Firebrand Review: When Royal Drama Falls Short of the Throne

England in the 16th century was a tumultuous place ruled over by King Henry VIII, a volatile man infamous for beheading two of his six wives. As the head of both the church and state, Henry broke ties with Rome and declared himself Supreme Head of the Church of England after the Pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Through the 1530s and 40s, Henry continued to pursue male heirs while callously casting wives aside, creating a treacherous environment at court.

It was into this world that Catherine Parr entered when she became Henry’s sixth and final wife in 1543. Unlike her predecessors, Catherine managed to outlive Henry and survive their rocky marriage. But who was this remarkable woman behind the king’s throne? The new film Firebrand seeks to provide answers by focusing its lens on Catherine and portraying her as more than just a footnote in Henry’s story; she’s depicted here as a courageous proto-feminist who defied expectations for women of her time.

Directed by Karim Aïnouz, Firebrand aims to bring Catherine’s untold struggles and achievements to the fore by showing her dedication to religious reform and efforts to establish more rights for women despite the immense dangers posed by her unpredictable husband.

However, while the movie strives to present Catherine in a bold new light of female empowerment, it often struggles to generate truly intriguing drama and fully realize its protagonist’s story, remaining stuck in the well-trodden territory of Tudor court intrigue.

Firebrand’s Flames of Rebellion

Catherine Parr finds herself in an unlikely position of power as Firebrand begins. With King Henry VIII abroad in France, she had been left as regent to oversee England. This provided a rare window of agency for Catherine, foreshadowing her strength of spirit that would help her survive marriage to the notoriously tempestuous Henry. She took initiative by publishing her own book of devotions and meeting with friends like Anne Askew, a Protestant preacher who was stirring rebellion with her calls to reform the church.

As played by Alicia Vikander, Catherine carries an inner steel beneath her placid facade. Vikander captured both Catherine’s resolve and vulnerability, from her fear of sneaking away to risk seeing Anne to her pain when Henry turns against her.

Despite the restrictions of her time, Catherine strived to make her voice heard, whether by publishing writings or trying to sway the king on reforms. Her friendship with Anne, portrayed vibrantly by Erin Doherty, showed two kindred spirits fueled by ideals at a time when few women had a public platform.

King Henry’s return, with Jude Law leading in a tour-de-force performance, shifted the dynamic. Now ailing and poisoned by paranoid suspicion, Henry appeared as a grotesque shell of his former self. Law sunk his teeth into each twisted nuance, bringing a revolting yet riveting presence. Where Catherine had gained authority, now she was wholly subjugated to Henry’s whims again. His looming, volatile shadow dominated every scene.

Through their charged scenes together, Vikander and Law illuminated the treacherous tightrope that was Catherine’s daily life—trying to please an unpredictable, violent husband while fighting for her beliefs quietly. Firebrand captures the flames of rebellion that sparked within her, showing why this queen’s story deserved to move from the shadows of history into the light of feature films.

Firebrand’s Royal Performances Captivate

Jude Law is simply as mesmerizing as the aging King Henry VIII. With his infected leg oozing putrid fluids and his moods swinging wildly between merriment and murderous rage, Law brings this iconic historical figure to vivid life.

You feel every ounce of pain from the man trapped within the decaying body. But it’s the raw brutality Law injects into Henry that really stings. Whether violently abusing Catherine or screaming at imagined adversaries, Law ensures you understand why this king strikes fear into all who cross him.

Alicia Vikander fully commits to her nuanced portrayal of Catherine Parr. Faced with the impossible task of surviving marriage to such a monstrous ruler, Vikander captures Catherine’s inner steel alongside her very real vulnerability.

Subtle expressions and gestures speak volumes about her quiet resistance and fierce intellect. While given less dynamic material than Law, Vikander wrings out every drop of complexity from her role. You can’t help but root for this woman to somehow make it out alive.

Supporting players bring intriguing shades to the royal court circus. As the scheming Seymour brothers, Eddie Marsan and Sam Riley unleash snakes with beards, oozing conspiratorial intent, And Simon Russell Beale is sublimely sinister as the twisted Bishop Gardiner, a man who’d happily burn women just for fun. Together, this ensemble ensures that no character feels one-dimensional. You never know who might stab whom in the back, or with which body part, comes the next scene.

Firebrand’s exceptional actors collectively breathe fire into its fictionalized historic world. Under their guidance, you fully see how someone as brave as Catherine Parr found the will to survive in a court ruled by a beast like Henry VIII. Riveting from the first frame to the last, they make this tale of royal intrigue one you won’t soon forget.

Firebrand’s Immersive Historical Setting

The filmmakers of Firebrand went to great lengths to transport viewers straight to 16th-century England. Michael O’Connor’s costumes are a highlight, from the grand fabrics adorning the royals to the worn rags of commoners.

Thought was given to each character’s social rank and role. Catherine Parr wears dresses befitting her station as queen consort, yet their high collars and cinched waists also subtly reflect the tight control exerted over her.

