Rotten Tomatoes
Suggestions will appear as you start typing. Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Black Death

Play trailer Poster for Black Death R 2011 1h 42m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
72% Tomatometer 68 Reviews 49% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
During the time of the bubonic plague in 14th-century England, young monk Osmund is recruited by the knight Ulric to lead a group of soldiers through the marshes into a mysterious village, where rumors are spreading that a necromancer is raising plague victims from the dead. Osmund agrees, but he has an ulterior motive—to find Averill, a young woman who has gone missing. Along the way, the group encounters unimagined darkness.
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

Black Death

Black Death

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Black Death delivers the fire and brimstone violence its subject matter warrants, while posing some interesting questions of faith and religion.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com Mar 25, 2011
3/4
By not rushing things, by keeping things moving at their own measured pace, Smith gives Poloni's screenplay a chance to breathe and evolve in a way it might not have been able to otherwise. Go to Full Review Ian Buckwalter NPR Mar 12, 2011
7/10
"Going medieval" on your enemies isn't just a figure of speech in Christopher Smith's stylish spatter-horror exercise, which uses desperation-fueled religious fervor to interrogate the intersection of fear and faith. Go to Full Review Peter Rainer Christian Science Monitor Mar 11, 2011
B
There's something here for just about everyone, or at least for everyone who looks back fondly on the similarly themed Wicker Man from 1973. Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 20, 2023
3/5
It brings some fresh ideas and blends together unconventional concepts, yet its pacing fails to get you to engage with the material or leave much of a lasting impressing. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Jul 31, 2023
3/4
For those willing to stomach harsh realism from a gloomy period in history and confronting notions on religion, Smith has delivered a rewarding film surprisingly bereft of the typical downfalls usually present when mixing horror and history. Go to Full Review David Harris Spectrum Culture Nov 6, 2019
3/5
Black Death's Europe is one of dirt, blood, violence and mist. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
M S @MikeSloppy 3 days ago Where do I start? First off, shaky camera. Why? Desaturated color. Why? Jump cuts. Why? 1:2.35 aspect ratio. WHY WHY WHY? Ludicrous dialogue and acting. Just a complete disaster. Typical of contemporary cinema, full of tricks rather than substance. Unwatchable garbage. See more Peter W @RT12077588 Oct 10, 2026 Black Death is a dramatic journey that centres on combat for the flesh and faith as the main characters enter one of the evilest places Medieval Europe can offer. It should come as no surprise that the talent of both Sean Bean and Eddie Redmayne is the film’s major highlight, with Bean yet again portraying a likeable, strong, and compelling performance on screen for the entire runtime. Christopher Smith once again continues to shine within the horror genre. Still, to my surprise, he enters new territory with elements of folk horror and drama, which is unlike anything we have previously seen from the director. The costuming, locations, and even the moments of gore are all convincing and convey a realistic sense on screen. The action scenes, however, are a weaker point, as they are often too fast and feature clunky choreography along with shaky camera work, which may not be pleasing for audiences. See more Robert P @Superbad Oct 5, 2026 Black Death is a *3* star Movie!! See more B P @Bradster69 Sep 30, 2026 Not Bad, but Not My Favorite See more Sheree B @SBrea Jul 29, 2026 I would have loved more character development within the band of men on the mission. And more time exploring the dynamics in the village of the second half. Just an ok movie See more Spencer T @RT33920487 Jul 20, 2026 Surprisingly exceeded my expectations. Kind of a mix between The Green Knight and The VVitch, although not quite as good either. See more Read all reviews
Black Death

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Christopher Smith

Director

Sean Bean

Ulric

Eddie Redmayne

Osmund

Carice van Houten

Langiva

Kimberley Nixon

Averill

John Lynch

Wolfstan

Movie Clips

View All

Black Death

View more videos

More Like This

View All
Wilderness 14% 46% Wilderness Watchlist Intruders 28% 22% Intruders Watchlist Piranha 75% 45% Piranha Watchlist Dead Silence 20% 51% Dead Silence Watchlist The Crazies 72% 57% The Crazies Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All
View All

Black Death

Black Death (2010) Eddie Redmayne as Osmund in "Black Death." Carice van Houten as Langiva in "Black Death." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During the time of the bubonic plague in 14th-century England, young monk Osmund is recruited by the knight Ulric to lead a group of soldiers through the marshes into a mysterious village, where rumors are spreading that a necromancer is raising plague victims from the dead. Osmund agrees, but he has an ulterior motive—to find Averill, a young woman who has gone missing. Along the way, the group encounters unimagined darkness.
Director
Christopher Smith
Producer
Jens Meurer, Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Phil Robertson
Screenwriter
Dario Poloni
Distributor
Magnet Releasing
Production Co
Ecosse Films
Rating
R (Strong Brutal Violence|Some Language)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 11, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 14, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$22.0K
Runtime
1h 42m
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings