Knightfall (2026) – Film Review
Director: Ben Fortune
Cast: Ian Ogilvy, Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, Geoffrey Moore
Certificate: 15
By Roger Crow
Anyone who has grown up since the 1960s may be suffering from spy-fi fatigue, and little wonder. The explosion of 007 clones has reached insane proportions, ranging from the good (Kingsman: The Secret Service) to the terrible, such as Spy Hard.
That brings us to Knightfall, the latest offering from the Shogun stable, makers of modestly budgeted horror films and thrillers that have kept the company afloat in an era when Hollywood behemoths dominate the market.
In a perfect world, all microbudget movies would feature Ian Ogilvy and Nick Moran. While we get a bit of the latter, thankfully, we also get loads of the former in Knightfall. Ogilvy is in danger of stealing the movie from under the noses of co-stars Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott and Geoffrey Moore, effortlessly devouring every scene he’s in like a ravenous gazelle.
“A lot of fun”
The part of seasoned spy Charles Knight suits him down to the ground. His relationship with his estranged daughter, security operative Ros (Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott), forms part of the movie’s emotional backbone, while it’s great to see Roger Moore’s son Geoffrey adding a truckload of charm to proceedings as Ros’s old flame. (I had a chat with Geoffrey recently, and he’s far more charming in the flesh than on screen.)
‘Jaffa’, as he’s also known, was at his home in Switzerland when we spoke. And, with that segue out of the way, director Ben Fortune ensures Knightfall ticks over like a Swiss watch. Yes, the script could have been given more polish, and yes, the first act could have been tightened up. But when that third act plays out, it’s a lot of fun.
Fans of one of the best 007 epics of the past 20 years may be reminded of that movie, but if you’re going to be inspired by any film, make it a classic.
Is Knightfall the best spy-fi thriller of the year? No, but it’s a lot more enjoyable than Fortune’s earlier 2026 offering, Doctor Plague. On the strength of this, I hope we get to see more Moore, Ogilvy and Moran, as well as those other reliable regulars from the Shogun stable. While we wait for Jack Lowden, or whoever fronts the next Bond offering, to hit the big screen, this will fill the gap nicely.
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
