VOD from the Dead - SWORD OF GOD (2018)
When you think of countries that make great horror movies, what countries come to mind first? When I asked this question to myself I found that my initial reaction was to list countries like Italy, Japan, France, UK, Ireland, and the US. What stood out to me when I first did this exercise was how limited my gut reactions were. While companies like ARROW, SEVERIN, VINEGAR SYNDROME, MONDO MACABRO, etc. have done a great job of bringing non-English speaking films to large English speaking audiences it does seem like a majority of the films we get are from the countries that I listed above. Whether this is a product of limited output, demand, or some combination of those two things and more is not something I think I could answer. What I can say is that this exercise has challenged me to take more risks and seek out films from places where I don’t typically see the horror genre as represented. When I saw the trailer for SWORD OF GOD, a Polish horror/drama/period piece I was immediately curious about it. Coincidentally, it also happens that my wife is from Poland so I felt inclined for some reason to review SWORD OF GOD for the site. Aside from being severely lacking in my Polish film knowledge, SWORD OF GOD represented an opportunity to accept that challenge I put to myself earlier by going headfirst into more non-English speaking horror films from different countries. While it would be hard to call SWORD OF GOD a true horror movie, it certainly does challenge the idea of what horror can be that highlights the universality of the language of film.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Two men in the early Middle Ages come to a pagan land: one to bring Christianity, the other to find his way of living. They choose two different ways of reaching the pagans. In the fight between dialogue and force, one of them will die.
HOW IS IT?
As mentioned in the introduction, it’s really hard to call SWORD OF GOD a horror movie, at least by traditional standards. While it uses imagery and violence in similar ways horror movies do, it is a much more grounded and deeply thematic film that doesn’t behold itself to just being defined by that same imagery and violence. SWORD OF GOD is about the horror of humanity, and in particular how imperialization and power can rob people of their sovereignty. They story follows two characters who are both reluctantly partners in bringing their way of life to a tribe of people living on the land. As the story goes on we the viewers watch as they both take diverging paths based on what they each believe to be the “right thing to do”. Willibrord (CHRISTOPH PIECZYNSKI) is a Bishop who believes they are spreading God’s will through Christianity while Noname (KAROL BERNACKI) is taken more by the Pagan tribe and their Polytheistic ways. This difference creates a rift between the two that echos throughout the tribe as well with some defecting to join Willibrord and others staying loyal to their god, Perun. The majority of the film is an ideological tug-of-war between both sides and underscores the fine line that exists between religion and sovereignty, and it is handled in a very subdued and effective way up until the very end. What we are seeing happen is what we see happen all the time nowadays, people arguing over what the right/wrong way to live is and impose that on all those who don’t agree. What works about this dynamic is that the film does not defend one side or the other, rather, it uses religion as misdirection to suggest that it the human desire for conquest that is the root of all evil. By the end of the film, it is hard to argue with that sentiment regardless of a religious affiliation or not.
When I said earlier that SWORD OF GOD is hard to classify as a horror movie I wasn’t joking. In fact, aside from a handful of gruesome scenes and the costume design of the Pagan tribe the film feels more like an A24 period piece than anything specifically tied to one genre or another. The grounding of the story and the action is elevated by some truly outstanding cinematography. Cinematographer JACEK PODGÓRSKI shows the beauty in this lush landscape and uses the environment as well as the characters to juxtapose the difference in beliefs as well as ways of life. The scenes filmed with the Pagan tribe feel almost supernatural, even though the film’s characters are quick to diminish the existence of their God and use their understanding of science to force a reaction that is misinterpreted as a miracle. The shots of the society the tribe have built add a sense of scale to this intimate story and show how a simple story can feel bigger without having to actually be bigger by using the right framing and lighting. The movie itself has very little dialogue, and most of it is contemplative rather than explanative so the visual composition tends to move the action forward more than the words the characters speak. The cast is relatively small as well, with most of the dialogue occurring between 3-4 characters throughout.
SWORD OF GOD is not going to be a movie for everyone, though. If you prefer more blood soaked action in your horror you will be somewhat unfulfilled by the slower pacing and more quiet reflection that the films revels in. I personally found things a bit slow near the end of the second act, and was happy to see things pick up towards the end with a conclusion that may require a few minutes of contemplation to wrap one’s head around. This should not discourage anyone from watching SWORD OF GOD who prefers their horror mixed with something you might see on the CRITERION CHANNEL. SWORD OF GOD blends arthouse, period dramas, and Pagan religion together to create a tapestry of how power struggles may be the hallmark of the human condition regardless of what time in history we are referring to.
LAST RITES
SWORD OF GOD is a contemplative and visually striking movie about power, control, and beliefs. While more horror-adjacent than pure genre fair, those looking to branch out of their comfort zones will be rewarded with something as dark as it is deep.
THE GORY DETAILS
Directed By
Written By
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Where can you watch it?
SWORD OF GOD is available to stream NOW at Film Movement Plus!
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