Red Sonja (2025) – Film Review
Director: MJ Bassett
Cast: Matilda Lutz, Robert Sheehan, Trevor Eve
Certificate: 15
By Roger Crow
Hard to believe it’s four decades since Brigitte Nielsen and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s clunky take on Robert E Howard’s heroine Red Sonja. There have many attempts to bring that fantasy saga to the big screen since; a Rose McGowan vehicle didn’t get much further than a poster circa 2008, and more recently local lass Hannah John-Kamen was in the running before that project fell by the wayside. Now we finally have this good-looking offering from Brit director MJ Bassett.
Imagine a world that looks somewhere between Middle Earth and Game of Thrones’ assorted kingdoms and you get the idea behind the feel of this version.
“Unhinged ruler”
Italian model-actress Matilda Lutz is more at home as the flame-haired heroine than Ms Nielsen ever was. Yes, she looks like a cosplayer who got lucky in a relatively big film, but she’s also endearing as the long-suffering warrior.
Misfits veteran Robert Sheehan has long been a favourite of epic fantasy dramas, and was rather good in the under-rated Mortal Engines. Here he gives a good turn as the unhinged ruler, Draygan.
Costumes, effects and make-up are rather good at times, especially the half-simian characters. And great to see the ever-reliable Trevor Eve in support. Okay, Tasha Huo’s screenplay could have done with more work, but as C-list fantasy epics go, it’s not bad.
“Lot of promise”
It takes about half an hour before things really get going with an impressive nod to Gladiator, and full marks to the effects geniuses who created that sweeping shot introducing viewers to the otherworldly arena. Tony Way (Game of Thrones/Edge of Tomorrow) is excellent as an armourer who offers Sonja a choice of attire for the arena. That silver bikini synonymous with the Marvel comics generates a spark of excitement as our heroine surveys the crowd, while taking instruction from Rhona Mitra’s veteran warrior.
Bassett did a fine job adapting and helming a screen version of Robert E Howard’s Solomon Kane back in 2009, and though this feels more like ‘Game of Clones’ at times, there’s a lot of promise here, especially when a mind-controlled Balrog-style cyclops turns up.
I’d love to see a documentary about Red Sonja’s long road to the big screen, and on the strength of this, a sequel would be more than welcome.
Adopted Yorkshireman Roger Crow developed a passion for film and TV in the 1970s and 1980s. He has been a published film and TV reviewer since the 1990s; a world travel and restaurant critic since the noughties, and for the past decade has assessed the pros and cons of live gigs and theatre productions around the UK. His ideal day would involve reviewing a performance of Bat Out of Hell, followed by a Pad Thai while being serenaded by Texas on a cruise around Europe.
crowsfeat.com; nostalgiahhh film podcast
