Flesh + Blood (1985, Director: Paul Verhoeven)

[Mr. Chaverria]

Flesh+Blood (1985) Trailer HD 1080p - YouTube

Via Eureka:

A deliriously violent medieval epic from genre master Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Total Recall), Flesh + Blood sees a savage and amoral band of mercenaries take revenge on the noblemen who betrayed them.

In Western Europe, 1501, a small army of mercenaries led by the charismatic and mercurial Martin (Rutger Hauer; Blade Runner, The Hitcher) reclaim a heavily fortified castle for its owner Arnolfini, who then betrays the band and ejects them from the city by force. Swearing revenge, Martin leads a violent assault on the nobleman and ends up accidentally kidnapping the beautiful Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh; The Hateful Eight), the fiancée of Arnolfini’s son Steven, who in turn pledges to wipe out the mercenary group once and for all.

Didn't see a thread for this film in the general movies thread, though we've some in certain home video sections.

I bought this from Eureka last year. Never heard of it till the sale. For me, Verhoeven starts with RoboCop and ends with Starship Troopers. Never saw his early stuff and haven't gotten to see anything after ST, though I'd love to at some point.

Apparently this film was his first US film. And it didn't make much of an impact. Has a great cast. Hauer, Leigh, etc. Didn't even know Hauer was like his Mifune/De Niro/Etc.

It's an odd film to me. It's very Verhoeven with the sex and violence. Once you see certain shots they just scream Verhoeven.

There are no real characters to relate to. Our protagonists are not good people. Very manipulating, questionable psychology, etc. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel for anyone. At the same time, they felt rather true to their disgusting character. Some people from certain times in certain lives have some shitty mindsets. Disgusting norms, if you will. It is rather refreshing, if even uncomfortable, to see characters of such nature. Verhoeven does good with this.

It's well made, technically speaking. Feel like maybe it's too much of a mish mash of this and that for the film. Some stuff doesn't gel overall. At the same time, I admire what it does. I'm glad I own it. Can't wait to go through the director's commentary. And at some point starting seeing his filmography Hollow Man onward. And those from before this film.

What are y'all's feelings for this film?