David R. Walker

The Uprising

Director: Paul Greengrass

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, Thomasin McKenzie, Katherine Waterston, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Donal Finn, Cosmo Jarvis, Woody Norman

Running Time: 2 hours and 8 minutes.

Film Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

When Edward III’s son, Edward the Black Prince died before his father leaving a young son Richard to inherit the throne, Richard II become King of England in 1377. In 1381 there was a widespread peasant’s revolt in which the commoners decided to rise up against the throne and demand better working conditions with minimal taxes. This was medieval England in the 14^th century during the plague when nearly a third of the nation’s population was killed.

Within this historical context, Captain Philips and News of the World director Paul Greengrass tackles the peasants revolt in his new film The Uprising starring Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge, Tick, Tick…Boom!) as a lowly ploughman whose entire family is wiped out in the plague.

Ploughman as he is referred to in the film stops a local taxman from taxing the poor villagers even harder and an uprising develops fuelled by the formation and encouragement of local churchman John Ball played by Jamie Bell (Billy Elliott, The Eagle, All of Us Strangers). The pair are soon joined by groups of disgruntled villagers from Kent and other counties in England as they decide to march to London to gain the King’s attention.

King Richard II played by Woody Norman is portrayed in this film as older than he historically was during the civil unrest but it does show a boy controlled by villainous old men Archbishop of Sudbury played by Stephen Dillane (The Hours) and Tom Hollander (Gosford Park, Pride and Prejudice) as Treasurer Hales.

All through the unrest, King Richard II is watched by his beautiful and regal mother played by the fabulous Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) resplendent in ermine fur and intricate hairstyles, representing her status as mother of the king and countess of Kent. As the most powerful woman in medieval England all she wants is for King Richard II to reign benevolently.

When the peasants led by the ploughman and John Ball eventually meet the king on a barge outside London, their demands are not initially met as Sudbury and Treasurer Hales wrongly advise the king to retreat to the Tower of London while hoping the peasants anger will dissipate.

While screenwriter and director Paul Greengrass does take historical liberties, he does craft a screen narrative which is both fascinating and compelling as the King sees the peasants’ revolt as an opportunity to rid himself of these tired old advisers and establish himself as a monarch whose power must be restored ruthlessly.

The Uprising is a clever tale of worker grievances and the vanity of those in power who take their position for granted. Rebellions never just disappear but fester to haunt those that seek to quell them.

Aesthetically, with costumes by Toth Andrias Daniel and production design by Nikolaj Danielsen, The Uprising is incredibly well imagined assisted by brilliant music by Oscar winner Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front).

With the exception of Katherine Waterston who is brilliant as the Countess, the acting is not fantastic but the film itself is interesting especially for history buffs and includes a surprising plot twist.

The peasants are portrayed as illiterate people trying to survive in a land in which all odds are stacked against them. The royalty are portrayed as wealthy scheming rulers who will sacrifice anybody to retain their power.

The Uprising gets a film rating of 7.5 out of 10 and is recommended viewing for film fans of Medieval English History. It’s violent, bloody and unrelenting.

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