Knives of the Avenger
1966 ‘I coltelli del vendicatore’ Directed by Mario Bava
Synopsis
A mysterious knife-throwing viking warrior protects a young peasant woman and her young son from the clutches of a evil regent bent on claiming the title of king and the woman for himself.
Popular reviews
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Someone wanted to make a Western but got assigned a Viking movie. Cool.
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Film 96 of "The December Project" 2012
85 minutesWhile deciding to knock off some more Mario Bava films from Netflix streaming I came across this with the hopes that it would be better than Hercules and the Haunted World. So far I find myself liking his Giallo horror films the best, but I guess 1 more try at a sword and sandals flick wouldn't hurt me.
Hands down I liked this more than the Hercules film I just watched. From all aspects it was better to me, the story, the acting, and the action. And while it wasn't a great movie, I had a ton of fun with it. Being a fan of revenge films, it fit right into…
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Review from my VOD column "This Week on Demand".
Sadly, it seems, Bava had limited success outside of his established genre; Knives of the Avenger sees the director turn to Viking warfare, this the story of feuding kings, pious maidens, and children of uncertain father. While certainly a good deal from being a bad film, it’s not nearly as interesting as even the dullest of Bava’s horrors, his consistent gift for the creation of oppressive atmospheres here all but useless. The sprawling story, concerned with rivalling warlords with personal vendettas to add to their land issues, is tough enough to follow in its own right, even more so when combined with the host of forgettable characters between whom it all happens. Only truly remarkable in a small host of battle scenes, where the director’s blissful penchant for striking gore makes itself known, is Knives of the Avenger ever anything more than a plainly tolerable Viking tale.
Recent reviews
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Someone wanted to make a Western but got assigned a Viking movie. Cool.
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More spaghetti western than viking epic. There's the mysterious stranger with a dark past, saloon type set piece, knife throwing, horse riding, and some surprisingly brutal and effective fight sequences. Not the type of film people would generally associate with Mario Bava. Very well produced and character development actually exists.
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Film 96 of "The December Project" 2012
85 minutesWhile deciding to knock off some more Mario Bava films from Netflix streaming I came across this with the hopes that it would be better than Hercules and the Haunted World. So far I find myself liking his Giallo horror films the best, but I guess 1 more try at a sword and sandals flick wouldn't hurt me.
Hands down I liked this more than the Hercules film I just watched. From all aspects it was better to me, the story, the acting, and the action. And while it wasn't a great movie, I had a ton of fun with it. Being a fan of revenge films, it fit right into…
-
Review from my VOD column "This Week on Demand".
Sadly, it seems, Bava had limited success outside of his established genre; Knives of the Avenger sees the director turn to Viking warfare, this the story of feuding kings, pious maidens, and children of uncertain father. While certainly a good deal from being a bad film, it’s not nearly as interesting as even the dullest of Bava’s horrors, his consistent gift for the creation of oppressive atmospheres here all but useless. The sprawling story, concerned with rivalling warlords with personal vendettas to add to their land issues, is tough enough to follow in its own right, even more so when combined with the host of forgettable characters between whom it all happens. Only truly remarkable in a small host of battle scenes, where the director’s blissful penchant for striking gore makes itself known, is Knives of the Avenger ever anything more than a plainly tolerable Viking tale.