It struck me recently that the best way to describe everybody’s favorite cinematic punching bag, Uwe Boll – the German schlockmeister behind Bloodrayne and other “classics” – is as an even cross of Ed Wood and George Lucas. The Wood comparison’s been made pretty much from day one, the two sharing an obvious level of incompetence and shocking ability to overlook their own lack of skill. But while Wood’s career quickly fell apart because, well, he made bad movies this is where Boll’s Lucas side comes in handy. A bad film maker he may be but the guy’s got undeniable business skills and a hands on, obsessive need to control every aspect of his films from development through to distribution – as does Lucas – and somehow manages to squeeze profits out of pretty much everything he touches, no matter how bad it may be.

Enter In The Name Of The King. Good?  Oh, hell no.  It’s atrocious.  Entertaining?  Damn straight.  This is exactly the right sort of bad film, the kind collectors of camp will line up for on DVD.  Hell … it’s got Jason Statham trying to maintain a straight face despite being named Farmer; it’s got Burt Reynolds trying to look regal while riding a horse in a bad wig and a crown; it’s got Ron Perlman trying to pull off complicated martial arts moves – choreographed by the legendary Tony Ching of Hero and House of Flying Daggers fame, no less – while wielding large wooden hammers; it’s got Ray Liotta delivering the most over the top performance of a career loaded with them; it’s got John Rhys-Davies proving once again that, yes, he WILL do anything for money.

I’ll never understand what overwhelms all these actors when Boll offers them parts … he must drug them or something. Anyway: it’s bad but fun and comes recommended as such. (I should note that The Tattooed Man – being me – actually enjoys Postal a good bit more than Reggie The Vampire did … for my money it’s the one film where Boll actually succeeded at making the film he wanted.  Plus it’s pretty damn funny.)