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Short summary

In 13th century Ireland, a group of monks must escort a sacred relic across an Irish landscape fraught with peril.
Ireland, 1209. An island on the edge of the world. A small group of monks begin a reluctant pilgrimage across an island torn between centuries of tribal warfare and the growing power of Norman invaders. Escorting their monastery's holiest relic to Rome, the monks' progress is seen through the eyes of a pious young novice and a mute lay-brother with a violent past. As the true material, political and religious significance of the bejeweled relic becomes dangerously apparent, their path to the east coast becomes increasingly fraught with danger. The monks belatedly realize that in this wild land of ancient superstitions, the faith that binds them together may ultimately lead to their destruction.

Trailers "Паломничество (2017)"

Tom Holland once said that him and Jon Bernthal were auditioning for the roles of Spider-Man and Punisher while filming the movie. They were both recording self tapes on set and sending them to Marvel .

The soundtrack for the movie featured the choir 'Crux' (directed by Paul McGough) which swelled its ranks to create the largest professional male-voice choir ever assembled in Ireland.

To prepare for his role, Jon Bernthal spent the first few weeks of shooting completely silent, even when he's not on set.

The shoot will take place on the west coast of Ireland and the Ardennes region of Belgium (starts April 2015).

The dialogue in the film is spoken in three different languages: The Irish monks speak Irish (Gaelic) among themselves, the French warriors speak French, and the conversations between the various groups are in English. Irish and French dialogue is subtitled in English. There are also short passages, all of them of a religious nature, in Latin.

Tom Holland has some dialogue in Irish (Gaelic) in the film.

Richard Armitage, Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Armitage is in Captain America: The First Avenger, Holland is in Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Bernthal is in the television show The Punisher

The story is not based on a book but on an original script.

Very few females appear in the film.

Contrary to the legend of the death of St Matthias proposed in the movie, the most commonly accepted version of the real St Matthias' death is that he died of old age in Jerusalem at the age of 80.

Jon Bernthal has only a single word of dialogue in the entire film.

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: Kalrajas
    In the early 13th century a group of monks are tasked to transport an ancient holy relic from their remote monastery in Ireland to Rome. They have organised assistance along the way in the form of some French soldiers but events do not pan out in a straightforward way.

    This Irish adventure-drama is one which manages to capture its period feel while retaining a contemporary edge. The problem with these types of movies is often the characters spout dialogue which is overly dramatic and false feeling, like a bunch of modern actors pretending to be from medieval times. In this case, it didn't feel like this so much, with performances being universally convincing and understated enough to feel considerably more authentic than is usual. The choice of using different languages of the day assisted in this, with Gaelic, French and English (the latter of which being used as a substitute for Latin, which the film-makers decided could not be spoken naturally nowadays so an artistic compromise was to substitute that for English). The gloomy Irish landscape was very evocative and atmospheric and captured very well cinematically, and like other adventure-dramas like the Amazon films of Werner Herzog, the landscape is to all intents and purposes another character too, given its visual potency. There is an excellent low-key atmospheric score underpinning the imagery and events which serves the tension and drama very well also. The story itself is very minimalistic and straightforward with a quest narrative that actively allows for a variety of different events to unfold, which includes a couple of dynamic action scenes – a brutal and intense ambush in a forest and a finale on a beach. The story is clever enough to allow for a religious interpretation while offering up rationale explanations for all events too. In this way, it has a modern feel to it while playing off the mysteries inherent in the religious side of things. Overall, I found this to be a very compelling bit of work, with a great atmospheric setting and interesting characters. And because it is an Irish production, it does have a more authentically Celtic feel to it, which served the material well.
  • comment
    • Author: Fiarynara
    PILGRIMAGE (2017)

    This is the new film from the Irish director of the excellent 2009 flick called SAVAGE about an assault on a news reporter in Dublin (and it's aftermath) and I gotta say, if Werner Herzog had made this film rather than one about an Amazonian trek he wudda been quite happy.

    The film is set in the early 1200s in Ireland where superstition and the struggle for Christian domination of the country are rife and there, an envoy from Rome is sent to collect a supposedly sacred relic from some rural monks and bring it back to the holy city.

    The movie is grim, and conveys the horrible conditions people existed/lived in back then perfectly (the bloody weather looks the same as Ireland has now though haha). It's highly atmospheric, with bleak Irish landscapes, and the acting is top notch with the film basically being a dangerous road trip carrying the relic to a ship that's waiting for them in Waterford (to sail across to France and onward to Rome).

