It is impossible to mention the phrase "Uwe Boll film" without the immediate association of "bad." The German director has garnered a notorious reputation for producing films that are often panned by critics and audiences alike. However, within his extensive filmography, there are variations in quality; while many of his films are indeed poorly executed, some manage to stand out as slightly more palatable. One such film is the 2007 fantasy epic In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, which appears on the more positive side of Boll's quality spectrum.
Like most of Boll’s works, In the Name of the King is based on a video game—in this case, the action role-playing game Dungeon Siege. The plot takes place in the Kingdom of Ehb, where a simple and contented farmer, known only as "Farmer" (played by Jason Statham), lives with his wife Solana (played by Claire Forlani) and son Zeph (played by Colin Ford). Their peaceful existence is disrupted by the invasion of an orc-like army of Krugs, who kill Zeph and abduct Solana. The Krugs are under the control of Gallian (played by Ray Liotta), a cunning sorcerer who conspires with Duke Fallow (played by Matthew Lillard), the heir to the throne, to overthrow King Conreid (played by Burt Reynolds). Farmer, aided by his friend Nerick (played by Ron Perlman) and brother-in-law Bastian (played by Will Sanderson), embarks on a quest to rescue Solana, thwarting Gallian's plans in the process with the assistance of good sorcerer Merick (played by John Rhys-Davies) and his daughter Muriella (played by Leelee Sobieski), as well as wood nymphs led by Elora (played by Kristanna Loken).
Unfortunately, Uwe Boll's direction in In the Name of the King solidifies his reputation as a poor filmmaker, earning him a Razzie for Worst Director. This can be seen in the numerous battle scenes, which are often presented in a confusing manner. Despite this, Boll managed to secure a $60 million budget for the film, which reflects on the screen as a relatively ambitious fantasy epic with a simple yet functional script and decent special effects.
The film boasts an ensemble cast, which is both its strength and its weakness. To say that the various actors' performances vary in quality is an understatement. Jason Statham appears disinterested despite having an action-packed role that seems suitable for his persona, and Burt Reynolds' performance is similarly lacklustre. On the other hand, John Rhys-Davies takes his role more seriously, while Ray Liotta goes overboard as the primary antagonist. Matthew Lillard, as the secondary villain, chews the scenery and brings the film close to "so bad it's good" territory.
Ultimately, In the Name of the King fails to reach that level of entertainment, as it is overly long and burdened with tonal shifts and discrepancies in acting performances. Critics panned the film, and it fared poorly at the box office. Nevertheless, Uwe Boll remained undeterred, going on to create two sequels: In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds (2011), starring Dolph Lundgren, and In the Name of the King 3: The Last Mission (2014), featuring Dominic Purcell.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog https://inleo.io/@drax.leo
Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
BCH donations: qpvxw0jax79lhmvlgcldkzpqanf03r9cjv8y6gtmk9