High Crusade DVD with Werner Baum, Tahareh Becker, Patrick Brymer (NR) +Movie Reviews

A Missed Opportunity

Rod Summers | Bristol, Bristol United Kingdom | 03/13/2000

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I had high hopes for this movie when I first learnt that someone was going to make a film version of Poul Anderson's classic novel, but somewhere along the way the producers decided to make this as a comedy movie instead of a straight action adventure story. Stupid beyond belief, the powers that be missed the chance to turn a great action story into a great action movie. Dumb. What should have been a stirring space epic with bold knights in armour, treachery and villainous aliens becomes a tedious - and cringingly bad at times - waste of time. One day, perhaps, someone will have the guts to make a proper film version of Anderson's great book."

Not the book, and its not Monty Python

James McCarty | Hilliard, Ohio USA | 01/06/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I was disappointed that this was not an adaption of the very funny Poul Anderson book. Other that a credit to him and the fact that the story involves knights and aliens, there is scant relationship between the book and the movie. This movie is more akin to Benny Hill than Monty Python. Very low brow and broad.That said, the movie was mildly amusing. Not worth buying unless you find it in a cut-out bin."

Before 'Independence Day' WE invade THEM - High Crusade

frogbane | Northwoods, Wisconsin | 06/30/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Before 'Independence Day' and before 'Godzilla' the Emerich brothers produced 'High Crusade'. Sort of 'Spaced Invaders' meets 'Holy Grail'. It's fun, it shows what talented people can do with a good cast and limited funds, and it's proof that the Emerich brothers don't have quite the touch for deadpan comedy that The Pythons do. Then again, who does? It has a high giggle factor, and that's the main point.No, the special effects do not rival 'Phantom Menace', but they're entirely adequate for this film. (Quite good, actually.) No, the acting isn't Oscar? quality, but it plays just fine here. (John Rhys Davis has done more serious parts, but he does very nicely as Brother Parvis.) The cinematography isn't as dynamic as 'Matrix' but it's excellent in its own right. Buy 'High Crusade' for what it is - a fun film to while away an hour and a half.My copy goes on my 'view it again, Phred' shelf near 'Spaced Invaders' and across from 'Godzilla' for those times when I need a laugh. If you like silly comedy, try this incarnation of 'High Crusade'. If you want a dead serious treatment of this wonderful Poul Anderson novel, start writing letters to George Lucas."

Oh dear

Scott Knights | UK | 09/06/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Sorry, but this is a dismal movie. It starts badly when the credit blurb on the packaging says Paul, not Poul Anderson. Not only is it completely unlike the book but the attempted humour almost entirely misses the mark. The human characters are portrayed as complete imbeciles and the aliens are not much better. I accept that compromises have to be made when adapting novels to screen, but why bother with the license in the first place if you are simply going to use the title and ignore the plot?"

A Major Disappointment

Blackhawk | Huntsville, AL USA | 01/08/1999

(1 out of 5 stars)

"When I found this movie, I was excited. I've been a serious fan of Poul Anderson's work since I started reading. "The High Crusade" has always been one of my favorite books by Anderson and I have long thought that it would make an excellent movie. I still think it would make an excellent movie. Unfortunately, this is not it. I was completely surprised by the direction taken by the screen play and direction of this movie. Or maybe shocked would be a better word. It had simply never occurred to me that Anderson's book would be interpreted as a comedy. Certainly, there is humor in the novel, but it is basically a story of high adventure with some very serious elements balancing the humor. There is none of that in the movie. Brown (the screen writer) and Knoesel & Neuhauser (the directors) extracted elements from the book and used them as a skeleton on which to build a second rate "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."This movie was almost painful for me to watch because I could see enough of the novel on the screen to know that a good movie could have been made from "The High Crusade." The SFX, though a little cheezy by current standards, are still acceptable. The cast was adequate, though some of the parts would have been cast differently if this were not a comedy, I'm sure. Certainly, John Rys-Davies makes an excellent Brother Parvis and he is one of the few redeeming factors of this film. And the few scenes taken from the novel were almost watchable. But the overall tone and direction were not even remotely true to the novel. Frankly, even fans of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" will be disappointed because it's just not that funny.If you have never read the book, then you may find this movie mildly amusing. If you are a fan of this classic science fiction novel, then I recommend steering clear of this movie. It will taint your good memories of the book forever."

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