    The fact that the film is recorded in Irish, French, and English adds a brilliant realism to proceedings which echoes the situation at the time with Ireland being infringed upon from all sides, and along the way things get very messy and bloody (one death is particularly gruesome).

    I'm sure there wasn't a huge Hollywood budget for PILGRIMAGE but they've kept things really concentrated and its certainly exceeds what you might expect to be straight to video cheese.

    This is the third film I've seen by Brendan Muldowney and I think the guy has some talent. I will be looking out for his next film and if you haven't already caught SAVAGE Id check that out too.
  • comment
    • Author: DrayLOVE
    Out of the creeping faerie mist of a dark age comes an intensely suspenseful tale about why we choose our allegiances. This is the heart of the story - our reasons make no sense.

    The drama revolves around a lump of rock. That any other lump could replace it at any time and no-one would notice is openly stated in the dialogue. It's the stark question woven through the plot - is faith taken on faith alone really worth fighting for?

    It's a tense film, beautifully written and exquisitely acted. Each viewer decides what the film's about - it doesn't explain itself, it falls silent. Everyone will see something different. Some might conclude we're all compelled towards war whether we like it or not. Some might decide we're all in league with the Devil whether we know it or not. Some might believe we're all still lost in the creeping faerie mist clutching for something to save us.

    Some reviewers didn't rate it highly as an action thriller but it's not a superficial movie and maybe doesn't fit into that genre. There's far more being shown in the subtext and the themes than being told in the action. As for the excessive violence, I felt it merely conveyed the grim reality of melee combat. After all, hidden in the word 'Pilgrimage' is the word 'grim'.

    It's a mark of a brilliant film when after seeing it once you must see it again. On the second viewing, it bit me deeper on the neck and made me more its thrall.

    For me, the main highlight was Jon Bernthal's acting. It was haunting. He played a voiceless man who served the monks as the lowliest of their group and I fell in love with his tragic integrity. He reminded me of another tormented anti-hero of contemporary myth - Angel from 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer': the vampire cursed with a soul, plagued by a weight of remorse for a hellish past. Both crave absolution and will do anything to receive it.

    I loved 'Pilgrimage'. It was a strangely beguiling hybrid of superstitious medievalism clashing with an ancient landscape alive with pre-existing belief. And the ending was satisfyingly unsatisfying - like all good fairy tales are.
  • comment
    • Author: Orevise
    Yes this film is bloody. For some the scenes might even be shocking, but I really enjoyed this film. Acting was good, the suspense build up was very good. And at no point did it seem the violence was unnecessary. If you enjoy historical type films and don't mind seeing a head bashed in close up, you will enjoy this.
  • comment
    • Author: Qulcelat
    I've gone for this movie with no expectations based on its rating ,, but I was really surprised .. This movie is really Powerful that after its end it would make you think for a while about your convictions or the principles of your beliefs . * maybe not going wrong with them but just questioning *

    It discusses things not about religion but particularly the way of Religious speech and people who may control the message of religions in general ( Not Christianity in particular ) and how politics also may affect how things work ..

    The acting is very good especially that of Jon Bernthal ( The Mute ) .. The music is well played as well as the picture ,, Great Atmosphere of that period of time ( 13th century ) with bloody violent action scenes which were really well performed

    This is my first movie of the director Brendan Muldowney and I think it won't be the last .. Great Job

    Overall I liked nearly everything about the movie . If you're interested in that period of time and historical movies , Just go for it ..
  • comment
    • Author: Legionstatic
    This strong, atmospheric, and beautifully-made little film did not disappoint based on reviews that either put it in the trash for "gratuitous violence" or gave it a firm pat on the head for a good attempt.

    I see the value in the latter assessment - working on a budget, this film does a lot with what it has, providing hauntingly beautiful vistas of an ancient Ireland and making its story stretch beyond its small shooting framework. The actors, too, make so much of the script they've been given, with great performances throughout. Although this does lead me onto the main drawback of the film: the characters are largely undeveloped, especially that of Diarmuid - who is the protagonist no less - and his Brothers. We can see that he cares about them a lot - after all, "the monastery is all he's ever known" - but more development would have been crucial to making me really care about whether they lived or died, failed or succeeded. The most interesting characters for me were Geraldus and the Mute, "grey" characters whose backstories are hinted at if never fully disclosed, and with sublime subtlety in the case of Bernthal's character. The characters we do get to truly see are rewarding, albeit darkly, and were one of the film's greatest triumphs - it just would have been great to see the same treatment given to the lead protagonist and primary villain.

