Medieval, an instant classic

Directors Petr Jákl and Martin Arlt transported audiences to the chaotic battlefields and gothic intrigues of 15th century Bohemia with their sumptuous and gritty medieval epic.

Through misty Slavic landscapes lit by the fire of religious warfare, Medieval immerses the viewer in visceral sectarian conflict. Brutal combat scenes pull no punches, while the lavish production emphasises chivalric pageantry.

The leading man, Ben Foster, is fully cast as Jan Zizka, a Hussite revolutionary commander championing religious reform in the midst of papist machinations. Foster's ferocious intensity and strategic cunning anchored the sprawling saga.

The supporting cast, including William Moseley and Til Schweiger, adds complexity, from calculating clerics to conflicted knights. Their moral ambiguities reflected troubled times.

But it was cinematographer Vladimir Smutny who captured the primal spectacle - clashing steel, burning cities and pious devotion - in epic vistas that gave Medieval its true blockbuster magnitude.

Jákl and Arlt created a gripping historical work that reflects the Janus face of faith as the engine of progress and terror. A masterpiece that proves that sophisticated successes need not shy away from exploring weighty themes through popular means. Our world would benefit from more works of this calibre. An instant classic.

Nominated for 7 Czech Lions, the national film awards, and awarded prizes for best cinematography, costume design and original music. Well-deserved recognition in its home country.

Smutny's sumptuous cinematography also deserved a win at the Czech Film Critics' Awards, demonstrating the consensus on his authentic immersion in the period. A visual feast.

Its $16 million take in the Czech and Slovak domestic markets made it one of the highest-grossing European films of 2017, suggesting its resonance with audiences looking for breadth.