I'm not sure where people are coming from when critiquing this movie. One review sounds like a group of frat boys rented it to make fun of and were disappointed that it wasn't funny? It's a costume/period piece about the Spanish inquisition! What are people expecting? Action? Comedy? This movie moves very slowly in parts, but it is simply telling its story. You've got to be patient to watch a movie about the Spanish inquisition in the first place, so be forewarned. Other than that, Lambert gives a good performance, the costumes are excellent. I love the little twists and turns.

Is it suspenseful? No. Is it supposed to be? I never got the idea that it was. I guess the bottom line is: What are your expectations of a movie before you watch it? If you go into it with none, then you are a lot better off. This movie doesn't fit a lot of people's expectations, but that doesn't make it a bad movie. In fact, what I liked about it was that it doesn't fit into the normal American movie genres of: action, comedy, buddy movie etc. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the stark beauty of many shots and could accept its low-budget shortcomings because the story and acting were good enough for me to enjoy.

A Hungary film that offers a comeback vehicle of sorts for myopic film star Christopher Lambert. He's not bad in the tale of an investigator looking at a series of brutal murders, but the back story involving the persecution of the Jews in medieval Europe is actually quite interesting and compelling. A little cheesy at times - hello, Brian Blessed - but it's fast-paced and it did hold my attention.

Oddly enough, the standard of production - costumes, sets, musical score - on this is way, way better than I had expected when I saw the cast list. It takes a sort of internationally varietal approach to the casting; anchored by Brian Blessed and James Faulkner - who only ever seems to play the part of a religious zealot and/or megalomaniac - with glamorous touches added by Blanca Marsillach and a rather curiously cast Phyllida Law as the mother of Christophe(r) Lambert. He plays "Ruy" the sheriff investigating a series of murders that leave cryptic clues leading him to the very heart of the State and to ancient anti-Semitic prejudices and conspiracies. The story is actually quite engaging, but the actors don't gel at all well - the editing is a bit all over the place and the heavily accented dialogue makes it a clunky watch. It's not terrible, however - and if you like the genre it will pass almost two hours without dragging too often.