For a folk hero whose story is seldom told in 21st-century pop culture, William Tell was surely blessed with a great name. It rolls off the tongue so smoothly that it’s made its way into everything from Grateful Dead songs to late-career Paul Schrader masterpieces — but while the average person has certainly heard the name, quite a few wouldn’t be able to tell you what he actually did.
Director Nick Hamm’s “William Tell” seeks to rectify that, giving the much-mythologized fictional Swiss marksman the full scale cinematic treatment. Pulling liberally from Friedrich Schiller’s 1804 epic play, which details Tell’s reluctant journey to embrace his destiny and lead a Swiss army in a battle for independence against a dictatorial Hasburg Empire, the sprawling film is a testosterone-filled repackaging of some of the most timeless themes in Western literature. If it succeeds with mass audiences, it will be due in no small part to the fact that we never tire of hearing about bloody revenge, the brotherhood that forms from living on the same land, and underdogs teaming up to violently topple their overlords.
The year is 1307, and history’s most famously war-averse nation is reluctantly coming to terms with the notion that war might be inevitable. The people of Switzerland would just like to be left alone to hunt and live quiet lives of pastoral bliss, but warring factions within the Holy Roman Empire have other plans. The nation’s strategically convenient geography — namely, the vast Alps that shield it from most outside invaders — has made it a coveted territory for ambitious conquerors. Chief among them is the Austrian Viceroy Gessler (Connor Swindells), whose frustration over his own lack of political power often manifests itself in unending cruelty toward those he deems his inferiors.
As whispers of rebellion grow louder in the Swiss countryside, Tell (Claes Bang) still does his best to tune them out. A master marksman, he prefers to aim his bow at big game over his fellow man, reminding his son that anything more would constitute savagery. But when his sense of decency prompts him to help a rebel fugitive secure safe passage to his village, Tell quickly finds himself branded an enemy of the state. It becomes clear that he’ll be a public face of the war effort whether he likes it or not — his only choice is whether to do so as a martyr or a leader.
The film dutifully recreates the most iconic sequence from the William Tell folklore, in which he shoots an apple off the head of his son as part of a cruel wager forced upon him by Gessler. The moment becomes a catalyst for Tell’s own radicalization, prompting him to abandon the luxury of holding pacifist beliefs and accept the idea that the truly oppressed only have one way out. While themes of nationalism and collective political resistance are seen throughout the film, it devotes most of its efforts to exploring the notion that none of us have any say in what our destinies demand of us. Various ensemble characters consider resisting violence for reasons ranging from the pretentiously idealistic to the selfishly pragmatic, but everyone reaches the age-old conclusion that God’s “yes” is stronger than man’s “no.”
Hamm’s adaptation of the material is competent enough, offering all the striking shots of the Swiss Alps and extra-laden battle scenes that any historical epic connoisseur could ask for. Bang checks all the boxes as a leading man, emitting the rugged sexiness and unflinching bravery required of a historical figure who transcended his own lifespan and achieved true immortality. Ultimately, one’s enjoyment of this one will be contingent on a pre-existing affinity for period epics. There’s no unprecedented spectacle or unique angle to draw in those on the fence about the genre, but more than enough to satisfy anyone who can’t stop counting the days until “Gladiator II” hits theaters. If you count yourself among the latter camp, remember there’s no glory in resisting your destiny.
Grade: B-
“William Tell” premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.
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