HollyShorts Special 4 - King of the Iron Will Review

“You think you’ve won. The crown will teach you otherwise”.

– King Draven

King of the Iron Will is an intense medieval drama, set in the aftermath of a bloody rebellion and an epic battle. But don’t be deceived, we see enough rapidly paced flashbacks to these events in the film’s almost 14-minute runtime to let us know what’s gone on beforehand.

This is an intense, dialogue driven drama, depicting what happens after the victory of a long war, or depending on the side you’re on, the defeat. After the bloodshed and suffering, flags raised or burnt.

King Baron of the Iron Will (Liam James Collins, who also wrote this short film) makes his way to the castle of the defeated King Draven the Soulless (Charlie Creed-Miles) for a final confrontation. Draven was responsible for the massacre, which led to the war now won by Baron, and Baron is here to claim his crown. But, as warned by Draven, perhaps overthrowing a tyrant might make the victor himself the very thing he has defeated. Thus, a debate about power, revenge and legacy becomes their final battlefield.

Filmed on location in two Scottish castles, King of the Iron Will presents a tense verbal drama against the cold, unyielding background of an actual medieval castle. The film is captivating from its opening scenes showing Baron approaching the lair of the defeated King. As we progress into the castle, the style of director Scott Vickers struck me as reminiscent of Robert Eggerts, particularly in his use of subdued lighting.

The back-and-forth dialogue is delivered entirely in a Shakespearean style, which reenforces the authentic feel of the film. Also noteworthy are the haunting music and songs provided by Lady Maisery, Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith, which add immeasurably to the overall tone.

This is an expertly done example of inventive film making, telling an epic story of war, retribution and consequences without hundreds of extras or CGI to pad out the story. This is the true spirit of film making and I’m glad to see it still exists.

Rating = 8