Solomon Kane
Dir: Michael J. Bassett
2009
***
Michael J. Bassett and team know their Solomon Kane comics, that much is clear. I actually went through a spell of reading them in the 80's and 90's and I always thought they would make a great film, should the right director come along. Michael J. Bassett did a good job with what he had to work with but I feel this should have been better. The main problem is that too much is packed into too short an amount of time. Seriously, this could have been an awesome trilogy. The beginning sequence alone could have been half a film. If Peter Jackson can stretch The Hobbit over several films then why couldn't they make more than one Solomon Kane given that they have nearly 40 years of stories to choose from. Sure it doesn't have the same fan base but I guarantee it soon would have if handled right. There is a real lack of ambition here, Michael J. Bassett tries to show us that the story has legs but in doing so leaves nothing left for a future film. Maybe he didn't want to make a future film but I'd guess that it is more likely that the producers stuck their uncreative oar in and he just didn't get the backing he or the story deserved so did everything he could in one go (this is why we get so many stupid prequels). It's a good action film but overall it's a wasted opportunity but credit due.