It’s hard to get into this; the premise feels incredibly far-fetched. What’s the likelihood of an Iranian woman being in Switzerland during the medieval period? It seems almost impossible. The story is just ridiculous, and it undermines both the writing and the performances. Apparently, there's some kind of rule now against casting white actors?

It’s unusual to hear someone so unenthusiastically proclaim "We are Swiss," and that pretty much captures how disappointing Claes Bang is as the central figure in this lengthy, drawn-out story about crossbows. Having endured hardship during the Crusade, he's not initially inclined toward rebellion but prefers a quiet life with his family. After intervening to save someone whose wife was brutally assaulted and killed …