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Flesh & Blood

Play trailer Poster for Flesh & Blood R 1985 2h 6m Adventure Drama Action Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
After being hired for an aborted coup, a group of unscrupulous warriors is abruptly disbanded. One of the mercenaries, Martin (Rutger Hauer), is determined to get revenge on his dismissive employer, Arnolfini (Fernando Hillbeck). To carry out his plan, Martin abducts the lovely Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the intended wife of Arnolfini's son, Steven (Tom Burlinson). Soon Martin and Steven are locked in an ongoing battle to see who will ultimately win the hand of Agnes.
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Flesh & Blood

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety 10/22/2010
A vivid and muscular, if less than fully startling, account of lust, savagery, revenge, betrayal and assorted other dark doings in the Middle Ages. Go to Full Review
Tom Charity Time Out 01/26/2006
It's hamstrung by leaden dialogue and the motley international cast - Python and the Grail are never that far away - but it's admirably unsentimental and by no means stupid. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Mar 11
2.5/4
This film is so grimy and gruesome that the stench of decay practically wafts off the screen (no Odorama cards needed for this flick!). Go to Full Review
Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 11/03/2020
3.5/5
An examination of medieval Europe that attempts to correctly reconcile romantic notions with exaggerated realism, Flesh+Blood is a lost mid-80's classic from an underrated and challenging auteur. Go to Full Review
Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 03/20/2020
Religion and marriage and the very idea of heroism are hurled into Verhoeven's bestial pyre, his direction has the gift of overabundance -- the Spanish locations and castles teem with putrid lushness. Go to Full Review
Christopher Machell CineVue 03/20/2020
3/5
It's impossible to root for any group or individual, and so the only pleasure we are left with is to enjoy the spectacle of carnage. Nevertheless, in we can leave morality at the castle gate, Flesh + Blood offers a great deal of base satisfaction. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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David W Aug 9 Hauer is superb as you'd expect from his prime and the action is gritty and vicereal. A dark but utterly captivating plunge into the medieval era. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 4 Success in 2 hours and 6 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more D H Apr 26 Flesh + Blood (1985) Flesh + Blood, directed by Paul Verhoeven, is a gritty, unflinching plunge into the chaos of 16th-century Europe, drenched in mud, blood, and raw desire. It’s far from a clean or romanticized period piece—instead, it delivers a visceral, morally grey tale of mercenaries, betrayal, and survival. I found the movie genuinely entertaining. It’s got that classic Verhoeven touch: bold, provocative, and often unpredictable. Rutger Hauer shines as Martin, the charismatic but dangerous leader of a band of mercenaries, while Jennifer Jason Leigh holds her own in a challenging role that shifts between vulnerability and cunning. The film doesn't shy away from uncomfortable territory, but that's part of its raw appeal. The production design is grimy and lived-in, the action feels dangerous and chaotic, and the characters are deeply flawed but compelling to watch. It’s not for everyone—some scenes are intense and morally murky—but if you're in the mood for something brutal, atmospheric, and a little wild, Flesh + Blood delivers a gripping ride. See more Ari V Mar 8 Something I watched it is a very young kid and was kind of mesmerized by it for reasons I couldn't quite understand. And you know what, rewatching almost 40 years later, there is indeed something mesmerizing about it that isn't exactly obvious. 3.75/5 See more Mikael A Feb 4 One of my all time favourites! Would love to see Gen-Z faces when they see it. See more Steve D 08/27/2023 Amateurish despite the talent involved. See more Read all reviews
Flesh & Blood

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Movie Info

Synopsis After being hired for an aborted coup, a group of unscrupulous warriors is abruptly disbanded. One of the mercenaries, Martin (Rutger Hauer), is determined to get revenge on his dismissive employer, Arnolfini (Fernando Hillbeck). To carry out his plan, Martin abducts the lovely Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the intended wife of Arnolfini's son, Steven (Tom Burlinson). Soon Martin and Steven are locked in an ongoing battle to see who will ultimately win the hand of Agnes.
Director
Paul Verhoeven
Producer
Gys Versluys
Screenwriter
Gerard Soeteman, Paul Verhoeven
Production Co
Impala
Rating
R
Genre
Adventure, Drama, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 30, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Runtime
2h 6m
Sound Mix
Surround
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