Highly Overrated But Still Good

A Disappointing Continuation

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Richard is a DIY store employee whose leisure life centres on Viking battle re-enactment. He embarrasses his son Martin, and his wife Cath has got fed up: Richard has moved out into fellow re-enactor and nerd Julian's home (where he lives with his mother), and Cath has moved Martin's PE teacher in. Richard loves Cath and wants to win her back, but is he too much of a loser.This mildly original but fairly predictable romcom succeeds, largely because of winning performances from Eddie Marsan, Jessica Hynes and Ewan Bremner as Richard, Cath and Julian.Much of the humour will appeal to nerds (there is a debate over who would be the better girlfriend, She-Hulk or Wonder Woman), and the central characters are all likeable. The location work in and around Ludlow is attractive, and the movie is a gentle and very British effort.With extras and crew recruited from Myspace, it is bewildering to note that this enjoyable movie didn't get a general cinema release in Britain.

OK, so the plot is on the predictable side, and doesn't really go anywhere that you wouldn't expect. Nor does this film have any profound message. In fact, it's a piece of lighthearted fluff.But the acting is very good (particularly the debutants), and the re-enactment characters are so well drawn that I found myself squirming for large parts of the film. For I actually do swing a sword around for a hobby, and I even know one or two of the folks in the background. My hat comes off to the writers - their characterisations of some of the people one meets in the "scene" is terrifyingly accurate. Yes, these people are really out there...SPOILER. One part of the film departs from any "reality" (reality whilst playing 'cowboys and indians with swords... hmmm). At the end of this film the antagonist (a non re-enactor) is handed a sword and encouraged to duel for the affections of the leading lady. I would just like to re-assure everyone out there that... no damn chance. No way is anyone handed a sword and allowed to fight for real. We have a little too much respect for our skins than that. It's a small quibble, but it does make the "scene" appear a touch more lunatic than it actually is (although the fact that the antagonist, holding a sword for the first time, outfights the 'trained' hero did make me smile). Of course, I do understand the sequence for dramatic purposes (although I'd have found it better if Jessica Hynes had fought for herself).As for the comedy... well, the owl wins hands down, both whilst alive and during it's ship burial.

This looks so awesome, I can't wait to get it on DVD. It was shot in my school, last year, though sadly whilst we were all on our summer holidays, so no one was around to mess it up. Apparently our school was chosen "because it looked the most stereotypically school-like." It's so weird seeing actors using our uniforms in the adverts. Some of my friends were extras, too. If you type in Faintheart on Youtube, you get up slide-shows of them with the actors, which is really great. So as well as it being a great film to look out for, it's going to be like a sort of school memento. The whole school is pretty much going to see it screened at the local Vue, if it's chosen to be shown here. How many people can say they've had a film shot at their school? Sort of makes you wish you took drama...~Jessbinx

I saw the premiere of this film last night at the Edinburgh Film Festival. It was absolutely brilliant! If you like British films where the underdog makes you go "aww..." then see this film, you won't be disappointed. The young lad who plays the son of the hero of the piece is a brilliant young actor, the fact that I can't recall his name is no reflection on how good he was (I'm just really bad at remembering names). Ewen Bremner was excellent, as usual...as was Jessica Hynes. The film is also memorable for a selection of the crappiest looking cars you'll have seen in a while. The hero's C-reg Volvo estate car is just fantastic. And as for the soundtrack...I'd forgotten how much I used to like Saxon. Support the British film industry, when they produce wee gems like this it would be rude not to.