Last Updated on May 27, 2024 by
Seize Them 2024 movie is Directed by Curtis Vowell. The film Stars, Aimee Lou Wood, Jessica Hynes, Matthew Cottle with the rum time of 1h 31m theater released April 5, 2024.
Seize Them tries to tell a story about girl power set in the Dark Ages, but it ends up being way too violent and mean-spirited. Right at the beginning, a guy gets stabbed through the head, makes a joke, and then dies. Later, there’s a long scene about trying to throw a body off a cliff so its face gets smashed. This nasty tone ruins the movie, even though it has an amazing cast of British comedians.
Queen Dagan, played by Aimee Lou Wood, is immediately kicked off her throne by Humble Joan, played by Nicola Coughlan, who is having a blast being super sneery. Dagan is saved from being killed by Shulmay, one of the palace maids, played by Lolly Adefope. Shulmay has the bright idea to take Dagan to the coast where some Viking kings she knows might help Dagan get her kingdom back. They set off on this journey, but they are chased by Leofwine, played by Jessica Hynes, who does a great job with a not-so-great role.
Since Dagan is still in her fancy queen clothes, Shulmay decides to get help from Bobik, a character played by Nick Frost. He’s known for doing dirty jobs, so they hope no one will bother them if they look like poor workers. Bobik agrees to help in exchange for a promised earldom, and they all head off to the coast, having various adventures along the way.
The writer, Andy Riley, who has mostly worked on British TV, and the director, Curtis Vowell, who has directed a few movies and New Zealand soap operas, wanted to tell a story about the downsides of privilege and the importance of self-confidence. But the overly casual violence messes up the performance of Ms. Wood, who does a great job as the spoiled queen slowly realizing her traumatic past doesn’t excuse her bad behavior. When the Viking kings show up, played by John Macmillan and Paul Kaye with silly Swedish accents, their love of gore isn’t funny at all. Their jokes are not just bad but also in poor taste.
This is unfortunate because the final message of the movie is nice and highlights Ms. Adefope’s strong performance. There’s even an apology for all the swearing, which wouldn’t bother anyone in Britain, even young teens.
So why did the director and writer add so much nasty violence? It seems like they couldn’t think of another way to make a movie with four female leads, who are mostly known on TV, appeal to young men. Nicola Coughlan is becoming a big star; Lolly Adefope and Aimee Lou Wood are not far behind her; and Jessica Hynes has been loved in Britain since her role in “Spaced.” I think that if the movie was not as mean and so much attention was paid to how women fight for power, it would have been a much better story. What is more regrettable is that in a bid to achieve this, the producers end up failing to meet the expectations of anyone.
As much as “Seize Them!” has all the markings of a superior action movie, it does not succeed because it fails to identify its identity. Great actors and an engaging plot might have defined a phenomenal movie, but instead, there is too much cruelty and spite.
The movie starts with a lot of promise. Aimee Lou Wood’s portrayal of Queen Dagan is engaging. She starts as a spoiled and entitled ruler, but as she faces challenges and grows throughout the movie, you can see her starting to understand that she can’t use her past as an excuse for bad behavior. This character development is one of the movie’s strong points. However, it’s often undercut by unnecessary gore and dark humor that just feels out of place.
Nicola Coughlan’s character, Humble Joan, is meant to be a funny and sneaky antagonist. Coughlan’s performance is entertaining, but the script doesn’t give her much to work with beyond being overly cruel. Similarly, Lolly Adefope’s Shulmay is a highlight. She provides a lot of heart in the story, showing loyalty and cleverness, but again, the movie’s tone detracts from her performance.
When the group finally meets the Viking kings, you expect the movie to pick up. Instead, it becomes even more disjointed. John Macmillan and Paul Kaye play these characters with exaggerated accents and a love for violence that is meant to be humorous but ends up being off-putting. Their interactions are more cringeworthy than funny.
The film’s climax and resolution try to deliver a positive message about self-realization and the strength of women. The final scenes include moments of genuine emotion and a sense of triumph, especially for Queen Dagan and Shulmay. However, these moments are almost overshadowed by the prior negativity and violent humor.
What could have been a refreshing take on a feminist story set in a historical period ends up feeling like a missed opportunity. If “Seize Them!” had focused more on the cleverness and strength of its female characters without resorting to unnecessary and grim humor, it could have been a standout film. Instead, it struggles to find its identity and ends up being neither a compelling drama nor a successful comedy.
Seize Them Parents Guide Age Rating
Why is Seize Them noted rated by the MPA? The movie ‘Seize Them!’ does not have an MPA rating, which is quite often in some independent or international movies as their producers and directors do not always submit the movie to the MPA for rating.
The show ‘Seize Them!’ contains extreme violence, harsh language, and black comedy, making it appropriate for people aged 15 and over. This is important because parents should consider these elements when considering whether the film is suitable for their kids.
Violence: There are many violent scenes of high intensity in the movie and some of them depict stabbing, bloodshed, and the use of dead bodies as part of the props. Due to the exceptionally graphic nature of this content, anyone who is a minor should not attempt to watch this film.
Language: This movie contains the use of strong language, which includes the use of vocal obscenities for a major portion of the film. While the movie does contain an apology for the swearing, some of the language will probably still seem a little too raw for teenage viewers. There is a great deal of black comedy in the film and much of it has a very menacing feel to it which encompasses violence. However, some jokes are socially and politically insensitive and may cause someone to feel uncomfortable.
Sexual Content: This movie has some jokes about sex and sexual acts and gestures, but there is no sexual intercourse or genitals seen in the movie. The concentration is comedy and adventure rather than what is considered the seedier side of life. Overall, the sex-related content is not very present in the film and there are only some scenes that are related to its mature themes.