    In the other camp, I don't think the story could have worked without the levels of violence, savagery, and loss that we see, which the viewer must witness with the same unblinking acceptance that the characters do. In this, there is a hidden depth to Pilgrimage, a story about Ireland, the land where "there was never peace". One review focused around the particular Irishness of the film rang true in some places - that the colour shown here is multiple shades of grey, and little green - if not in others. This is not a deconstruction of the "Irish" mythos, but it does touch, tenderly and reverentially, upon the idea of an unattainable relic: to know peace, both within and without, a dream not limited to this country but echoed in Jerusalem and beyond. Though it does not present its findings in a wholly satisfying parcel, the film did provoke thought about where that quest for peace could lead us next - to what bloody ends or watery graves? To what loss and to what triumphs?

    "Where to now?"
  • comment
    • Author: Nuliax
    As a student of theology I am always drawn to movies like this. However, I am often left disappointed, and somewhat frustrated. This one is no exception but overall it is definitely worth a watch. As a movie it is a good yarn with a story line that moves along quite nicely. As far as performances go they are very strong. Tom Holland is a great young actor who is more than up to his role. He walks the line of young naive man faced with difficult theological choices and as such earns the viewer's sympathy and admiration. I am a fan of Jon Bernthal ever since his appearance in The Walking Dead and will watch anything with him in it. He carries off the role of mute with a commanding and menacing presence. A task not easy to accomplish with very limited dialogue. Richard Armitage also does a fine job Although I cannot comment on the accuracy of his French accent :). Stanley Weber, John Lynch and the whole supporting cast are all very capable and believable. The director Brendan Muldowney does a fine job and I will watch with interest for his future work. I also really like the use of many languages which always adds an interesting ingredient to any movie.

    If I were to sum this story up I would in the following: "A story of faith and ambition and how one can be usurped by the other."

    As a story about a relic and what it inspires, it is a fine one. The power of faith is a fascinating aspect of humanity. We all need to believe in something whether it is the big bang theory or creationism. Faith, if strong enough, can motivate us to wondrous achievements or diabolical destruction. Powerful faith and the symbols of it also attract the ambitious. Ambition is also in us all and its draw is impossible to deny. When faith meets ambition a battle is imminent. This story is nuanced and faceted with elements such as loyalty, betrayal, friendship and revenge but which all flow from the primary motivators: faith and ambition. For the average viewer it may be too much so and as such the attention to detail may be lost. However, that does not take away from the performances which are very strong, the story which is engrossing and the cinematography which is magnificent. I love to see the beautiful Irish landscape portrayed on the big screen.

    My only caveat was the ending. I found it unsatisfying. I will say no more than it lacked any positive conclusion. The banality of the human struggle. We live, we struggle and we die. HEY: They don't all die in the end. I am not saying that in case you think I just spoiled the ending. Well they don't but I found it just rang too much of the initial cynicism of Ecclesiastics: Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. However, even the writer of Ecclesiastes realised that there are things bigger than ourselves and there is purpose to it all that only God knows. So we trust in God and do the best we can. It could be argued that this message was in the movie but I did not find it apparent in the ending. There were certainly elements displayed, particularly when they follow the bell in the bog. However, it just seemed to unravel at the end. I am an optimist and I like happy endings, especially in the movies I watch. Failing that I settle for resolution. I got neither. I watch movies to be entertained, not to be depressed or frustrated. If I want that i just go out my front door. Thank you very much.

    Having said all that I realise it is only a movie and as such it a right good one. Overall, a recommended watch.
  • comment
    • Author: Zeus Wooden
    This film is great, believable action, characters and setting. Good soundtrack, charismatic actors, it's well paced and has decent camera work.

    The story has a certain pen and paper role-playing feel to it, we have a party of adventurers going on a quest, and there aren't many movies made like that.

    The novelty of it aside, it never gets boring due to its plot twists and realistic looking action.

