Lumsdal
Good , But It Is Overrated By Some
Motompa
Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.
AshUnow
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Kinley
This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows
Scaramouche2004
Sean Bean returns as Napoleonic war hero Major Richard Sharpe and Sharpe's Battle opens with Sharpe and his Chosen Men liberating a tiny Spanish town that has been sacked by the French under the command of General Loup. When Sharpe discovers that many women children and indeed babies have been massacred under the Frenchman's orders, he is outraged and promptly executes without trial the two French soldiers they have caught, making an enemy of Loup who now vows a bitter revenge.When Sharpe returns to camp however, is told he has been made strategic adviser to Lord Keily, and has been ordered to whip his men 'The Royal Irish Company' into an effective and loyal company of fighting men. This is made more difficult however as articles in the American press that are being unusually and freely distributed amongst the ranks, speak of British atrocities in Ireland, making Sharpe's new company an angry and embittered group of men.Also making Sharpe's life a misery is the inexperienced and arrogant Lord Keily himself, who's attitude towards Sharpe and his own men, plus his open affair with a sensual female guerrilla fighter by the name of Juanita, pushes Sharpe to the brink of his patience especially as this affair is embarrassing, and emotionally crippling the beautiful and busty Lady Keily who is also in camp.However when Lord Kiely learns that his wife is pregnant and that Jaunita is actually a French spy in the pay of General Loup, he quickly reorganises his loyalties and tries to rally his men back into order, but thanks to the lies regarding the British atrocities (spread by Juanita of course) many of them are now secretly working for the French against the British and are ready to turn on Sharpe in the heat of Battle, and help Loup organise the kidnap of Lady Keily.With his friend's now his secret enemy, Sharpe and is Chosen Men are lured into a fight to the death against an enemy both seen and unseen.When the Irish reveal themselves as turncoats during mid battle however, it results in the tragic death of Rifleman Perkin's the youngest of Sharpe's chosen men, resulting in the remainder of the crack Rifle company going completely berserk killing off all the traitorous scum, this coupled with the inevitable rescue of Lady Keily and the final showdown between Major Sharpe and General Loup make this truly great swashbuckling stuff.Great support as usual from Daragh O'Malley and Hugh Fraser and stolid performances from the lovely Allie Byrne as Lady Keilly, and the sensual Siri Neal as Juanita.
chrichtonsworld
Totally good episode in the Sharpe series! Entertaining to the last minute! But like Sharpe's gold this episode doesn't really fit in the main storyline (the war against Napoleon)! Although Sharpe fights against the french (under command of Lupe) it is not really a mission part of Lord Wellingtons big scheme!*spoiler* The heroic death of Perkins was a surprise and it was good to see Harper and the other chosen men cry! He and Sharpe really cared about their chosen men! I say this because I missed the tears and drama about Sharpe's faked death (they thought he was dead)in Sharpe's Honour! I guess they didn't want do overdo it,it is war and everything! Soldiers should be able to control their emotions!The action was superb! Although the battle was not a big one it was great to watch Sharpe and his men fighting again like soldiers did in those times! I read some reviews and came across one of comparing this episode to a bad B movie! If you saw this as a stand alone movie than it is not really clear of who Sharpe is and what he does! But I think you have to see this as part of a series,at least you have to seen enough episodes to know the background of the story otherwise much will not make sense!
Izzy Richardson
This is the first Sharpe film I've ever seen, and according to other reviewers it isn't the best. Even so, I thought it was top entertainment. There's plenty of action and all that. (SPOILER AHEAD!) In my opinion, the most important scene was when Lady Kiely offers herself to Sharpe, and he refuses in a very honourable manner - I can't see James Bond doing that, can you? Mind you, anyone with looks like Sean Bean can't exactly be desperate... Did you know he was voted second sexiest man in Britain?....sexiest man in the world, more like...Sorry, am I diverting?Yes, right, back to the film. Sharpe is such a great character, and Sean Bean does portray him really well. Unlike most British officers of the time, he actually earns his place, and the snobbery against him is hideous. Still, he survives. South Essex my ass. Sounds like Sheffield to me, mate.8 out of 10
TexasRedge
If America only knew how good this was,it would be the highest rated Made-For-TV movie series of all time(hard to believe there are more people out there that would rather watch "The Columbo Mysteries" than Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe Chronicles- that just goes to show the power of major network name-brand advertising.The Richard Sharpe movie series has been television at its finest. I have seen all of the BBC Sharpe series movies,"Sharpe's Waterloo" is my favorite of the films. However I tune in to PBS everytime they air the Sharpe movies. So far all the movies have been based on the Sharpe Chronicles - adventure novels written by Bernard Cornwell(the same author who wrote "Rebel"). Each Movie chronicles the on-going adventures of Richard Sharpe who is a Brittish Lt. in the Brittish military during the late 1790's-to early 1800's during the Napoleonic era in Europe. I sincerly believe that each one of these Films has been good enough to have shown at the movie theaters,if the producers had wanted to. Unlike other Made-For-TV films,The Hornblower films do not have that Made-For-TV feeling to them,like most television movies have. However each of the Sharpe Movies picks up exactly where the last one left off. The only negative thing I can say about this movie series is the use of an electric guitar as the background music- I have to take points off for that, because the sometimes screeching guitar noises can become annoying at times.
A common misconception that people who havent seen these movies have is that all of these films go to gether as a mini-series- that is not true. The Sharpe movies are not a mini-series,all of these films are individual movies about the same charactor, However they are sequels to each other each picking up where the last film left off.- with all the same actors playing the same roles in each film(EXAMPLE:think of the James Bond films-that same principle applies to the Sharpe movies,but unlike Bond, the Sharpe films are sequels)
If you have seen the Sharpe movies and you liked them and you wish to see more similar themed programing, I will suggest A&E's Horatio Hornblower movies(6 movies in all- same basic priciple as the Sharpe movie except Hornblower is in the Brittish Navy to whereas Sharpe is a ground soldier)I give the entire Sharpe movie series 4 out of 5 stars. Its near Perfect entertainment- but you cant please everyone, so for those of you dont like epic Napoleonic era battles,classic historic style drama,high stakes adventure, and danger on the European battlefields,if you dont like stuff like that-there is always a Columbo re-run for you to watch.