ThrillMessage There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

emuir-1 Glorious TV, especially for those who like action. The Sharpe series has to be the best TV ever, and for what we are frequently told is a low budget series, the cast and crew have worked miracles. Each episode could have stood alone as a theatre film, especially during the school holidays. Not only are the leads superb in their roles, but the guest stars, such as James Purefoy and John Kavanagh are top drawer, and where do they find these magnificent singers? A lot of the enjoyment for me is listening to the beautiful clear singing unaccompanied by instrumental backing. Location scenery, battles, sword fighting, humour and camaraderie. What more can you ask. The rollicking 'Boy's Own' adventure is rarely seen these days. HBO in particular seems to offer splendidly photographed soft core porn. Sharpe usually gets the girl as there is a damsel in distress every time, but the sex, if any, is kept off screen so the children can watch this series - although any romance probably go right over their heads. Best of all, the series has humour but avoids the mawkish sentimentality that so many American shows fall into. I loved the spectacular locations, and felt for the actors as one could see the breath coming out of their mouths in the freezing cold. The battles, cannon, muskets and confusion, with dead and dying soldiers were very realistic. The sword fights are not the fancy fencing of Errol Flynn and Cornel Wilde, they are hard, violent, smashing and slashing fights to the death. Running the opponent through is the way to finish them off. Possible spoiler ahead:My only faults with this episode, aside from the casting of the irritating Emily Mortimer, who always looks ready to weep, is the unlikely fight between Sharpe and Leroux the day after Sharpe had been snatched from the jaws of death having taken a deep cut to the shoulder which had to be stitched up by Ms. Mortimer, followed by her digging a musket ball out of his intestines which were already festering. Sharpe then developed a fever which was treated by dunking him in icy water, then being cuddled by Ms. Mortimer overnight. Next morning, bright as a button he is leading his men in a charge on the French fort, and wielding a very heavy sword ending with the aforementioned duel. Give me a break! The nine lives of Richard Sharpe. The other puzzle was why Lord Pierce did not expose or kill Leroux when he had the chance, rather than acting as devil's advocate at the petition to revoke Leroux's parole. After watching my DVD set, I am definitely going to read the books.

Dave from Ottawa All of the usual elements of a Sharpe adventure are here: intrigue, in the person of a French spy-catcher and possible traitors within the English ranks; romance, in the form of a mute girl who nurses a wounded Sharpe back to health after a bloody night action; and another terrific battle recreation as Sharpe's riflemen attempt to overrun a french fort outside the town of Villafranca. The usual cast are superb, as ever, and Michael Cochrane nearly steals the movie as arrogant aristocrat Sir Henry Simmerson. Look for Emily Mortimer as the mute girl.As usual, the best aspect of the film is its wonderfully authentic period detail and lovely Spanish scenery. Recommended.

bengad This is, by and large, one of the best Sharpe films. Richard (Sean Bean) is between wives, so he's free to romp about looking for other women and get busy. Surprisingly enough, he doesn't. In fact, this is, to say the least, one of Sharpe's most noble hours. Of the remaining riflemen, Harris, is given a surprising and delightful role. Sharpe's life is threatened, and Harper and his wife show a lot of emotion and care for the Major. Sharpe's Sword is also one of the last movies that's solidly great in the Sharpe series (Regiment and Mission are good, Justice is okay, haven't seen Waterloo yet). You've got a larger, climatic finish, with (budget in mind) a big fight scene, a good Sharpe vs Frenchmen sword fight, and an awesome sword fight, where Simmerson gets owned by a supposed pacifist. What more could you ask for?If you're trying to prioritize on which Sharpe DVDs you should purchase, or looking to borrow from a Library or friend, this is one of the best.

qwer80 I totally agree with the in-depth review already submitted. This episode of the Sharpe series is my all-time favorite and the character of Lord Jack and the performance by James Purefoy have become a must -see every few months or so! I own all fourteen of the Sharpe series and annually play them in sequence. James Purefoy's portrayal of the tragic figure of Lord Jack and the tension-fraught scene in the library are worthy of any first-line production in the theater. You can tell I am a huge Sharpe fan (Sean Bean being the ultimate action hero of all time!) and I really feel sorry for people who have missed this engrossing and intelligently researched and produced series! Bernard Cornwell, author of the novels from which Sharpe is taken, is an outstanding writer and I recommend his other works to all. If you are a reader, try one of his many engrossing historical novels.