Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence and disturbing content, 98 minutes
Not a good time for the awful Cage drama "Season of the Witch"
I must admit that January must be a cursed month for good movies. Coming off the holidays, we're treated to leftovers or Oscar-worthy films now just making their way to the area. If January were to be Crappy Movie Month, then the new Nicolas Cage film "Season of the Witch" would fit in just fine. Cage's career may be cursed after you see his wretched new action film, but then his career (and his finances) may have gone south awhile ago. A silly attempt at blending a period film, action-adventure and buddy-buddy comedy proves to be a colossal bomb for everyone involved.
A medieval knight named Behman (Cage) undertakes a mission pitting him against a devious witch and making him the last hope for the world against an ancient and dark force. His faith broken by years of battle as a crusader, Behmen returns to central Europe to find his homeland decimated by the Black Plague. Behmen and his trusted companion, Felson (Ron Perlman totally wasted) are ordered by the dying Cardinal (Christopher Lee) to deliver a young peasant girl (Claire Foy) believed to be the witch responsible for the Plague back to her home to be destroyed, but find the mission is more challenging and the girl more powerful than they ever believed.
"Season of the Witch" is a dreadful, totally disappointing action mess with Cage sleepwalking through another role with a messful of fake hair. The worst thing about the film, other than Cage himself, is the fact the film loses connection with its audience early on with some jumbled, confusing tale about the Crusades and witches. Had it focused just on the Cage-Perlman pairing, it might - and that is a big might - have been tolerable. But director Dominic Sena, who directed that other lousy Cage film, "Gone in 60 Seconds," fills the proceedings with unnecessary fights, action and loads of second-rate special effects. Lost in all this is Cage and Perlman mumbling lines attempting to be funny.
"Season of the Witch" is unfortunate in that it wastes so much talent and time, but most unfortunate in the fact it's just a bore and not a bit tense or scary. This is a story that could've worked well, but fell into the hands of the wrong actor and director, and turned it into an awful modestly-budgeted travesty that's hardly watchable. "Season of the Witch" is Cage's worst film in ages (which is saying a lot) and is cursed from the start, and I'd recommend skipping it all together.
