Waited since 2009 to see this movie

SOLOMON KANE had been advertised in the U.S. as coming out in November 2009. At my local cineplex there was even a poster in one of the 'future attractions' glass cases. There wasn't much to it. It was a near, all-black tone poster showing a man dressed in all-black clothing with a large-brimmed black, Puritan-style hat downtured, covering his eyes. There was no trailer shown that year, however.

Now it's July 2013 and the dvd just hit the rental stores. I was lucky to pick up copy at one of the few remaining Blockbuster stores yet around in the U.S. The store had a pretty good number of copies up for rent and all of them were rented out. I was able to pick up a copy just returned.

I'm watching the dvd right now and I can agree with many of the posters. The movie is entertaining but not great. On a Hollywood scale of 4 stars, I give it two stars, which means, 'fair' and, 'worth a look'. You'll be glad you rented the movie and watched it. As I'm watching it, I get the feeling of deja vu, like a more stylized, later-day version of, Conan the Barbarian and, The Beastmaster.

You have to know something about the SOLOMON KANE chronicles as written and illustrated by its long-dead, reknown author, which dates back to the 1930s. England in 1600 is just emerging into a modern state and still has a foot ueasily in its just recent, late medieval renaissance period. Firearms are effective but primitive, slow-to-reload affairs so that swords and sword-fighting skills are still a must. I think more can be done with Solomon Kane in devising a franchise. It's not necessary for a hundred million dollars. An effective franchise can be had for just several million dollars apiece. THE PURGE made a lot of money and was filmed for just 3.5 million US dollars. It can work.