The strength of the secondary players elevates this to a classic status, similar to many films considered timeless. This story, filled with medieval violence, brutality, and struggles for survival, feels genuinely grand in scope. Paul Verhoeven’s direction delivers the kind of confrontational style he's known for. Unlike some of his other works, there isn’t much humor present; it’s a relentlessly intense experience of action and bloodshed. That probably explains the title, "Flesh+Blood." The central love triangle involves an aging warrior, Martin (played by Rutger Hauer), Agnes (Jennifer Leigh, who seems less overtly glamorous than usual), a noblewoman of high birth, and Steven (Tom Burlinson), the nobleman’s son. Initially, we see glimpses suggesting that Steven might be heroic compared to his dishonest father, who prioritizes money over the well-being of his soldiers. Steven, portrayed as an intellectual due to his reading habits, quickly transforms into a figure even more monstrous than his father. Martin is actually working for the cardinal, a historically significant detail because cardinals during the Middle Ages were often concerned with wealth and land rather than spiritual matters. Cardinals frequently maintained their own private armies or guards. This particular cardinal commands a group of highly skilled warriors. Some of the most appealing characters are a pair of homosexual soldiers who inject some sense and reason into the conflicts between Martin and Summer, his main rival among the soldiers. There's also an older soldier, another likable figure. The women accompanying the cardinal and his soldiers are notably more attractive than Agnes, possibly intended as commentary on the appearance of aristocratic royalty. The most alluring woman in the group is also emotionally vulnerable, readily giving into the desires of soldiers, and later expressing regret for her actions with the cardinal. They become targets for Steven when he and his poorly trained, conscripted soldiers attack them. The cardinal has officially named Martin their leader through a seemingly divine proclamation. Martin takes Agnes captive, and she begs him to be her sole lover and prevent Summer from having any involvement with her. Martin becomes entangled with Agnes, who manipulates both sides for her own purposes. Steven pursues them, aided by Hawkwood, the most compelling member of his team. A noteworthy element is the depiction of medical practices during that era; a cleric doctor discovers an outbreak of plague in their camp, and his outdated methods are ineffective against it. The characters are what truly define this film's classic nature as these opposing forces clash. You’ll probably find yourself more invested in supporting figures like Hawkwood, the two homosexual soldiers, and the "mother" figure than you will be with the main protagonists. That is what makes this movie so remarkable.

Source on TMDB