Writer: Casey Lee

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Watch this if you liked: “The Deluge”, "Colonel Wolodyjowski"

It is 17th century Poland, when Lieutenant Jan Skrzetuski (Michal Zebrowski), a knight serving under Prince Jeremi Wisniowecki (Andrzej Seweryn) of Poland, rescues a harried Bohdan Khmelnytsky (Bohdan Stupka) from brigands. After letting the man go, little did he know that he had just set free an escaping enemy who would return with an army, Jan has a fateful encounter with Helena Kurcewiczówna (Izabella Scorupco); a beautiful princess who has been betrothed to a Cussack named Jurko Bohun (Aleksandr Domogarov). After spending an enchanting night of dancing together, Jan and Helena find that they have a deep love for each other and going against traditional customs, Jan asks for her hand in marriage from her noble mother, despite being promised to someone else.

"With Fire & Sword" (or "Ogniem i mieczem" in its native Polish) is a full blown adaptation by Jerzy Hoffman of the classical Polish novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz, that is akin to the classical cultural epics like "Romance of the Three Kingdom" or "War of the Roses", that has a mixture of fiction and historical events being weaved together to tell a grand story.

Given its rich Polish historical context, "With Fire & Sword" may be come off as inaccessible to anyone who hasn't had the faintest idea of the political tensions between the Cussacks, the Tartars and the Polish nobility during the 17th century, or ever heard of the Khmelnytsky Uprising (look it up on Wikipedia). But once you find your bearings of who's who while sitting through it and get pass the dated looks from 1999, the theatrical performances, elaborate costumes, and the dramatized scores would not stop you from being swept up by Hoffman's epic-scaled rendition of this overarching saga that has all the trappings to make such grand tales so awe-inspiring.

There is a whole tapestry of intrigue and subplots with pivotal twist and turns at every corner from destined lovers separated by circumstances, jealous and scheming rivals, loyal and worthy companions, massive battles, clever deceptions, to derring-do adventures, all detailed by an immensely diverse roll of characters who are equally loved and despised, that will keep your attention glued so that you are given a ride for the next 3 hours or so.

"With Fire & Sword" is a fine entry and certainly an eye-opener to Polish culture and history (as embellished as they are) and certainly a change of pace from world-hopping fictional gods knocking out mystical alien invaders with a hammer that deserves a sit through, especially if you love an epic saga or two.

Cinema Online, 15 November 2013