    There is an epic historic novel called "Raptor" which has a similar story, at least the first few pages of it. When "Pilgrimage" ends you can't help but wonder what happens to the young monk going out into the world after being cloistered away for his whole life.
  • comment
    • Author: Murn
    The ancient times of Ireland are fascinating, yet rarely represented in cinema. This film offers a glimpse of the burgeoning Christian faith, ancient and mysterious pagan traditions, and military upheaval. These forces characterise Ireland in the 1200s. There are clashes between belief systems and brutal military forces. The film portrays devout faith and a closeness to nature. The hills and valleys are beautiful, and often depicted in a suitably harsh and forbidding manner, while the plot and characters are nicely layered with good action-packed twists and turns.

    I recommend this film to anyone with an interest in Ireland, ancient times, or religion.
  • comment
    • Author: Onnell
    Brendon Muldowney's 'Pilgrimage' is an odyssey, so to speak, of a group of monks, guardians of a sacred relic, across the Irish landscape, shrouded undreamed menace that moors and vales foreshadow, to its final destination the seat of papal power in Rome.

    The narrative, written by Jamie Hannigan, traces a path though woodlands, as it winds its way in 1290 towards the port of Waterford where a ship awaits the holy cargo.

    As we travel into the heart of history, the story takes a road of themes that we can recognize today in holy war, political tensions between west and east, Europe and the Muslim world that play itself out in of constant movement, in a setting fraught with danger and death.

    In the silences of the Irish countryside, the perilous journey causes great stress and ominous presence of Norman conquerors; of the great struggle of religion and pagan beliefs; of faith and superstition; and of rough justice and the ever-present supernatural.

    Yet, 'Pilgrimage', in the way the story line works itself out is simply the woven strands of plot are drawn ever tightly together into a poetic or maybe a mystical finale; it is also the moral and spiritual education of Dairmuid (Tom Holland), raised in a monastery in the Irish west where Gaelic is spoken, as he ventures into a wider and dangerous and unknown world.

    And in the end it is his innocence that saves him from death that his fellow monks and Norman nobles and the zealous fanatical Cistercian monk meet at the hands of wily pagans who stand outside the Church's redemption.

    Duplicity is a common theme: Christian piety and simplicity versus raw and naked politics, a harking back to the Guelf and Ghibelline controversy, opposing factions that, one supports the papacy and the other kings and emperors, for possession of the sacred relic will determine the fate of Western Christendom.

    For the pope, the relic--a stone that crushed the skull of the apostle Matthais will prove him the Church triumphal and triumphant in a holy Crusade that once and for all wrest Jerusalem from the hold of the Muslims.

    For the Norman sire Raymond de Merville (Richard Armitage), it will enable the French king to bargain with the Pope for his right to influence the church in France, a precursor of a national state and feeling.

    For Brother Geraldus (Stanley Weber), the stone as he lays it in the hands of the Pope, will seal his rise in the esteem of the Pope and promotion to higher office if not election as Pontiff, a Faustian bargain he made by denouncing his father as a heretic.

    And for Dairmud, his faith will never fails him through intrigue, betrayal, murder and grotesque mayhem. And then for the mute (Jon Bernal) who protects him and fight valiantly to protect the lad until his death, protecting the stone is an act of atonement for past sins and crimes he had amassed in the sacking of Constantinople?

    And into the world of extraordinary violence and faith, and our imagination. Muldowney's camera captures sharply and clearly the symbols of death and doom, heavenly wrath and the symbols associated with death in the presence of crows, ravens and black birds of carrion. 'Pilgrimage' inspires us as much as it repels us by its turbulence and claps of thunder and raging thunderbolts.

    The story is historically true in detail: it reflects the linguistic fluency of the time: Gaelic, English, French and Latin; the fluidity of the camera, its sharp color and images that create an atmosphere of dread and hope; and, the suspense that lends itself to atmosphere of dread and hope, doom and salvation; and ultimately, the sole survivor, young Dairmuid whose simple childlike faith and purity of mind and soul mirrors the promise of salvation that Jesus foretells in 'Matthew'.

    'Pilgrimage' is a better film than publicly received. It is a small film financed for the most part by the Irish Film Board, which may account for its being slighted by the critics.

    The vividness of color and the superb camera work and the acting make it a film worth seeing again and again. Still, it is not a story for the faint of heart.
  • comment
    • Author: Nafyn
    This is very good. far more realistic than Hollywood might produce. it's interesting, much dogma was born of superstition, identifications that without science, were attributed to whatever godly (natural) forces our people believed in at the time. However, belief is a force unto itself and it does serve to manipulate circumstance. that is in here too. well told
  • comment
    • Author: Gamba
    As far as period pieces set in the middle ages go, this one isn't very glamorous. It's a decently well made film with some strong individual performances that basically carry a mostly disjointed and only slightly nuanced story. My rating for this movie is a fairly weak 7/10. That rating is floated higher than I would have normally given it for three specific reasons.

