Firebrand

I'm pretty clear about the kind of place and time in the past I would never want to live in: the bloodthirsty American Wild West and the court of Henry VIII, with all the intrigue and the paranoia, I like my peace and I really wouldn't have the nerve for that. Anyway, I've always been utterly fascinated by Henry VIII and his women, I loved watching the The Tudors, so I'm always happy to watch any film treatment of that era, and this one is very good. It's very intimate, understated, and kept me entertained the entire time, thanks to the lead acting duo of Alicia Vikander and Jude Law. We have already seen Alicia once in the great historical drama A Royal Affair; she was great there, but here she is even better, the role suits her beautifully. It's quite a turnaround for Jude, though, from a likable pretty boy to a chubby, grumpy, paranoid curmudgeon, I don't think many people will even recognize him! I must also highlight the beautiful sets and costumes, they were a feast for the eyes. I can surely recommend it for lovers of historical dramas. [Festival de Cannes 2023] (29.05.2023)

Firebrand is engaging and not boring, as it makes the viewer curious as to how it will turn out. Alicia Vikander is delightfully fragile and bold at the same time, while Jude Law is amply loathsome. However, the central conflict between the two characters alone is not powerful enough to make this narratively simple two-hour feature a distinctive and memorable historical drama. [Karlovy Vary International Film Festival] (02.07.2023)