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Black Death

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Black Death

R

Released Mar 11, 2011

1h 42m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

68 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

During the time of the bubonic plague in 14th-century England, young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) is recruited by the knight Ulric (Sean Bean) to lead a group of soldiers through the marshes into a mysterious village, where rumors are spreading that a necromancer is raising plague victims from the dead. Osmund agrees, but he has an ulterior motive--to find Averill (Kimberley Nixon), a young woman who has gone missing. Along the way, the group encounters unimagined darkness.

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Critics Consensus

Black Death delivers the fire and brimstone violence its subject matter warrants, while posing some interesting questions of faith and religion.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

By not rushing things, by keeping things moving at their own measured pace, Smith gives Poloni's screenplay a chance to breathe and evolve in a way it might not have been able to otherwise.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 25, 2011

Full Review

Ian Buckwalter

NPR

"Going medieval" on your enemies isn't just a figure of speech in Christopher Smith's stylish spatter-horror exercise, which uses desperation-fueled religious fervor to interrogate the intersection of fear and faith.

Rated: 7/10

Mar 12, 2011

Full Review

Peter Rainer

Christian Science Monitor

There's something here for just about everyone, or at least for everyone who looks back fondly on the similarly themed Wicker Man from 1973.

Rated: B

Mar 11, 2011

Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

It brings some fresh ideas and blends together unconventional concepts, yet its pacing fails to get you to engage with the material or leave much of a lasting impressing.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 20, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

For those willing to stomach harsh realism from a gloomy period in history and confronting notions on religion, Smith has delivered a rewarding film surprisingly bereft of the typical downfalls usually present when mixing horror and history.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 31, 2023

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

Black Death's Europe is one of dirt, blood, violence and mist.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 6, 2019

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Jeff K

I thought this was a fantastic, simple medieval story that captured the violence, superstition and zealotry of the time.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/12/25

Full Review

Soeren T

This is a prequel to The Danish Girl, and we follow the tragic experiences of the character played by Eddie Redmayne, leading to his desire to transition. Sean Bean and Carice Houten reprise their roles from GOT

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/19/25

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Audience Member

I thought the movie was great, and Sean's performance excellent. This movie definitely deserves a higher rating.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/11/25

Full Review

Todd B

Grim. Worth a watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/08/25

Full Review

nicokush 4

Im stunned most people didn't like this movie sure it had nothing really special to it.. well written the acting was really really good! Can seem stale at some points but still keeps you engaged for me its just you dont find these type of movies so im bias towards it but i will say it sometimes it looks like an independent movie just in some shots of the movie either way its a good twist on an overused concept Worth a watch if your into medieval movies but would watch something else if not.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/11/25

Full Review

Cinephemeride [

a medieval horror film with a rather interesting storyline, served by good European actors.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/24

Full Review

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Christopher Smith

Director

Sean Bean

Ulric

Eddie Redmayne

Osmund

Carice van Houten

Langiva

Kimberley Nixon

Averill

John Lynch

Wolfstan

Black Death: Official Clip - We Seek Refuge

2:53

Black Death: Official Clip - His Journey's Finished

2:55

Black Death: Official Clip - I Will Renounce God

2:16

Black Death: Official Clip - You Have No Heart

2:30

Black Death: Official Clip - What is a Necromancer?

2:20

Black Death: Official Clip - I Am Death

2:59

Black Death: Official Clip - Bandit Attack

2:57

Black Death: Official Clip - Crucified

2:49

Black Death: Official Clip - Who Wants to Live?

2:30

Black Death: Official Clip - A Suspected Witch

2:14

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Synopsis

During the time of the bubonic plague in 14th-century England, young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) is recruited by the knight Ulric (Sean Bean) to lead a group of soldiers through the marshes into a mysterious village, where rumors are spreading that a necromancer is raising plague victims from the dead. Osmund agrees, but he has an ulterior motive--to find Averill (Kimberley Nixon), a young woman who has gone missing. Along the way, the group encounters unimagined darkness.

Director: Christopher Smith
Producer: Jens Meurer, Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Phil Robertson
Screenwriter: Dario Poloni
Distributor: Magnet Releasing
Production Co: Ecosse Films
Rating: R (Strong Brutal Violence|Some Language)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 11, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 14, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $22.0K
Runtime: 1h 42m

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