    First, the performances: Holland as the young, pious monk who has never known anything but life in the monastery yet quickly matures when faced with adversity. Bernthal as the obedient and entirely subservient mute with an obviously profound yet mysterious history who becomes the star of the show on more than one occasion without saying a word. Stanley Weber as the Cistercian, the guy the Church sends out to do their dirty work basically and effectively starts the "Pilgrimage" in the first place. Of course, there's also Richard Armitage as the surly French knight commanding his Baron father's equally surly men while throwing surly looks around all the time. This would have been a horribly dull and hard to watch movie if these guys didn't pull off these fairly typical medieval character archetypes well and it feels to me like they did.

    Second, the action and set sequences were well done. I tend to be the kind of person who is immediately thrown off by a bad transition or a sequence of shots that just don't really work well together. I didn't see very much of that in this film. Granted, it's not difficult managing scene transition when most every scene is shot outdoors in Ireland but when the action happens, it's brutal and effective.

    Third, symbolism. If you are someone who does not like it when a movie expects you to draw your own significance from the story it's trying to tell, this is not a movie you might like. Religion is a central theme in this movie and it is built on a foundation of symbolism that can be taken any number of different ways. If you like diving into the deeper meaning of things, you will actually love this movie. Especially how it ends.
  • comment
    • Author: Swift Summer
    This movie kept me intrigued throughout without a lot of dialogue or action. The several messages inside are amazing and I must give props to the writers. On such a small budget this is easily one of the best movies I've ever seen. Beautiful music that's subtle enough to not take away from any scene. The ambiguous messages can be applied to so many situations and people to allow a wide variety of wisdom. Jon Bernthal's portrayal of The Mute is incredible seeing as I have yet to see him in any other role than Action Star, with only one word of dialogue his character is incredibly acted out. Tom Holland for being as young as he is creating such an intriguing character with moral dilemmas that grew, pulling this off at such a young age is incredible. I highly recommend this movie.
  • comment
    • Author: Fani
    Very good movie with a stellar cast. There is Spiderman, the Punisher, a cool spy dude from spooks for a stark. Lots of Irish faces and Hollands Irish is not too bad. Great work throughout and good writing. Please watch this one. You won't be disappointed. Good multilingual Fare. I am not surprised I like it.
  • comment
    • Author: Armin
    Between CENTURION and VALHALLA RISING, this is a gruesome, gritty, brutal medieval tale, not for the squeamish, not for the sissies, billions miles away from Hollywood or Guy Ritchie's crap destined to idiots. I enjoyed it from the beginning to the end. No super heroes here, only characters facing their destiny, their doom. There should be many more films like this one. Hands up folks. But I perfectly understand that not everyone can like it.
  • comment
    • Author: Tyler Is Not Here
    A very classic "we have to go from A to B and it is dangerous". I really loved the way the film improved because I knew a little bit about Irish history. (Check out Wikipedia for Irish history for 5 min before viewing the film.) It gave me the 13th century feel. Not excellent, but very good.
  • comment
    • Author: Agalen
    First of all, I must say that I primarily enjoy movies for entertainment and elements such as story, script and even acting come second. This movie, although reasonably well-made, falls very short in the entertainment department and I found myself checking the clock many times and wondering when something exciting would happen. After reading another review on here that claimed the gore was gratuitous, well, I wonder if they were watching the same movie because there was very little gore. When I think gore, I think people getting limbs hacked off and blood spurting everywhere. Not much of that going on here so don't watch this movie expecting to see much of that at all. This movie might be worth a watch if you have nothing else to do on a Sunday and can handle watching a movie with very little action.
  • comment
    • Author: Danskyleyn
    'PILGRIMAGE': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

    An Irish medieval thriller starring Tom Holland (now of 'SPIDER-MAN' fame) and Jon Bernthal (of TV's 'THE PUNISHER' fame, and 'THE WALKING DEAD'). It tells the story of a group of Irish monks (in 1209 Ireland) transporting a holy relic to Rome. When they realize just how important the relic is, their journey becomes much more dangerous. The movie costars Richard Armitage, Stanley Weber, John Lynch and Eric Godon. It was directed by Brendan Muldowney, and it was written by Jamie Hannigan. It's received mostly positive reviews from critics, and it's being released on VOD and at the Box Office (in limited indie theaters) this weekend. I really enjoyed it.

