Adormidera (2013)
Certified: PG
Duration: 95 minutes
Directed by: Ray Mizzi
Starring: Andrei Claude, Audrey Harrison, Rachelle De Battista, Henry Zammit Cordina, Joseph Calleja
Released by Great Siege Productions Ltd

Local film-makers face many hurdles, and the fact that a movie like Adormidera was made and is being shown on the big screen is a huge boost to Malta’s film production industry and a boon for the team behind this picture.

Local movies deserve all the support of cinemagoers, but it would be demeaning to say that Adormidera is to be seen simply because it is a local film.

The producers, who labelled the film as Malta’s first epic movie (which I would not have used as this really sets expectations flying high), get a lot of things right and some that could have been done better. However, all in all, Adormidera is a brave and courageous movie that is not afraid of taking risks and dreaming big.

The premise is a very basic one: in medieval times, a group of five soldiers are involved in battles up north. They end up victorious but tired out and are slowly making their way home.

The group is led by Tristan de Leon (Andrei Claude), a warrior who comes from a noble family of warriors. Going back home they come across a castle that is well defended and well garrisoned, and which is under the command of Lord William (Henry Zammit Cordina), who is corrupt, selfish and not to be trusted.

It is immediately evident that something strange is going on in the castle, even from the simple fact that Tristan and his men are not allowed to bring in any poppies (a girl had given them a poppy before entering). Tristan is bewitched by a mysterious woman he meets, and who is called Adormidera (Audrey Harrison). He cannot get her out of his mind, but the more he asks about her, the more he raises suspicions and hostility.

My minor quibbles about this film is that it could have benefited from a meatier script; as it is, the script barely sustains it to make it through its running time. If you are going epic, with a duration of 95 minutes, you need a bit more ‘oomph’.

The music is at times a bit too intrusive and it envelopes all other sounds which can be quite irritating, especially during the battle scenes, where I would have preferred to hear the sound of swords and shields clashing.

The production’s forte is its look – from the costumes to the setting

I also question the choice of English as a language for this production. I believe that the use of Maltese would have given the film a more natural feel, an even more visceral and heartfelt ambience, and opened it up to a greater audience – one that needs to see something more challenging than the inane stuff we get on the tube in Maltese.

On the plus side, Adormidera is a supremely atmospheric film that gets the moods just right. It has epic visions and visuals, and director Ray Mizzi knows how to curtail budgetary limitations and still deliver a grand vision.

The use of locations gives the idea of the Lord of the Rings style of travel which is quite an eye-opener on the way Maltese locations should be used. The action choreography is also well carried out, especially in the final climactic battle.

I also enjoyed the shift in tone in the finale where elements of The Ring were used in the way Harrison was filmed. (Hint: a horror movie in Maltese using this kind of visuals would be an interesting experiment!)

The production’s forte is its look – from the costumes to the setting. A market scene in the castle is simply spot on.

The Anakron Living History and Show of Arms groups are believable and contribute to the film’s authentic look. Their enthusiasm is very palpable and adds considerably to the film.

Among the performances, Claude and Zammit Cordina stand out. Claude has good screen presence and portrays well the noble hero that has seen his sense of idealism dissipating before his eyes by the callousness of the world around him.

Meanwhile, Zammit Cordina’s character is an almost Shakespearian kind of tragic villain, who is forced to go down the wrong roads, albeit unwillingly, due to a string of events.

Adormidera is a very good calling card for Great Siege Productions Ltd.

It should also serve to encourage other quality productions.