Solomon Kane

Friday 19th February 2010, 3:00AM GMT.

In the Bible, the character of Solomon – son of David and King of Israel – is venerated for his wisdom.

The only wisdom shown by Solomon Kane, the anti-hero of Michael J Bassett’s historical action adventure, is the unnaturally white teeth in his head.

Based on the character created by Robert E Howard, the eponymous, early 17th century Puritan cuts a swathe through his enemies ‘on the borderlands of Somerset and Devonshire,’ with his trademark pistols, cutlass and rapier.

Fight sequences are edited together with a fury so it becomes impossible to distinguish hero from villain in the flickering melee; the titular warrior commanding anyone who will listen, ‘Let not one of these putrid heathens live!’ He’s true to his word.

During an expedition in northern Africa, Solomon (James Purefoy) storms a castle hold full of treasure, only to see his men slain by demonic creatures hiding within a hall of mirrors.

The Reaper (voiced by Ian Whyte) comes for Solomon to claim his soul but the barbarian escapes his hellish fate by renouncing violence and his sins.

Returning to England, Solomon seeks refuge in a monastery but he is asked to leave by the Abbot.

On the road, Solomon befriends a Puritan, William Crowthorn (Pete Postlethwaite), his wife Katherine (Alice Krige) and their children, Meredith (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and Samuel (Patrick Hurd-Wood).

The man of peace grows especially fond of Meredith so when an evil overlord and his possessed minions attack the family and enslave Meredith, Solomon risks his very soul by returning to his old, bloodthirsty ways to launch a daring rescue mission.

‘If I kill you, I am bound for Hell.

It is a price I shall gladly pay!’ growls Solomon, painting the fake snow-laden countryside a lovely shade of blood red.

Solomon Kane is a rather simplistic tale of a morally corrupt man’s fall and equally spectacular redemption, bookmarked by set pieces of swordplay on foot and horseback.

Production values are cheap and cheerful, including a computer-generated demon from the underworld in the final showdown that might very well have been transplanted straight from a videogame.

The revelations of the final half hour involving Solomon’s father Josiah (Max von Sydow) and his brother Marcus (Samuel Roukin) come as no surprise and the only eye-opening moment in the entire film is an encounter with a holy man, Father Michael (Mackenzie Crook).

Purefoy wields his blade with intent, often coated in thick mud, but fails to tease a single tangible emotion from his damned slayer.

His accent is as thick as clotted cream, the adversaries thicker still as they virtually fling themselves onto his blades, heads and limbs hacked clean off in a flash of angry metal.