Spain 17th century.Diego Alatriste, brave and heroic soldier, is fighting under his King's army in the Flandes region.
His best mate, Balboa, falls in a trap and near to die ask to Diego, as his last desire, to looking after his son Inigo and grow him as a soldier.
Alatriste has to come back to Madrid.
This lengthy film will likely disappoint North American readers who have yet to read the fifth in the Antonio Perez-Reverte historical series chronicling the life and death of one Captain Diego Alatriste. Then again very few will be aware that a film has been made, and that it stars VIGGO MORTENSON, best known here for his on-going role in the hugely successful adaption of J.
The episodic, incoherent script patches together highlights from FIVE historical adventure novels spanning a 20-year period of the 17th century. This film takes for granted that we already know something of the era's Spanish political, literary, artistic and military history.
My goodness. How the producers of this film could dare to slap our faces so hardly.
This is a great film with noble atmosphere and a lot of love. I like it very much, please give it a try if you want to see good fencing and real men and women in action.
It's 1622. Spain is ruled by King Philip IV.
Technically this film is very beautiful, it knows when to be dark, it knows when to use sound and it knows when to be pretty. I can best describe this as a 17th century painting sprung to life.
Set in the bloody fields and court intrigues of 1600s Europe "Alatriste" is a period drama blending history with fiction. Based on a series of novels about a Spanish soldier and gun for hire the movie depicts his life and struggles on the battlefield and the people around him.
Bear in mind that Alatriste is one of the few Spanish action/adventure movies out there. That's not the typical genre for Spanish filmmakers due mainly to budget reason as it's really hard to compete with Hollywood's blockbusters.
I gave it a 9... and I would have given this movie a 10 if only in the start they didn't say: "Spain ruled the world" ...