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Die by the Sword

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Overview

The Roman Empire occupied Britannia (Britain) for four centuries, providing protection and peace in exchange for submission. The Romans built Hadrian's Wall on the northern border to keep out the Picts, fierce and mysterious warriors who painted them-selves blue. But in the fifth century, the Romans left, leaving the British to fend for themselves under the leadership of King Vortigern.

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Cast

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Mike Amason

Alyssa Amelia

Ronald Blanton

Aaron Blomberg

Director:

Christopher Forbes

Writer:

Jezibell Anat

Release Date:

2020-10-06

Run Time:

90m

Tagline:

Protect the land at all cost

Genres:

Action Adventure

Financials and Popularity

Budget: 500,000.00 $

Revenue: Not Declared $

Vote Average: 5.5/10

Vote Count: 2 Votes

Movie Popularity: 0.1047

Spoken Languages: English

Review

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Insomniacs Reviews
- 29 April 2026 at 9:50 pm

2 Based on 1 Votes

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⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 2/10 THE SUMMARY Director Christopher Forbes takes us to fifth-century Britain in this ultra-low-budget historical drama. As the Roman Empire abandons Britannia, the local people are left to fend for themselves against the Picts—fierce warriors who painted themselves blue—under the shaky leadership of King Vortigern. What should be an epic tale of survival and ancient warfare instead feels like a weekend battle reenactment that was filmed on a consumer-grade camera. It’s a slow-moving, confused story that struggles to capture the scale or the stakes of the Roman withdrawal. THE PROS There isn't a lot to shout about here, but the costumes are at least an honest effort for a production of this size. You can tell the team tried to bring some historical flavor to the armor and the blue Pict paint, which provides a tiny bit of visual interest in an otherwise drab landscape. Mike Amason and Jezibell Anat do their best with the material they’re given, showing a sincere commitment to the roles even when the script is working against them. It’s a legendary lesson in how difficult it is to make a period piece on a shoestring budget, making it a total win only for those who enjoy "so bad it's good" indie filmmaking. THE CONS It lands a 2/10 because the production quality is a massive letdown. The cinematography is quality-deficient, often looking flat and amateurish, with lighting that makes every scene feel like it was shot in a local park. The action sequences are a slow-roller, lacking any real impact or professional choreography—swords barely clank and the battles feel like they only involve about ten people. The dialogue is an honest-to-god frustration, filled with stilted lines that make the 90-minute runtime feel twice as long. It misses a higher mark because it fails to deliver on the "war action" promise, resulting in a slog that feels more like a rough draft than a finished movie. THE VERDICT A 2/10. An honest mess that even the most hardcore history fans will struggle to finish. It’s a legendary example of a film that overreaches its budget, resulting in a high-quality disappointment. While the effort is sincere, the execution is a total shout for all the wrong reasons. Unless you’re a completionist for every movie ever made about Roman Britain, this is an easy skip. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • Guerilla Filmmaking: To keep the budget low and the production moving, the film was shot with a very small crew, often utilizing natural light and local outdoor locations to simulate the ancient British wilderness. • Director's Cameo: Like many of his projects, director Christopher Forbes not only helmed the film but also took on a role in front of the camera, appearing as one of the many warriors in the conflict. • Digital Distribution: Despite its low-budget roots, the film found a legendary second life on various free-to-watch streaming platforms and YouTube channels, where it has racked up a surprising number of views from unsuspecting history buffs. THE VIBE Like a rainy afternoon at a poorly funded museum. It smells of wet wool, cheap blue face paint, and the metallic tang of a plastic sword.

Videos

No Title

Cast

Mike Amason

Alyssa Amelia

Ronald Blanton

Aaron Blomberg

Frederick Jones

Jezibell Anat

David Axe

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Die by the Sword

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Insomniacs Reviews
- 29 April 2026 at 10:50 PM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 2/10

THE SUMMARY
Director Christopher Forbes takes us to fifth-century Britain in this ultra-low-budget historical drama. As the Roman Empire abandons Britannia, the local people are left to fend for themselves against the Picts—fierce warriors who painted themselves blue—under the shaky leadership of King Vortigern. What should be an epic tale of survival and ancient warfare instead feels like a weekend battle reenactment that was filmed on a consumer-grade camera. It’s a slow-moving, confused story that struggles to capture the scale or the stakes of the Roman withdrawal.

THE PROS
There isn’t a lot to shout about here, but the costumes are at least an honest effort for a production of this size. You can tell the team tried to bring some historical flavor to the armor and the blue Pict paint, which provides a tiny bit of visual interest in an otherwise drab landscape. Mike Amason and Jezibell Anat do their best with the material they’re given, showing a sincere commitment to the roles even when the script is working against them. It’s a legendary lesson in how difficult it is to make a period piece on a shoestring budget, making it a total win only for those who enjoy “so bad it’s good” indie filmmaking.

THE CONS
It lands a 2/10 because the production quality is a massive letdown. The cinematography is quality-deficient, often looking flat and amateurish, with lighting that makes every scene feel like it was shot in a local park. The action sequences are a slow-roller, lacking any real impact or professional choreography—swords barely clank and the battles feel like they only involve about ten people. The dialogue is an honest-to-god frustration, filled with stilted lines that make the 90-minute runtime feel twice as long. It misses a higher mark because it fails to deliver on the “war action” promise, resulting in a slog that feels more like a rough draft than a finished movie.

THE VERDICT
A 2/10. An honest mess that even the most hardcore history fans will struggle to finish. It’s a legendary example of a film that overreaches its budget, resulting in a high-quality disappointment. While the effort is sincere, the execution is a total shout for all the wrong reasons. Unless you’re a completionist for every movie ever made about Roman Britain, this is an easy skip.

INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
• Guerilla Filmmaking: To keep the budget low and the production moving, the film was shot with a very small crew, often utilizing natural light and local outdoor locations to simulate the ancient British wilderness.

• Director’s Cameo: Like many of his projects, director Christopher Forbes not only helmed the film but also took on a role in front of the camera, appearing as one of the many warriors in the conflict.

• Digital Distribution: Despite its low-budget roots, the film found a legendary second life on various free-to-watch streaming platforms and YouTube channels, where it has racked up a surprising number of views from unsuspecting history buffs.

THE VIBE
Like a rainy afternoon at a poorly funded museum. It smells of wet wool, cheap blue face paint, and the metallic tang of a plastic sword.

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