    The story is set in 1209 Ireland, a time when tribal wars were extreme and Norman invaders were becoming more dominant. A group of monks are tasked with delivering their holiest relic to Rome. They're lead by a young Novice (Holland), and a mute lay-brother (Bernthal) with a mysterious and violent past. As the monks realize how valuable and significant the relic is (to others as well), their journey becomes much more dangerous (and quite bloody). Disputes between the monks themselves also become a serious problem.

    The film is pretty well made, acted and it's quite involving. It's pretty dark, and it's also surprisingly graphically violent! It has some pretty good commentary to deliver on religious beliefs too, and the horrific power many people give them. It also has three good performances from Holland, Bernthal and Armitage. Holland actually reminds me a lot of Frodo in the film, he looks a lot like him and there's even a lot of parallels between the two roles (and the movies even). Armitage is a great villain too, but the coolest part of the film has got be Bernthal as the badass mentally unstable antihero. I had a lot of fun watching him dominate his action scenes. It's an entertaining movie for sure.

    Watch an episode of our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://vimeo.com/230044658
  • comment
    • Author: Kulafyn
    Originality in films is rare. Most are based on several well used formats with little or no changes from one to the next. So when a movie comes along that uses a plot device that you've not seen used prior it makes you curious. In some cases the result is bad, others perplexing and, as in the case of PILGRIMAGE quite nice.

    The year is 1209 and on a small island in Ireland a group of monks protects a sacred relic from the outside world. Then an emissary from the Pope arrives to tell them his holiness requires that the relic be transferred to Italy immediately. The monks are hesitant but follow the instructions sent by the Pope.

    So begins a journey to bring the relic back to the home of the Church. Among the group of monks is a young novice named Brother Diarmuid (Tom Holland), a wide eyed innocent who has not yet been exposed to the brutality of the world. By his side is a man known only as The Mute (Jon Bernthal), a man with a past having already fought in one Crusade or another. His silence is in part due to his penance for acts that occurred there. Also along are a few of the other monks as well as Brother Geraldus, the man sent by the Pope.

    There journey begins uneventful but as they travel they are intercepted by a group of knights, Normans the leader of which pays his respects and offers them safe passage in return for two items. First, he would like to see what the relic looks like. Second, absolution for the deaths he and his men have inflicted over the years.

    Both wishes are granted and the relic is revealed as an item touched by the hand of Matthias, the disciple chosen to replace Judas after his fall. It is said that the relic is blessed with that touch leaving it one of the holiest of items to be found. That the Pope wants it brought to Italy says it all.

    But there is betrayal to be found here as the son of this nobleman wants the relic for himself. Rather than aid the group in their travels he sends them into a trap only to catch up with those he employed later. With a few of the group uncaptured they try and reclaim the relic and continue on their journey. But this will not be an easy task. In the end the young Diarmuid must grow up and the Mute must put his faith on display by returning to old methods he'd chosen to leave behind. And just who is worthy of possession of the relic will be revealed.

    The first thing that makes this film different than most is the location and how it is displayed on screen. This is not the hilly Ireland full of lush green vegetation that we've grown accustomed to in films like THE QUIET MAN. Certainly there is plenty of green in the forest but the landscape is a bleak one displaying the problems that would have been faced not only in living off the land but in traversing it as well.

    The combination of not knowing exactly who the good guys and bad guys are also makes the film interesting. One is never quite sure just what and how valuable the relic is at first and once revealed the motivations of all involved in the handling of that relic come into question. So much so that the result of what happens with it shows that one considered worthy might actually have been the most destructive presence on the trip.

    The acting here is well done with much of the film spoken in several languages that make the subtitles a must have. Gaelic and French as well as English are spoken and each of the actors does a fine job switching from one to another. Holland, mostly known now for his role as Spider-man, shows a naivety that's required for the role. But it is Bernthal who stands out. He's made a name for himself over the past few years starring first in THE WALKING DEAD and racking up numerous credits since then. His silence here speaks volumes and his berserker skills make him a formidable combatant. But it is the display of faith through his actions and expressions that cause one to pay attention when he is on screen.

