It seems that pirates are back in a big way this year, what with the release of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel and, oddly enough, MTI's release of "Pirates", a XXX movie that was given a dose of heavy editing in order to release it with an 'AAARRRRR' rating (sorry… couldn't resist…). Little did I know there was also a DVD release of the Hallmark Hall of Fame mini-series, "Blackbeard", on the horizon. Actually, little did I know there even WAS a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of "Blackbeard", as I missed hearing about it when it originally aired. When the DVD arrived to review I looked at the cover, and then looked at it again. I knew I recognized the actor who was starring in this particular version of Edward Treach's tale, but I couldn’t place him. So when I turned it over and read that it was Angus MacFadyen, I had to flip it back over and look again. Though barely recognizable under the beard it was unmistakably MacFadyen.

Now admittedly, your average consumer won’t recognize the name as he is not a huge star in the States, however I became a huge fan of the man's work after he almost stole "Braveheart" from Mel Gibson, with his stirring portrayal of Robert the Bruce. Then I caught him a couple of years later in the TV series "Miracles", which was cancelled far too soon.

MacFadyen is an incredibly charismatic actor and I'll generally try to catch anything he's in, so I was doubly surprised that I wasn't aware of this project prior to the release of the DVD. Popping the DVD into the player, I was again blown away by his performance. Gone was the sensitivity he gave the character of Robert the Bruce, giving Blackbeard a gleeful ferocity that was more than likely true to the real man. He is an actor that I hope we see more of on this side of the ocean.

But MacFadyen's performance is not the only one that makes this movie work. Long gone from the spotlight, Richard Chamberlain stars as an evil governor, who is in cahoots with the pirates. He goes a little overboard, at times making his character more of a preening peacock, but he is a hoot to watch. Also delivering a standout performance is Mark Umbers, who plays a young Lieutenant chosen to go undercover as a part of Blackbeard's crew in order to take him down.

As far as the production of "Blackbeard" as a whole, it was quite a bit more powerful than I expected. Normally Hallmark presentations are a bit tame and clean-looking, but this mini-series painted a realistic of the rough and tumble life of a pirate. Where "Pirates of the Caribbean" presents more of a cartoon version of a pirate, "Blackbeard" gets down and dirty, even offering up fight sequences that are more vicious than showy.

For the most part, there was little to be disappointed about with this DVD release, with the possible exception of the lack of special features. There is a couple, but they pretty much only offer up a few little interviews with some of the cast and crew. Edward Treach was a fascinating character amongst the world of pirates and I really would have enjoyed perhaps the addition of a feature or two about him to contrast and compare the real thing with what you see in this film.

Aside from that, I heartily recommend Echo Bridge's DVD release of "Blackbeard." It tells a fine tale of pirates, gold and betrayal, so pick up a copy you scurvy dog… or I'll make ya' walk the plank…

Directed by: Kevin Connor
Starring: Angus McFadyen, Mark Umbers, Jessica Chastain, Rachel Ward, Stacy Keach, Richard Chamberlain
Specifications: Widescreen
Studio: Echo Bridge
Release Date: 7/11/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Blackbeard a B.