Across a smouldering battlefield, a warrior ferociously slices his sword, cutting a path through a swathe of bodies. He holds his bloodied weapon aloft as he takes charge of the conquered enemy castle, his fellow soliders cheer at the sight of their beloved leader and behold the might of....Martin!
Wait. Martin?
Not Conan. Or Kull. Not even Gawain or Galahad.
Nope. Just plain ol' Martin.
Paul Verhoeven's english language debut is a medieval adventure piece, heavy on graphic violence, sexual intrigue, religious allusion and an uncomfortable amount of casual rapery.
The aforementioned Martin is embodied by Dutch madman Rutger Hauer, who along with his crew of soldiers which includes the Cardinal ('Raiders' melty face Nazi Ronald Lacey), Orbec (City Slicker Bruno Kirby) and Kars (fellow Replicant Brion James) are cheated out of their (admittedly ill-gotten) spoils by commander Hawkwood (Straya's own Jack Thompson) and rich nobleman/asshole Arnolfini (Fernando Hilbeck). The jilted crew take their revenge by kidnapping Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh) the soon-to-be Bride of Arnolfini's scholarly son Steven (Tom Burlinson).
Despite the rousing score by Verhoeven regular Basil Poledouris, Flesh + Blood falls pretty short of offering any heroes to cheer for, with your choice being between violent sex offender Martin or whiny nepo-baby Steven. It is more a tale of noble survival, with Agnes being far from the standard damsel in distress, using her wits and wiles to navigate a switching position of power in the dick measuring contest between her warring suitors, even garning her own perverse enjoyment at the idea of being spoils for the victor. Flesh + Blood indeed, but also Mind + Body.
Jennifer Jason Leigh serves the smarts and sexiness required for the role and even overcomes an unfortunate case of blonde eyebrows to hold her own against the always magnetic Hauer, who despite his actions, still manages to paint an intriguing portrait of an anti-hero. Nancy Cartwright, the future voice of Bart Simpson, has a small role here as a randy maid, making Flesh + Blood the only movie where you can see a full shot of Bruno Kirby's cock and balls and Bart Simpson's tits. Don't ever say Verhoeven doesn't make dreams come true.
Flesh + Blood poses both interesting concepts and a complex sexual entanglement that gives it a heft to the historical genre that feels akin to Game of Thrones. There are some interesting concepts, such as the early usage of germ warfare and a trojan horse like contraption with an extendable phallic spout. And there are some silly moments too, like the passionate kiss beneath a foreshadowing duo of decomposing bodies, a later plot point that relies on Anges having a pinpoint accurate MLB pitching arm and a drunken castle-top song and dance number (that is mercifully cut short).
It's a pity we never got to see Verhoeven return to this genre with his proposed Schwarzenegger Crusades epic.
Across a smouldering battlefield, a warrior ferociously slices his sword, cutting a path through a swathe of bodies. He holds his bloodied weapon aloft as he takes charge of the conquered enemy castle, his fellow soliders cheer at the sight of their beloved leader and behold the might of....Martin!
Wait. Martin?
Not Conan. Or Kull. Not even Gawain or Galahad.
Nope. Just plain ol' Martin.
Paul Verhoeven's english language debut is a medieval adventure piece, heavy on graphic violence, sexual intrigue, religious allusion and an uncomfortable amount of casual rapery.
The aforementioned Martin is embodied by Dutch madman Rutger Hauer, who along with his crew of soldiers which includes the Cardinal ('Raiders' melty face Nazi Ronald Lacey), Orbec (City Slicker Bruno Kirby) and Kars (fellow Replicant Brion James) are cheated out of their (admittedly ill-gotten) spoils by commander Hawkwood (Straya's own Jack Thompson) and rich nobleman/asshole Arnolfini (Fernando Hilbeck). The jilted crew take their revenge by kidnapping Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh) the soon-to-be Bride of Arnolfini's scholarly son Steven (Tom Burlinson).
Despite the rousing score by Verhoeven regular Basil Poledouris, Flesh + Blood falls pretty short of offering any heroes to cheer for, with your choice being between violent sex offender Martin or whiny nepo-baby Steven. It is more a tale of noble survival, with Agnes being far from the standard damsel in distress, using her wits and wiles to navigate a switching position of power in the dick measuring contest between her warring suitors, even garning her own perverse enjoyment at the idea of being spoils for the victor. Flesh + Blood indeed, but also Mind + Body.
Jennifer Jason Leigh serves the smarts and sexiness required for the role and even overcomes an unfortunate case of blonde eyebrows to hold her own against the always magnetic Hauer, who despite his actions, still manages to paint an intriguing portrait of an anti-hero. Nancy Cartwright, the future voice of Bart Simpson, has a small role here as a randy maid, making Flesh + Blood the only movie where you can see a full shot of Bruno Kirby's cock and balls and Bart Simpson's tits. Don't ever say Verhoeven doesn't make dreams come true.
Flesh + Blood poses both interesting concepts and a complex sexual entanglement that gives it a heft to the historical genre that feels akin to Game of Thrones. There are some interesting concepts, such as the early usage of germ warfare and a trojan horse like contraption with an extendable phallic spout. And there are some silly moments too, like the passionate kiss beneath a foreshadowing duo of decomposing bodies, a later plot point that relies on Anges having a pinpoint accurate MLB pitching arm and a drunken castle-top song and dance number (that is mercifully cut short).
It's a pity we never got to see Verhoeven return to this genre with his proposed Schwarzenegger Crusades epic.
