In 1348, year of our Lord, England is devastated by the Bubonic plague that spreads death in the lands and villages. The young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) asks his beloved Averill (Kimberley Nixon) to travel to a remote village after the Dentwich Forest where the Black Death has not reached yet. She tells that she will wait for him in the forest, but Osmund tells that he will stay in the Staveley Monastery since he is a man of God. However, the emissary of the bishop Ulric (Sean Bean) arrives in the monastery recruiting a religious man to guide his soldiers and him through the forest and the swamp to the village. They believe that there is a necromancer resurrecting people and protecting the village from the plague. Along their journey, they fight against forest thieves and Osmund finds Averill's clothes dirty of blood. When they reach the village, they find happy and healthy villagers that have renounced God living in peace, and they are welcomed by the leaders Hob (Tim McInnerny) and the alchemist Langiva (Carice van Houten). She shows Osmund the dead body of Averill that they have found in the woods. However, during the night, Langiva brings Averill back to life and Osmund tries to warn Ulric and his men. But they have already been drugged and sooner they have to renounce God to survive. "Black Death" is a great film the depicts the horror of the superstitious Dark Ages. The story recalls the 1973 "Wicker Man" in the environment of the Middle Ages. Christopher Smith maybe is the most promising director of the young generation. His previous movies ("Creep", "Severance" and "Triangle") shows that he is improving his work. This intriguing and violent story of religion, faith, superstitious, ignorance and fanaticism has a magnificent screenplay that only reveals the consistent truth in the very end and is supported by top-notch performances.

Starring:

Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean and Carice van Houten

Genre:

Drama, Horror