Sharpe's Justice (1997)

That was an excellent one.

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

this is not the classic Sharpe as it is more about Sharpe's roots and the world he left behind - a world which is rapidly changing due to the industrial revolution, fly by night owners, neo Luddites and a family secret The class system is clearly outlined with the failed Sharpe marriage and with Mrs Sharpe running off with penniless Lord - yet his family still look down on her as she is married and to boot her husband is workhouse foundling. The socio -economic history is clearly outlined witha mini Peterloo massacre in " keighly square" - yeomanry militia ( no sign of a police force) - the paupers graves - the presence of a workhouse for poor relief - the beginning of the industrial revolution - the beginning of the working class - the power of the rich factory owners - the use of colonies - the decline of the old landownersa cipher for the creation of a modern UK

I am a huge fan of the Sharpe's series, and Sean Bean in general. I regularly watch the Sharpe's series in succession, and enjoy them all. However, I find the plot to this episode a bit contrived and overdone. (I watch it, because it isn't terrible and is part of a great series, but it is my least favorite.) I groan every time it's revealed that Truman is Sharpe's half brother. I mean, come on... The way his mother was sleeping around, he probably has ten siblings running around the countryside. Not to mention it's the oldest trick in the "melodrama" book. And then, to make the groan-factor that much higher, just when he finds out that Truman is his brother, Truman goes and gets himself shot. You can just hear me rolling my eyes, I'm sure.Ironically, my second to least favorite is Sharpe's Regiment, the only other episode set in England instead of France or Spain. Hmm... Could it be a trend? At least Sharpe's Challenge is set in India and not a retired Sharpe sitting at home twiddling his thumbs and pining over his whore of an ex-wife.

The War's over, and Sharpe's back in Yorkshire where he started from. Right off, that tells you "Sharpe's Justice" isn't about fighting and glory; it's about how a career soldier settles back into normal life--in this case, as the officer in charge of the local yeomanry. That, in and of itself, weakens the whole premise of Sharpe as a character and as a show.It's hokey here and there. The whole "long lost brother" bit is silly as hell, and the only surprises here with it are that they used it at all--and that it takes Sharpe so long to figure it out. Also weak beyond belief are Mrs. Sharpe and her paramour, Lord Rossindale, who both came right out of Central Casting and aren't acted well enough to bring anything but the cardboard cutouts. Finally, while "Sharpe" episodes aren't known for subtlety, "Justice" goes way overboard with the black-and-white, good-and-bad. There's no middle ground here: Either a character is Good or he/she is Evil.Still and all, there's good here too. Sean Bean created Richard Sharpe, and he's got the character down pat. Everything is right about his performance. Minus the constant battles of the earlier episodes, his character is developed and exposed in a way we've never seen before. Also excellent is the eternal sidekick, Sgt. Harper. There's more camaraderie between the two than ever before, and it's quite nice. Even Daniel (the singer) gets good screen time and decent attention paid to him for the first time in the series; his momentary disloyalty and later apology show us how worthwhile his character might've been over three seasons if he'd ever gotten the chance.It all--episode and series--ends with Sharpe off to Normandy and Lucille, Harper off to Ireland (where's Ramona?) and Daniel staying with the locals in Yorkshire because he's got no place else to go. As they split up for the last time, it's a sad thing, knowing there'll be no more "Sharpe"s, and though you wish this last one had been better, it's a solid enough way to say goodbye.

With the Peninsular campaign over, our hero Richard Sharpe has to return to England. However, his next assignment sees him working for a wealthy mill-owner against his former friends in Yorkshire. There is a contrived plot about the burning of mills, as well as the usual family revelations; but this is a disappointing outing. Sharpe simply is not the same without two factors being present - the Chosen Men and the French. The same problem was evident in Sharpe's Regiment. If you are a Sharpe fan, of course you will like it. If not, then best stick to those outings that actually involve battle scenes.