Hélène Louvart’s cinematography enhances the sense of realism. Scenes are brought to life with attentive framing and lighting that evokes the dim confines of castles lit solely by fireplaces and chandeliers. Her work lends an intimacy to interactions and intensifies the claustrophobic atmosphere. Rather than relying on wide shots showing sumptuous sets, Louvart’s lens often remains tightly focused on expressive faces that are all the more vivid in close-up.

The production design by Aïnouz and his team further immerses viewers. From sawdust-spread floors to crowded halls adorned with faded tapestries, no detail was overlooked to achieve authenticity. The dank castle feels lived-in and shows the ravages of a world beset by plague. King Henry’s chambers are particularly memorable, depicting his decaying body alongside the dilapidation of a kingdom in decline.

Through these meticulous steps, Firebrand engulfs audiences in the grime and grandeur of Tudor England. The atmospheric style transposes viewers straight to the past, intensifying the drama unfolding on screen.

Bold Ideas Constrained by Court

Karim Aïnouz’s new historical drama Firebrand sets out to portray Catherine Parr in a fresh light as a progressive thinker working for religious tolerance and women’s empowerment in oppressive 16th-century England. The film intends to excavate the bold themes and driving purpose that historians assume lay behind Parr’s actions, yet which conventional accounts often neglect.

Alicia Vikander captures Parr’s inner steeliness through quiet defiance and compassion. Determined to promote vernacular bibles so ordinary people can understand scripture, Parr lends clandestine support to reformer Anne Askew despite the wrath of reactionaries like Bishop Gardiner. She envisions guiding Henry toward moderation through marital influence. Yet within the claustrophobic palace, her ideals face constant suppression.

While showing Parr’s brave convictions, Firebrand sometimes struggles to craft them into a truly gripping drama. The story remains locked within the same dank castle sets, with limited scenes of the women’s risky advocacy.

Parr’s thinking feels reduced to bare survival strategies as Henry’s paranoia escalates. Despite flickers of Parr empowering younger women, her leadership aspirations fade into the bleak background of Henry’s looming demise.

Firebrand aims to bring Parr’s suppressed history to light and does spotlight critical issues of the time. But in focusing so tightly on the court microcosm, it fails to unfold Parr’s compelling quest for reform into a fully animated narrative arc.

The film reveals her ahead-of-her-time vision, yet she struggles to translate those bold themes into a story that consistently inspires and challenges modern audiences. With a bit more room to breathe beyond the castle walls, Parr’s courageous ideas could have become the propulsive force of the drama.

The Untapped Potential

While Firebrand aims to shed new light on Catherine Parr’s life, it ultimately fails to tap into the richness of her story. The film plays things too safe, set entirely within the castle walls. We never get a real sense of Catherine’s spirit or what drove her work helping common folk access Scripture in their own language. History remembers her as a pioneering author and radical in religious thought, yet the movie keeps these intriguing aspects surface-level.

More energy could have been invested in uncovering layers within her. How did she navigate palace intrigue while pursuing goals of inclusion? What motivated her secret meetings—friendship, faith, or a thirst for change? We see her gift to aid Anne Askew’s flight, but not the ideals behind it. Law Jaw meets expectations as the tyrant Henry, but the constant dread becomes monotonous. More variety in tempo and scene types could have prevented this.

A missed chance was not exploring her dynamic with other remarkable women, from young Elizabeth learning resilience to loyal ladies sharing whispers of hope. Their solidarity might have offered respite from the madness encircling privileged men. A livelier script could have turned confined settings into a plus, with intimacy heightening each calculated word.

While the production value shines, this story merits bolder storytelling to do justice to its courageous heroine. In reaching for a feminist recasting, it settles for surface deeds over interior drive. A subtler revisionism honoring nuance over anachronism would have left us feeling we truly witnessed Parr’s fire, not just watched it flicker from a distance. She deserves a vehicle to unleash her untapped potential. Perhaps one day cinema will give it.

The Lost Potential of Firebrand

Firebrand strives to bring new life to the well-trodden story of Henry VIII and his sixth wife, Catherine Parr. It assembles a dream cast and transports viewers straight to Tudor England with its sumptuous period details. Unfortunately, whatever sparks the production holds fail to ignite a truly memorable drama.

Director Karim Aïnouz clearly aimed to explore Catherine’s inner fire through an intimate focus on her relationship with the volatile king. Jude Law perfectly embodies Henry as an unraveling tyrant succumbing to fear and fever.

His performance alone makes Firebrand worth a watch. Yet the film doesn’t quite know what to do with its lead actress. While Alicia Vikander brings nuance and gravitas, Catherine remains an enigma. Her desires to influence religious reform stay frustratingly in the shadows.

For a story about daring defiance against patriarchal rule, the script plays things too safe. It teases radical potential but pulls back from anything truly subversive. Catherine’s fate plumbs predictable paths instead of surprising us. Most disappointing of all, the climactic twists veer toward wishful fantasy rather than seizing a chance for meaningful commentary.

All the elegant aesthetics in the world can’t save a film with a lukewarm identity crisis at its core. Firebrand had the raw materials to ignite passionate debate, yet it proved too tame to leave more than fleeting impressions. Only the most ardent fans of the genre or lead talents may find it a compelling time-filler. For all others, this kingdom remains one better left undiscovered.