Movie Review: Just Close the Curtains on this “Knightfall”

“Knightfall,” the latest title of a thriller that used to be called “Guy Fawkes: Blood and Fire,” is a B, C or D movie starring the dye-job-fools-no-one son of the funniest James Bond and a little known actress who looks as if she was cast at Mar-a-Lago.

I’ll let you ponder the photos above to figure out who is who.

It’s about a “mole” in an intelligence unit trying to track down some weapons-grade bacteria, and the scientist “above my clearance” forced to join in the killing and kicking ass it takes to get it back.

Being a British film, breeding matters. So as regards Rosalind “Ros” Knight (Jeanine Sothcott), “We DO know who her father is” matters more than it should.

Geoffrey Moore’s the agent in love with her, the one who knows the stakes. “We screw up tonight, and the world’s a lot more dangerous– for everyone!” He’s talking about the bacteria, not the romance.

A botched marina-side interception in the dark of night sets our chase in motion, and heaven help the “IFBs” who get in the way. Moore’s Hugh gets to define that acronym, too.

“Innocent f—–g bystanders!”

Our scientist has the pass key to the case holding the bacteria and is dragged into this violent world and forced to fight for her life — unconvingingly.

Michael Paré collects a check for a working vacation in the UK by playing the U.S. agent sent to protect Ros, as nobody knows who anybody can trust in those British secret services.

And Ian Ogilvy is the grumpy, weathered “father” who raised Ros, a veteran of the services himself and not to be underestimated as the climax closes in on Knightfall, the family estate. He has a pet black revolver he named “Jemima.”

Ahem.

There’s not much to this spy tale, and certainly not enough to justify four credited writers. The sound effects and fight choreography are lacking, Ben Fortune’s slack direction does nothing for the pacing and the whole affair seems more misguided than half-hearted.

But they saw that they could re-title it and hope some folks confuse “Knightfall” for the animated “Batman: Knightfall, Part 1” released a coupld of weeks back. Don’t be fooled. This “knight” falls and can’t get back up.

Rating: unrated, violence

Cast: Geoffrey Moore, Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, Rupert Holliday Evans, Ian Ogilvy and Michael Paré

Credits: Directed by Ben Fortune, scripted by Simon Cluett, Robert Dunn, Bob Schultz and James Smy. A Saban release.

Running time: 1:22

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About Roger Moore

Movie Critic, formerly with McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Orlando Sentinel, published in Spin Magazine, The World and now published here, Orlando Magazine, Autoweek Magazine
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