Sharpe's Sword (1995)

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

The thing about the Sharpe films is that I'm spoiled: I've always read the book by the time I get to the filmed version, and invariably it's a disappointment when compared to Cornwell's sparkling prose. This one is no different: while, as a stand-alone movie, it fits the bill nicely enough, it bears little resemblance to the book of Sharpe's Sword and the differences are always inferior in this version. There's no sense of massed battle, of the enemy's evil nature, of Sharpe's secret affair with a female spy, and of the terrible life-or-death scenario that our hero goes through. Even the sword itself, so integral to the novel, barely registers in this version. Once again, budgetary constraints are to blame.The film itself isn't too bad and is better paced than some other adventures I've seen. Sean Bean is on top form and his Sharpe is noticeably humorous in this one, which makes a nice change from his usual dourness. The regular supporting cast are all given good parts, particularly Daragh O'Malley – struggling with the responsibilities of fatherhood, and Jason Salkey, whose rifleman Harris has a meaty part for once. The guest actors are all pretty good too – James Purefoy makes an impression as the foppish Lord Spears, and Emily Mortimer is the epitome of fragile beauty as a mute girl. Michael Cochrane also pops up as the lecherous Simmerson, clearly taking over from Pete Postlethwaite in hissable villainous duties. The battle scenes are limited and in some instances there are laughable mistakes. The closing battle, when Spears is sent on in front, made no sense to me whatsoever. The pivotal scene where Sharpe is shot is also something of a disappointment, nowhere near as dramatic as in the book. Still, the direction is assured and the character interaction kept frothy, so it's not all bad; just not what it could have been, given a Hollywood-style budget.

Sean Bean returns again for another swashbuckling Sharpe adventure, which sees Sharpe and his chosen men become involved in the dark and sinister world of espionage.Richard Sharpe and his chosen men have saved a young nun from certain death after her coach was attacked by a French company, where her travelling companions, a priest and two other nuns have been brutally tortured and murdered. This leads her to be struck dumb with shock ,lose her faith in God and become inseparable from Sharpe, who she now considers her saviour.Sharpe and a dashing Lord by the name of Captain Jack Spears defeat the French company and take a French Captain prisoner, but further discoveries and investigation, arouses Sharpe's suspicions that this French Captain is far more than what he appears on the surface and certainly more dangerous.However, when Major Munro tells Sharpe that Napoleon has sent top Soldier Colonel Leroux to capture El Mirador, Wellington's top spy in the territory, Sharpe is convinced that his mysterious prisoner is Leroux himself, but cannot prove it.Sharpe is therefore sent to protect El Mirador, which is a difficult task as aside the name he does not know who El Mirador is, so he does not know for sure who he is supposed to be protecting.When the prisoner finally unmasks himself it leads to a bloody battle and the exposure of a French spy in their midst.The talented and amazingly underrated James Purefoy practically steals the show as the dashing Captain Jack Spears and the delectable Emily Mortimer turns in a nice little performance as 'Lass' Sadly missed however is Hugh Fraser who's presence as Wellington is always an added attraction to the Sharpe movies, but in this particular adventure he seems to have been overlooked. Shame.Although this storyline does has the power to confuse somewhat, the action, as always never fails.

Sharpe's Sword is one of the more complicated stories. There's a French officer changing identities to hide the fact that he's actually a Colonel named Leroux who has been sent to assassinate a mysterious British agent named El Mirador. Confused yet? Meanwhile, Sharpe also rescues a young woman who doesn't speak, so she is given the name Lass, and despite Sharpe's efforts to pawn her off, Lass continues to stick to Sharpe like glue, even sleeping in his tent at night. There's a hidden code, traitors, spies, Priests, and a subplot of Harper being forced to marry Ramona, the mother of his child. The story is even more complicated than that, but this is all I'll say. The story takes some big leaps this time, revolving around the possible death of Sharpe. Even though for a lot of the movie they're not in contact, Sharpe and Harper have a great dynamic between them. While in the past the loyalty between the two of them was always there, this movie gives some insight into their relationship. Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't mind the character of Lass. Of course she's not as good as La Marquesa, but come on, La Marquesa was the best female character the series ever had. And considering Lass only speaks a few words during the entire movie, her character was still better developed than several other female characters in the series. I have to say that the real treat of Sharpe's Sword is the unexpected return of Simmerson, the original pompous, bumbling, fool of a British Officer. I believe Henry Simmerson to be one of the reasons why Sharpe's Eagle was so popular, and next to only Obadiah Hakeswill, Simmerson is the best villain this series had. The scene between him and Lass is the best example of why he's so good. Sir Henry Simmerson is a character who is so disgustingly vile that I almost wish they'd given him his own spinoff series. There's also the addition of Spears to the cast. The one scene where Sharpe confronts him is one of the strongest points of the movie. It's not often that an actor can upstage Sean Bean, but James Purefoy did it. Great dramatic writing in that scene, and great dramatic writing all around. Sharpe's Sword was the first script Eoghan Harris had done since Sharpe's Enemy, my favorite movie of the series. There's something about the scripts that Eoghan Harris writes that completely captures the adventure and excitement. As always, there are multiple showdowns that end in swordfights. First there's the fight between Simmerson and the character who is eventually revealed to be El Mirador. I love taking pleasure in viewing Simmerson in pain and agony. Like I said before, disgusting villain, brilliant character. I'll go as far as to say that the best fight scene of the entire Sharpe series is the one between Sharpe and Leroux. What makes it work is that both men are badly beaten and in serious pain the whole time. The fact that they can barely stand on their feet brings some urgency to the fight. The real showdown of the movie is between Harper and the Priest. Sure, they don't fight, but it's a very funny scene that perfectly ends the movie on the right note. Sharpe's Sword is definitely the best movie since Sharpe's Enemy, and one of the very best of the series.

Truly a set of movies for all tastes: as the English fight the French, we see the corruption both in the English military, as well as in the bedroom. Sharpe is pretty sexy as is his Irish right hand man. There is some keen acting in here, despite the soldiers falling too long after the explosion that was supposed to kill them. But the principal actors do an excellent job, especially since this was 'just' made for TV. Prefer Bean as a hero than as the villain, which he plays beautifully well in a James Bond movie. He also looks like an ex-brother-in-law of mine, which makes for some interesting fantasies. My grandsons loved the battle scenes, and of course, the Spanish stripping the skin off the French soldiers made for some interesting discussions.