France, United Kingdom, United States of America.
5Directed by MJ Bassett, shot by Dan Laustsen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Klaus Badelt. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Andrew MacRitchie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8James Purefoy and Pete Postlethwaite and Alice Krige carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Fight evil... With evil.".
10IMDB entry: tt0970452 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 14 themes, including "mercenary", "trap", "murder", "puritan".

The technical file

Cinematography: Dan Laustsen
Original score: Klaus Badelt
Editing: Andrew MacRitchie
Production design: Ricky Eyres
Costume design: John Bloomfield
Makeup / hair: Linda Eisenhamerová
VFX supervisor: Gary E. Beach
Sound: Martin Jensen
Stunt coordinator: Mark Southworth
Runtime: 104 min · 1h 44m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $45,000,000
Box office: $19,700,000
Return: 44% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Solomon Kane (2009)

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MJ Bassett

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What people are saying

Reno2016-10-04
★ 6/10
In the 17th England, a ruthless warrior set to rediscover his path. There's no reason, but after a long due I saw this. I'm pretty impressed with the film's production, but in the end it was an average film for me. James Purefoy was good, but the story needed someone very husky looking actor to play the Solomon. That's what spoiled my watch, other than that I enjoyed most of the film. Because the tone and the pace were excellent, but it was a predictable story. A savage warrior leading his men somewhere in the Northern Africa, when he's sensing he almost defeated them, comes to know his soul is damned. He escapes there, leaves his all that life behind and looks for a peaceful future. He was born to be a warrior, that's why he left his own kingdom. So in his second chance to rediscover his path, he must achieve the impossible to defeat his opponent. Full of dark and wet atmosphere really gives that required medieval look. The locations were well used and also the costumes, so if you like films that sets in this era, particularly stunts, then you might enjoy it. But if you ask me, I would say it is just a one time watchable film. Entertainment is guaranteed, but because of something, the film does not not look complete. So recommended for the selected viewers. 6/10
John Chard2019-02-25
★ 8/10
If I kill you I am bound for hell. It's a price I shall gladly pay. Solomon Kane is directed by Michael J. Bassett and Bassett adapts the character of Kane from the magazine character created by Robert E. Howard. It stars James Purefoy, Rachael Hurd-Wood, Pete Postlethwaite and Anthony Wilks. Music is by Klaus Badelt and cinematography by Dan Laustsen. It's early 1600 and English mercenary Solomon Kane (Purefoy) is informed by the Devils Reaper that his wicked ways have damned his soul for eternity. Not wanting to spend eternity with old Nick and all his hellish instruments of torture, Kane escapes and renounces violence and converts to Puritanism - that is until a wicked turn of events in his life sends him on the violent road to redemption. Solomon Kane was created by pulp writer Robert E. Howard, who would a few years later also create Conan The Barbarian, safe to say then that swords and sorcery was at the time of his life in the 1920s/30s on his mind. It's also safe to say here that if this type of genre swish and swash is not your thing then this will definitely not convert you into being someone who suddenly does. However, fans of such fare are in for a treat, where not for the first time a picture that bombed at the box office - and got a delayed release in The States - has broken free of supposed stinker damnation to become a firm cult favourite to like minded souls. Kane is our anti-hero, a real hard dude who ends up living by the fight evil with evil mantra. In the hands of Purefoy and his director, Kane is moody personified, the whole film dishing out ladles of brood and dark thematics as religion and dark arts come under the microscope. The action is well choreographed, plenty of blood letting and head loping, accompanied by swivels and lurches. Imagery is potent - such as graveyards and reaper lairs, while Bassett firmly believes in soaking his cast in mud and rags, all for realistic payment. Some popular actors slot in for some support work, which is a bonus, and although the finale is not without problems (main baddie all to brief, the big showdown likewise), this rounds out as an imaginatively and thrillingly mounted period genre piece. 8/10
Filipe Manuel Neto2023-12-03
★ 5/10
If we can forget the errors in historical recreation and the blatant predictability of the script, it's a good film for an idle evening. I don't know Robert E. Howard's literary work very well, but I confess that I don't like “Conan” and I feel that the fantasy genre has seen better days. However, what I saw in this film pleased me: it's good enough to entertain us satisfactorily, but it's not the kind of film we'll want to see more than a handful of times. Solomon Kane is a mercenary, played by James Purefoy, in a great effort. The actor is truly good for the role: he has enough charisma to give himself the leading role he needs, he is not too old for the character nor does he seem too young. Pete Postlethwaite is also a magnificent addition to the cast as yet another character full of dignity and very likeable. Max von Sydow also provides discreet support. The only person I didn't like very much was Rachel Hurd-Wood: she doesn't have much to do other than being permanently in danger. The script starts well, with a story about a cruel man who over the years committed looting and crimes, and finally understands that he will go to Hell. From then on he tries to change, but it becomes increasingly clear that this man will have to face his past at some point if he truly wants to redeem himself. This finally happens when he has to defeat an evil wizard. I don't want to say much more, but it's quite easy to see that the big problem with this script is the way in which we easily predict what's going to happen, the predictability of the whole story. This is the film's big problem. Another problem with this film is the way in which the past was recreated: I didn't feel, on the part of the production, any desire to place the action precisely in time and space. The script, however, required it! It is quite evident that the story takes place around 1650 in the fields of South East England, in Dorset. The construction of the sets, costumes and props simply ignored this whenever they could. The cinematography, for example, is magnificently crafted and presents us with hazy, gloomy and dark landscapes, and semi-ruined places. We have no resemblance to the English countryside, but it is the ideal setting for the dark story that will unfold and creates an atmosphere in a very intelligent way. Anachronistic fighting styles, anachronistic weapons and accessories, clothing that doesn't resemble anything that existed in the past, flintlock pistols whose sound effect resembles that of a revolver... M. J. Bassett makes several mistakes. In return, there is a lot of action, fights for all tastes that give the film a lot of flow and movement, as if it were a music video, and excellent CGI that creates a vast multiplicity of evil creatures.