BezerkerViking "Labyrinth (2012)" is a 2 part historical television miniseries based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Kate Mosse. The series' setting jumps between modern and medieval France and follows two women's (Vanessa Kirby, Jessica Brown Findlay) search for the Holy Grail. She inherits a house in the South of France from an aunt she has never met; she is haunted by dreams of a woman from the past, whom she does not know; and now she stumbles upon an archaeological find that will bear witness to a genocide committed 800 years ago on European soil, which will lead ALICE TANNER to the secrets of the Holy Grail. Alice had never been to this part of France, but she is driven by an inexplicable compulsion to find out the secrets of the past and of a mysterious woman who lived 800 years ago, ALAiS. What is Alais trying to lead her to? Why can't she shake the feeling that something monumental is at stake? Alice knows that there are people willing to kill for whatever is behind the meaning of the labyrinth she found carved into the wall of a cave. But she must now race to find out what happened to Alais and how she can prevent the past from recurring. I enjoyed watching this, you will too if you liked The Da Vinci Code.

goettel-881-904368 Labyrinth tells part of the story of one of the most horrific crimes in the Roman Catholic church's history - and there's plenty to select from. To this day, the mass-torture and murder of the Cathars is a piece of history of which many people are still unaware. It is maybe the first organized extermination of an entire culture and people by a merciless and repressive regime in Europe, centuries before the Nazis increased the number of people tortured and killed from many thousands to millions. As a Dutchman, I really only learned that the Dutch word for heretic, "ketter", derived from "Cathar".Also unknown to most, the Inquisition was specifically created to destroy the Cathars, who were a threat to the ultimate authority of both Church and Crown. In essence, it's the state and the church coming together to indulge in torture and mass-murder.The story employed by Labyrinth to expose the horror of the Cathar crusade and the murderers who lead it is contrived, and hard to take seriously. It's probably aimed at those that enjoyed the rip-off that was the Da Vinci Code (which is a rip-off from the book The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail) and might appeal to those who enjoy tripe like the recent Da Vinci's Demons.Having said that, I found most of the reviews here quite harsh. Labyrinth is a great looking piece of television, with an outstanding performance by Bernhard Schir, who plays the grim, murderous priest Paul Authie. In my view, his performance is on par with some of the best performances in e.g. the series Breaking Bad. John Hurt does a commendable if predictable job too - his character does not have that much range, but he extracts everything he can from this limitation and manages to inject emotion into a project which is is essentially a bit silly - if still entertaining.Maybe it is my interest in this specific piece of history, revisiting historic locations I've been to myself, like Carcassonne and the ruins of Montsegur. Maybe it is the cinematography or the gorgeous soundtrack (something very much lacking in most television). Or maybe it's just that the story of the Cathars has moved me since I learned of it, and I endorse any attempt to expose the evils done.Whatever the case, I greatly enjoyed Labyrinth, and its theme stuck with me after watching it.Recommended to those who are willing to look for a diamond in the rough, and can forgive the heavy-handedness resulting from people being invested in some truly epic and horrific historical storytelling.And, last but not least, recommended to everyone who needs a reminder of the evils of oppressive religion.N.B. I'm giving this a 10 to offset the equally unfair two's and three's. I rate this a 7 out of 10.

Nyx Anna Still a little amazed!!Loved it!!! I usually skip out on serious shows,at least the kind which is this serious and slightly gory and historical but this!!Gosh,this was perfect.I haven't watched any of the versions but this was mind-blowing mainly because of the characters.I'll admit,Tom Felton was what drew me to this initially but every character here is just...no words to describe because nothing seemed exaggerated, even the lunatics were believable! The bad guys make you hate them and the good guys make you love them,now is that good acting or not??! The main character was likable,not an ounce of Mary-Sue-ish qualities or hateful moments from my side. :D! And Alais and Guilhem's story left me in tears.And this coming from someone who so does not cry watching something. A definite 'Must watch'!

tmr0112358 I just finished watching this and immediately came here to write about how brilliant Labyrinth is! It left me wishing it never ended. The story demands your full attention immersing you into the heart of it all. The acting leaves no room for any criticism, which is not the least bit surprising considering the great cast. Tom Felton, Jessica Brown-Findley and Emun Elliot's performances deserve recognition. The transitioning of medieval and modern times is very smoothly done. Kate Mosse's Cameo at the end only accentuates the mix of emotions built up to that point. Even though you already know the fate of the characters, you are still affected deeply and left breathless at the end of it all. Definitely a must-watch. I know I will be re-watching this many times over.