Something you could never call Jesse Johnson is accommodating. Just a few months ago, his 21st century western, One Ranger, was released. Now, she presents Boudica: Queen of War, a film that swaps Johnson's typical pulpy crime narratives for a blood-soaked version of the story of Boudica, a legendary British queen who waged war against her Roman oppressors in the year 60. AD
It's a far cry from the modern prisons and alleys that DTV action fans are more accustomed to seeing, but the transition makes sense if you've been following Johnson's recent filmography. After all, 2021's Hell Hath No Fury transposed its style of DTV action into a World War II nonsense about a woman fighting Nazis. Johnson seems committed to trying out as many subgenres as possible, and it's hard to deny that he's evolving as an artist.
Director: Jesse V. Johnson
Writer: Jesse V. Johnson
Stars: Olga Kurylenko, Clive Standen, Peter Franzén
Normally, I wouldn't be too excited about a DTV sword-and-sandal movie (very few performers look “convincing” in Roman armor, and former UFC fighters are no different). It's a testament to Johnson's ability, then, that Boudica isn't simply watchable: it's a legitimately satisfying revenge film that makes good use of its period elements.
This is largely due to the lead performance of Olga Kurylenko, the Ukrainian actress who in recent years has made a seamless transition to DTV stardom without sacrificing any of her A-list appeal (she previously worked with Johnson on White Elephant). Of all the women who rose to fame as “Bond Girls,” very few have made as smart career decisions as Kurylenko. In addition to her mid-budget action roles, she worked with Terence Malick and played a bad guy in a Marvel movie. As the titular Boudica, she has found one of the juiciest roles of hers in recent memory.
Her story, at least according to Johnson's script, is heartbreaking. As a Celtic queen descended from a proud line of barbarians, she lives an idyllic life with her husband, Prasutagus (Clive Standen), and her two daughters. When her status threatens the Roman rulers, her world is torn apart by a series of brutalities that lead her to fulfill her destiny as a vengeful warrior queen.
While based on true events (the initial scribbled text cites Tacitus as its primary source), the script leans fully into the mythical quality of the legend, complete with an enchanted sword and ghostly visions. Much of the fun is seeing the once “civilized” and beautiful Boudica turned into a brutal war-painted general. Johnson previously explored this kind of grief-fueled metamorphosis by putting his muse Scott Adkins to the test in his masterpiece Avengement, and there are some interesting parallels between the films (Johnson apparently loves knocking out his heroes' teeth).
Kurylenko has experience in this medium, as she played a barbarian warrior in Centurion. She throws herself into the role, torn between catatonic grief and unbridled rage, often within the same scene. Standen is also good as her husband, even if his only real character traits are "loving my wife" and "being a strong father." Rounding out the cast are Peter Franzén, Lucy Martin, Nick Moran and James Faulkner, all strong.
Fortunately, the shift to an "important" story from classical antiquity hasn't distracted Johnson from her action duties, and battle scenes are frequent and bloody in the back half. These are some of the best scenes of her career, especially impressive for her ability to create a sense of grand scale. Sure, the guerrilla warfare strategies used by Boudica and her followers mean there are no pitched battles with hundreds of extras, and there are some who resort to the classic trick of cutting to a series of one-on-one fights to close the distance. focus. That doesn't change the fact that these sequences are more immersive than anything this side of Ridley Scott, with ruthless choreography and bombastic sound design. You'll even see some honest horse stunts.
The real complaint here, surprisingly, is the length. You won't see me writing this often, but it could have been half an hour longer. This is an epic story, but the 100-minute running time makes the important dramatic moments seem superficial. Avengement managed to sell its protagonist's transformation through a single montage, but Boudica's vengeful arc feels rushed and convenient. A new script with more room to breathe would have served the material better.
In truth, it's hard not to imagine what it would be like if the movie were “bigger” in every way. \
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