A fine international cast headed by Stellen Skarsgard, Simon Callow and Michael Nyqvist populate Arn The Knight Templar. A Swedish work of historical fiction (out on DVD), Arn concerns a Scandinavian crusader from a Roman Catholic order of monastic warriors—part of the force occupying the Holy Land during the Crusades. But the protagonist finds greater honor among his Muslim foes than among many of the Swedes back home, including a treacherous clan scheming to seize the throne. Lifting Arn over the usual run of mediocre medieval sword and shield flicks are believable performances by actors who—unlike many of their counterparts in Hollywood—appear entirely comfortable in chain mail.
