Patrick Melavin
If you saw Sean Connery in the James Bond franchise, you should see this; “In the Name of the Rose.” Sean Connery portrays an intellectually sagacious friar that has been sent to a mysterious abbey to investigate a peculiar death. Set in the fourteenth century and released in 1986, it is a mesmerizing capsule into the practical effects and whimsical set designs of the nineteenth century. Fans of Sean Connery’s investigative skills throughout the Bond series, and movies such as The Rock or Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade will be delightfully entertained once again throughout this film as he solves murders in a Sherlock Holmes-esque style.
Joined in the film with Christian Slater as a young novice to Connery’s Franciscan friar, the pair go to an isolated abbey to initially investigate one peculiar death, and then stumble upon a conspiracy that spirals into multiple murders and ominous clues.
Supporting performances as well from Ron Pearlman, Valentina Vargas, and F. Murray Abraham all give nuanced portrayals that truly feel as lived in parts. Each and every actor on screen gives a refreshingly authentic performance.
Filmed with an Arrifex 35mm camera, the first hand-held movie camera that had the feature of light measurement in scene, it encapsulates that time period in a modern point of view. Centered on dreary Italian landscapes with a mainly earth tone color palette, it still manages to produce vibrant stills and moments popping with color and life. The film's opening shot leads you on the adventure to the abbey, snow capped mountains and wide expansive bucolic shots of the land. Here is the first statement of the film among many more, that they are journeying into the darkness.
Mystery, deceit, and a slight bit of cynical humor are the pillars holding up the monumental themes throughout the movie, while impressive set designs and magnetic performances are the wheels that push you forward to keep you enthralled.
I would consider the film to be a wonderful contest between the generalized ideology of monks and monasteries: Silent men working and praying towards a devoted leader as they operate as a community, versus the opposite of men playing politics in dark dungeons. I would highly recommend this film to nostalgia lovers especially, from the saturation of color, the mannerisms in which the actors interact with each other, and a heavy reliance on practical effects all stir together to form an intellectual murder mystery movie. This wonderful film is a whodunnit elevated to its core principles and profoundly showcasing each element.
Available to see for free on streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Tubi, Pluto Tv, and The CW, there is no shortage of availability! With truly an enthralling performance from Sean Connery that will be just as captivating as other films of his you may have saw, see this!
