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The Headsman starts pretty much as I’ve expected - a slow pan of life in the Middle Ages. It stops when it reaches two young boys on the way to an execution. Not theirs naturally. Fast-forward fifteen years and we see them reconnect after so many years - once has become a soldier, the other a prelate at the abbey.

Martin (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), the soldier, falls in love with the executioner’s daughter (Anastasia Griffith). She’s shunned by the townspeople - illustrated by a scene in which a seller at the marketplace refuses to sell her anything. They eventually marry and Martin finds himself in the same position: an ex-soldier who cannot find a job because he’s related to the executioner. Luckily, the executioner dies, so this most coveted position becomes Martin’s only choice.

At the beginning of the film, we are treated to a narration that builds certain expectations about the clash with religious fanatics. Director Simon Aeby and scripters Susanne Freund and Steve Attridge take the road often travelled and make it a revenge flick, the difference is it’s set in the Middle Ages.

Vladimir Smutny’s camerawork is excellent and the production design is good as well. The acting is pretty much as you might expect - mostly average with a few good scenes on the shoulders of the supporting actors (Berkoff). The music score is adequate as well which is admittedly a tough job for any period piece. Kubrick had the decency to use classic pieces in Barry Lindon, I think this movie could’ve done the same.

If you like period pieces, you might find The Headsman is well worth the DVD rental. Personally, I’d preferred it to be grittier, darker, and less conventional. The same critique that I have for Beowulf and Grendel.