Season of the Witch is a 2011 American supernatural action–adventure film directed by Dominic Sena and written by Bragi Schut. The movie stars Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman as two Teutonic knights returning from the Crusades, only to discover that their homeland has been ravaged by the Black Death. When Church authorities accuse a young woman, played by Claire Foy, of witchcraft and blame her for spreading the plague, the knights are ordered to escort her to a remote monastery, where monks are expected to perform a ritual to remove the supposed curse. The film marks a reunion between Sena and Cage, who had earlier collaborated on Gone in 60 Seconds (2000).
Plot
In the 14th century, knights Behmen von Bleibruck (Nicolas Cage) and his loyal companion Felson (Ron Perlman) fight for the Holy Roman Empire in the Crusades, slaughtering armies in the name of God. After years of brutal warfare, the two men become disillusioned with the Church’s cruelty when they witness innocent civilians — including women and children — massacred under the false banner of divine justice. Realizing that they have been serving corrupt motives rather than true faith, Behmen and Felson desert the army and abandon their vows.
Traveling across plague-ravaged Europe, they encounter a land devastated by the Black Death. Corpses line the roads, and entire villages lie in ruin. While seeking food and shelter, they arrive in a city under quarantine, where they are quickly recognized as deserters and arrested by the local guards. The city’s ruler, Cardinal D’Ambroise (Christopher Lee), who himself is dying from the plague, offers the knights a chance at redemption: they must escort a young woman accused of being a witch to a distant monastery, where monks will perform a ritual to lift the curse they believe she has unleashed upon the land.
The woman, known only as The Girl (Claire Foy), has been imprisoned in an iron cage, suspected of causing the plague through witchcraft. Behmen insists that she will receive a fair trial, not a summary execution, while Felson remains skeptical. The two knights agree to the task in exchange for the forgiveness of their crimes and freedom from punishment.
They are travelling with a group that begins a dangerous journey through desolate forests, steep mountains, and plague-infested villages. As they travel, unnatural events begin to occur: the woman shows superhuman strength, whispers seem to echo from nowhere, and she appears to know intimate details about each man’s past sins. Tension grows within the group, divided between those who believe she is evil and those who think she is an innocent scapegoat.
When they camp in the woods, Eckhart is lured by the sound of his dead daughter’s voice — only to be killed by wolves. Later, while crossing a rickety bridge over a deep ravine, the witch manipulates the chains of her cage, nearly causing everyone to fall to their deaths. Her powers appear undeniable, and fear overtakes the men.
As the journey continues, Behmen grows increasingly protective of the girl, convinced that she may be possessed rather than inherently evil. He promises her safety and a fair hearing. However, when they reach the remote monastery, they find that all the monks have already died of the plague, their bodies scattered in grotesque forms of agony.
Debelzaq discovers that the monks had been transcribing an ancient holy text, The Key of Solomon, a grimoire of exorcisms and spells meant to imprison demons. It is then revealed that The Girl is not a witch at all — but a demon that had possessed her body. The demon had manipulated the superstitious Church into transporting it to the monastery, the only place where the Key of Solomon could be used to free it from human confinement.
As the truth dawns, the demon violently bursts from the girl’s body, revealing its full, monstrous form — winged, horned, and burning with fire. It kills Hagamar instantly and sets the monastery ablaze. The survivors — Behmen, Felson, Debelzaq, and Kay — prepare to fight for their lives.
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Debelzaq recites the ritual passages from the Key of Solomon while Behmen and Felson engage the demon in a desperate battle. Felson is impaled and killed, while Debelzaq is burned alive by the creature’s flames. Behmen finally manages to stab the demon, pinning it long enough for Kay to finish the exorcism. The demon screams and disintegrates, and the girl — now freed from possession — collapses, unconscious but alive.
Behmen, mortally wounded, entrusts Kay with the girl’s protection, telling him to ensure she lives a life free of accusation or fear. He dies from his injuries as the rising sun illuminates the destroyed monastery. Kay buries Behmen and Felson together, marking their graves with swords. The girl awakens, confused but grateful, and Kay tells her that the knights saved her life. Together, they ride away toward a new beginning, leaving behind the plague and the darkness that haunted them.
Rating: 8 Stars
