Greengrass' 'The Uprising' Stumbles Before Sept. 11 US Release as 1381 Revolt Epic Misfires
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 9
Greengrass' 'The Uprising' Stumbles Before Sept. 11 US Release as 1381 Revolt Epic Misfires
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 9
Summary
Sept. 11 marks the US release of “The Uprising,” but the new Paul Greengrass historical epic lands as a largely negative critical verdict on its debut.
Andrew Garfield’s Ploughman leads a 1381 tax revolt after losing his family to plague, yet the review says the intended everyman hero never becomes convincing enough to carry the film.
Paul Greengrass’ march from Kent to London delivers occasional striking images and strong support from Jamie Bell, Cosmo Jarvis and Katherine Waterston, but shaky fight scenes and rushed pacing blunt the drama.
Focus Features briefly retitled the film “The Uprising: The Rise of Robin Hood” before release, even though the story reportedly makes no mention of Robin Hood and the revolt came nearly 200 years later.
The film’s biggest missed chance is its modern resonance: a story about heavy taxes, inequality and authoritarian rule that the review says fails to fully connect 1381 with today’s politics.