That was an excellent one.

Let's be realistic.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

RELEASED IN EARLY 2011 and directed by Dominic Sena, "Season of the Witch" chronicles events when two ex-Teutonic Knight crusaders (Nicolas Cage & Ron Pearlman) traveling through Styria in modern-day Austria are enlisted to escort an alleged witch suspected of causing the black death (Claire Foy) to a remote monastery in the mountains for trial and to hopefully stop the devastating plague. Stephen Campbell Moore (Debelzaq), Stephen Graham (Hagamar) and Robert Sheehan (Kay) accompany the Knights. This is basically the American version of "Black Death," a European film released around the same time. Both movies are dark, gritty and brutal in their depictions of Medieval Europe, but "Season of the Witch" is more of a stereotypical blockbuster with modish protagonists, amusing one-liners and CGI-laden climax. "Black Death" is deeper, more thought-provoking and realistic, which is why I give it the edge in overall value (see my review). "Season" is the more conventionally entertaining movie and anyone who appreciates Dark Ages-based flicks are highly encouraged to check it out. Films which come to mind include "In the Name of the Rose" (1986), "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005), "Robin Hood" (2010), "Ironclad" (2011), "King Arthur" (2004), "Dragonslayer" (1981), "Red Riding Hood" (2011), "Tristan + Isolde" (2006) and "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves" (1991). It's as good, or better, than any of these.The Medieval cinematography (castles, dungeons, villages, dark forests and breathtaking mountains) is mind-blowing and the two protagonists are great with their amusing rapport. Furthermore, Foy is easy-on-the-eyes. Look out for a thrilling rope-bridge crossing a la "Sorcerer" (1977). Although the climax is over-the-top cartoony, the tone up to that point is quasi-realistic. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour 35 minutes and was shot in Austria, Hungary and Croatia with reshoots done in Louisiana. WRITERS: Bragi F. Schut. ADDITIONAL CAST: Christopher Lee is almost unrecognizable as the plague-ridden Cardinal D'Ambroise. GRADE: A-/B+

The film starts off well but is completely spoilt by a stupid conclusion. Claire Foy is underused as the "witch" and her part is ignored at the end in a ridiculous finale.

This was one of Christopher Lee's last movies (hence my uncommon write-up on such a recent title) and, in fact, he only has a few minutes of screen-time – albeit in a pivotal role of the plague-ridden Cardinal who, to make amends for their affront to the Christian faith, entrusts renegade crusaders Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman with the task of transporting a young witch – thought to be the cause of the pestilence – to a remote monastery, housing some obscure tome that is somehow supposed to put things right again. They set out on the danger-fraught journey with a few other characters in tow, including Lee's inexperienced aide – obviously gullible to the girl's wiles – and another man of the cloth, who is more apt to execute her on the spot than offer the expected solace! The film, therefore, falls between two stools – that of the 'revisionist' medieval epic and, once the girl proves not a mere satanic minion but effectively possessed, an effects-laden (if only mildly scary) EXORCIST rip-off! From the opening series of laboriously-if-redundantly annotated battles (ostensibly exposing the ruthlessness of Holy Wars, as well as the bond between our two protagonists), the movie features plenty of tough (yet never too gory) action that spills over even in the scenes dealing with the supernatural (awfully-rendered CGI wolves and, most ludicrously, Perlman – ironically, having twice played Hellboy by this time – head-butting an imposing horned demon!). All in all, though, the film is pretty forgettable (apparently, reshoots were ordered and given to another director but precious little could be salvaged!) and, unsurprisingly, it exhibits little feel for either subject matter or period sense (the two leads' modern style of acting, for instance, coming across as distinctly incongruous). Incidentally, one has to wonder whether the outspoken Lee pulled Cage's ear upon meeting him for not only daring to remake his 1973 'magnum opus' THE WICKER MAN in 2006 but making such an ungodly mess of it

This very American movie starts off rather interestingly but becomes more and more ridiculous set in the time of the black plague. 50% of the time we follow the "witch" in the rolling cage, lead by Nicholas Cage. After fighting "scary" wolves and an old tow bridge they eventually reach the monastery with dead priests. The finishing scene with the devils looks like an animation from 1930 and the plot is so way out it just makes you laugh. The batman-devil is killed by reading Latin from an old book. If You are an American born-again Christian this is definitely the movie for you. If not: Don't waste your time. This movie might easily have been made into a nice story without the Hollywood wilder wilder faster faster approach ("Police Academy 13").