Flesh + Blood (1985) review

... Equals mediocrity?  "Pure" Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh) - who was raised in a convent - is the "gift" given to Steven (Tom Burlinson) from his feudal lord father Arnolfini (Fernando Hilbeck), but she winds up in the not-quite loving arms of mercenary Martin (Rutger Hauer), who takes over a castle with his band of misfits, including Karsthans (Brion James) and Orbec (Bruno Kirby).  Anyone expecting any kind of relevant historical information about what it was like to live in the 1500's isn't going to get it here - Verhoeven can't help making it cartoonish and infantile, with abundant overacting to go along with the rampant nudity, sexual assaults, clanking swords, shouting, bloodletting and disease (the Bubonic Plague is running amok as well).  The production was apparently a disaster with the crew fighting amongst themselves and the director clashing with his leading man, which led to the end of their long-running collaboration together ... although it's good to know they made peace with one another before Rutger passed away in 2019.