Druids (2001)

I certainly don't think The Gaul, Druids or Vercingétorix: La légende du druide roi...(or whatever the alternate title is) is one of the worst movies ever. But it certain isn't a memorable epic. The storyline is a fairly historically accurate tribute to one of the great French ancients. Unfortunately, the French didn't make a worthy tribute to a hero.

Criticism falls all over, whether it's boring, poorly written, is a waste of Max von Sydow and Klaus Maria Brandauer (Christopher Lambert doesn't have talent to waste), has errors or is poorly directed. I'm not sure if any of the reasons given is really true.

For an epic, it is weak as it lacks visual beauty that most epics (e.g, Gladiator, Braveheart) typically have. Most modern epics have large doses of action and gore but this film lacks either. Without visual effects, it's more in the style of classic epics such as Spartacus but it also lacks fine cinematography necessary for an epic. Camera-work is also very mediocre. It seems the director Jacques Dorfmann lacked imagination and a flair for capturing the audience. It has the appearance of a made-for-TV film. The script actually has some fine lines (see the "quotes" on IMDb) but runs into inconsistent and awkwardness at times and some poor acting by the supporting cast.

It's dry lack of imagination, inability to captivate the audience, poor cinematography and poor supporting cast just stamp mediocrity all over it.

Fmovies: 'Vercingetorix (2001)' or Druids by Jacques Dorffman is a so-so recounting about Caesar and Vercingetorix , it boasts a nice cast with Chistopher Lambert , Ines Sastre and Klaus Maria Brandauer . This is an inferior Sword and Sandals tale and a standard film from the 2000s . It's made middling scale with some spectacular battles and in Peplum style .Young Vercingetorix (Chistopher Lambert) came of age in 60 B.C., as soldiers of the Roman Empire ran roughshod over Gaul and his brave father was imprisoned and fired alive by Romans , then he seeks vendetta , as every battle needs a hero . A wise and philosophical druid called Guttuart (Max Von Sidow) , tells the avenger Vercingetorix that he should seek peace , justice and vengeance by winning freedom for Gaul from the Romans. It concerns about angry Vercingetorix and conqueror Julius Caesar and their famous existence on Gaul , including feats , fights , political events , betrayal , wars and lover (Ines Sastre) . Vercingetorix provokes a general rebellion against Roman domination , he rallies his people and tribes when they are threatened by an army commanded by Julius Caesar (Klaus Maria Brandauer) , as an entire nation's destiny lies in the hands of one man. His people made hima leader, the empire made him a renegade , history made him a hero.

Although the deeds described are historically inaccurate , some events are vivid and authentic . The action is regularly done with middling interpretations and the story occasionally drags for an uneven script by Rospo Pallenberg who previously wrote Excalibur , however to be liked for Christopher Lambert fans . The picture is partially based on real events . These are the followings : Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix (dead at 46 b.c) was an insightful and heroic warrior , whose valiant father was captured and executed by Romans , he was leader a massive rebellion against Roman domination . He seeks peace ,order , justice and victory by winning freedom for Gaul from the invaders Romans , and soon he raises an army of his own to defeat Julius Caesar , but in time Vercingetorix is betrayed by a great leader and he joins a powerful army to vanquish Caesar and bring Guttuart's prophesy to life. Vercingetorix was definitely defeated in Alesia , where took place a long siege . He was taken prisoner and led to Rome . Then he's coerced to a handcuffed parade throughout the Rome streets , being killed after six years in prison . Later on , Caesar, married Calpurnia, and is appointed Consul for life and then he crossed river Rubicon . His history is written by Julius Caesar himsef in 'Comments about War of Gaul' or 'De Bello Galico', also he wrote in brilliant and elegant style 'Comments about Civil War' or 'De Bello Civili'. The film contains a colorful cinematography by Stefan Ivanov and Plamen Somov , shot in Bulgaria, Sofia . And atmospheric and evocative musical score by Pierre Charvet. The motion picture was regularly directed by Jacques Dorfmann and shot both in English and French . He's a good writer and especially producer as ¨Quest of fire ¨ , ¨Bethune¨, ¨ Shock treatment ¨ , ¨ Army of Shadows ¨, and occasionally director as ¨Vercingetorix¨ and ¨Shadow of the wolf¨.

Other adaptations about Vercingetorix and Caesar are the followings : Vercingetorix (2004) TV by Uli Edel with Jeremy Sisto as Caesar and Heino Ferch as Vercingetorix . ¨Julius Caesar conqueror of Gaul¨ by Americo Anton with Cameron Mitchell, Rick Battaglia , Raffaella Carra , Carlo Tamberla

I can't add a lot to the comments already made by those who gave this movie a bad review. It really is horrible. You know an adventure movie is bad when you find yourself fast-forwarding through the battle sequences.

I rented this movie without carefully reading the plot outline on the jacket. I saw the title "Druids," read that it was about Vercingetorix, and assumed that the movie was based on the so-so book by Morgan Llywelyn, which I had read. However, the movie has nothing to do with the book. The movie has nothing to do with Druids. The movie has nothing to do with anything. I'm not even sure there was a script (despite the fact that there were at least two writing credits). If there was a script, I'm not sure anyone in the movie bothered to read it.

The casting is good for a mild chuckle. I love how the young Vercingetorix, who speaks with a distinct American accent, grows up to be Christopher Lambert, who barely manages to spit out vaguely understandable English, warped by a grating French accent that could peel paint.

Bad sets, bad costumes, bad cinematography, bad casting, bad direction, bad acting, bad editing, bad research, bad music, bad hair. I would recommend this movie only for insomniacs who have already tried all the other sleep-inducing agents available on the market.

Where can Christopher Lambert go from here? "10-10-220" commercials?

Druids fmovies. Convoluted story line, poor to bad acting , mediocre sets, thin plot. Even Christopher Lambert (Highlander) took a long vacation form acting when he made this one. Even the music has no redeeming value. Sounds like some kid playing with a computer generation program. Rent only if it is the last one on the shelf.

Rather than bash what has already been destroyed by the filmakers, I just recommend anyone who would see Druids solely as a Lambert fan to save their time.

This film has all the look and feel of a college, maybe highschool film project.

I've seen 18 of Lambert's movies; a number of them over again; and this one (which for some odd reason took a month to be available in my local video store because of rentals on it) I fell asleep during at 9 o'clock at night!! There was not one redeeming thing to this film, let alone the cheap wigs and fake moustaches, Klaus Maria Brandauer doing Julius Caeser and sounding like Marlon Brando in the Young Lions as a Nazi officer, and the intro and exit with the view from space that looked like the schlock film "Hercules goes to New York" with Arnold Schwarznegger back in the early 70's.

If you haven't seen it, save your rental fee...they must have burned theaters in Europe when it came out.

Sorry, Christophe...

A truly horrible movie, from the acting to the camera-work, to the editing. I only watched it because I got the VHS for 50 cents and absolutely nothing was on TV. It barely beat out doing housework! Ugh!

I already knew Christopher Lambert couldn't act (he got lucky and was carried by Sean Connery in Highlander) but he surpassed even my low expectations. And that hairdo! Like Frankenstein on a bad hair day.

For what it's worth, Klaus Maria Brandauer did a good job (if you envision Caesar with a German accent) and Max von Sydow was, well...Max von Sydow.

Oh, and one of the tribes (a little over halfway through the move) all had pink hair and looked like some type of mutant's escaped from a Wendy's restaurant! There was even a guy who looked like Pipi Longstocking. Scary.

Anyway, if you want to watch something while you get really drunk (or otherwise inebriated) this might work, otherwise, save your 50 cents!