    This is not your average every day movie but that shouldn't stop you from seeking it out. The story is compelling and the acting, as stated, make it worth watching.
  • comment
    • Author: Burilar
    It matters not if you are laughing at Larry Kroger (Tom Hulce) doing weed with Professor Dave Jennings (Donald Sutherland) or watching Bill Munny (Clint Eastwood) kill men, both characters pose questions as to what does it all mean. Pilgrimage also asks us to make sense in a world and be somewhat existential in forming some sort of meaning out of chaos. I imagine the older the viewer and if he or she is inclined to ponder, then the more they may appreciate this film. As we come closer to the abyss of our own lives, some of us hope there is more to it all. Mortality will eventually provide but until then we can ponder the pilgrimage of our own life and/or see this film as a kickstarter or just some decent bloody reenactment of what hand to hand fighting was like about a 1000 years ago.

    I hope when it's all said and done, it just hasn't been for a crappy rock.
  • comment
    • Author: Lbe
    Its NOT a "Passion of the Christ", because its not a religious film about bunch of fictional people, its historical film about bunch of fictional people and a piece of iron/magnetic ore, what they presumed as relic, because lightening several times strike in it. And film about real things not a fictional one. This film perfectly tell us how many people can die for literally nothing. And many Christian's gonna see this and - yes - obviously hate this, because its truth. But, its really need to be hated? Or you just go and watch something like fairytale about young Christ, what Anne Rice kindly wrote for you? They even do a movie from it!
  • comment
    • Author: Peras
    I must have watched a completely different film with an identical cast and title to the majority of reviewers, harder to sit through than a full Latin mass and sinks as quickly as a monk clutching a man bag containing a large rock. No amount of candles lit can save this turkey form a roasting
  • comment
    • Author: Samut
    Irish landscape as the backdrop makes for pretty cinematography. Some decent gory sword fighting. But the story is basically about a group of monks literally transporting a rock stored in a golden chest because the faithful believe it contains divine powers. So the Pope in Rome is interested in looking at it. They are transporting this chest on a horse carriage as though it was the Ark of the Covenant. Halfway through their journey, the monks receive protection from French knights. The rest is predictable. If the monks are under the protection of French Knights, then obviously there are others interested in the rock. Add some betrayal along the way and more sword fighting and that's basically the film. Over a rock smh. Unfortunately, the sword fighting scenes are few, so the film is a snore-fest. Basically, the film is about the blind loyalty these monks have to the church and their faith despite a country full of pagans doubters. meh. definitely not in the same realm of storytelling as the Game of Thrones.
  • comment
    • Author: Dilmal
    A great story to start with.Acting and directing together was the wind under the wings of this movie.But less can be written on characterization.In fact,some of the actors did not to me resemble actual monks and Christians.But in all I can say that it was a nice movie and deserves better.
  • comment
    • Author: avanger
    At least as tacky in its choice to show all the gore details as Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ". Watching "Pilgrimage" is like watching a cheap porn movie that appeals to the emotion of disgust rather than to sexual arousal. I almost puked. The story is simple and shallow, but even if it was great, the fake guts and blood flying around all the time would still made it a pain to watch. I can't believe the actors were not embarrassed to take part in this weird production.
  • Cast overview, first billed only:
    Nikos Karathanos Nikos Karathanos - Saint Matthias
    Akilas Karazisis Akilas Karazisis - The Killer (as Akillas Karazisis)
    Tom Holland Tom Holland - Brother Diarmuid - The Novice
    Jon Bernthal Jon Bernthal - The Mute
    John Lynch John Lynch - Brother Ciarán - The Herbalist
    Rúaidhrí Conroy Rúaidhrí Conroy - Brother Rua
    Hugh O'Conor Hugh O'Conor - Brother Cathal
    Donncha Crowley Donncha Crowley - The Abbott
    Stanley Weber Stanley Weber - Brother Geraldus - The Cistercian
    Peter Cosgrove Peter Cosgrove - Gaelic Warrior
    Lochlann O'Mearáin Lochlann O'Mearáin - Lopsided
    Richard Armitage Richard Armitage - Raymond De Merville
    Tristan McConnell Tristan McConnell - Dugald
    David O'Reilly David O'Reilly - Greybeard
    Gaëtan Wenders Gaëtan Wenders - Fournier (as Gaetan Wenders)
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