Product Details

• Actors: Julie Graham, Adrian Lester, Hugh Bonneville, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
• Format: Box set, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Acorn Media
• DVD Release Date: January 26, 2010
• Run Time: 344 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002UXYCYA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,338 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

BONEKICKERS - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bonekickers, January 13, 2010

By 

Ellen P. Lafleche-christian (Vermont, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bonekickers (DVD)

Bonekickers is a modern day British drama series about a team of archaeologists. Bonekickers is from the creator of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. It stars Julie Graham, Hugh Bonneville, Adrian Lester, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

The series is sort of a combination of the British sci-fi series, Torchwood, and the American crime drama, CSI. It's set in the city of Bath in England and combines modern forensic science (like CSI) with mysteries from the past and has a touch of sci-fi in it as well.

Bonekickers ran for one series in 2008 and was not renewed for a second series. There were a total of six episodes, all of which are contained in this three-DVD package. DVD special features include behind-the-scenes segments for each episode.

Dr. Gillian Magwilde (Julie Graham) is the leader of the archaeology team. Professor Gregory "Dolly" Parton and Dr. Ben Ergha (Adrian Lester) work on the team with her and Vivian Davis (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is an intern. Each episode is capable of standing on its own although you'll get a better feeling for the characters as a whole if you watch the entire season.

The archaeological finds that are unearthed are always a bit of a mystery. They don't tend to be found where they're supposed to be and that's part of the interest in the series. For example, the first episode is about a blood-stained piece of wood believed to be from the cross that Jesus was crucified on. It was found in a cave in England and nicely meshes with the legend of the Knights Templar.

The starting point of some of their archaeological finds is probably not historically accurate. It's questionable whether or not a piece of bloodstained cross would actually be found in Bath or whether or not 18th-century manacled slaves would be found in a ship off the coast of England. The mystery behind the location of the artifacts is part of the draw of the stories.

There are flashbacks in history throughout each episode that add a bit more mystery to the investigations. Dr. Gillian Magwilde (Julie Graham) has occasional psychic flashbacks as well that give the series a bit of a sci-fi twist.

Given the subject matter of historic battles and mysteries, there is some violence in the series although it's very well done and not overly graphic. Professor Gregory "Dolly" Parton (Hugh Bonneville) has a tendency to make comments with sexual connotations which portray him as a slightly dirty old man and there is the very occasional shot containing partial nudity.

All in all, the series is highly entertaining and historically interesting. It's an enjoyable blend of history, science, and drama with just enough action to keep your attention. Given the very occasional nudity, I'm not sure I'd recommend it for younger children but the series would easily appeal to the PG-13 market. The series is not rated at the time of my review but does contain the warning "Contains violence and graphic scenes" so use your own best judgment.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FICTIONAL mystery & drama uncovered by fictional archaeologists, December 17, 2009

By 

Harold Wolf "Doc" (Wells, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Bonekickers (DVD)

BONE-TICKLING GOOD if viewed as entertainment for ADULTS not concerned with complete factual information. It has a bit of fantasy, a lot of action (violence & graphic), and suspense aplenty. Not being an archaeologist nor a European history expert, the plots of the episodes were convincing enough to carry the story. This short-lived 6-episode series "BONEKICKERS" is acted well enough to make it a worthwhile DVD keeper. Scenes from contemporary Bath, England, are visually romantic.

The Wessex Univ Archaeological Dept. team has a major relic to uncover and then to discover the current-day ramifications of the artifact. Both the past and the present is a mystery every time, much to the delight of the mystery-loving viewer. A linking thread is a continuing plot relating to Gillian's mother, Karen, obsessed to madness over her sword quest and journal, of which has been absorbed into the life of Gilly, aka Dr. Magwilde, protagonist of the series played by Julie Graham (beautifully so). Prof. Gregory Parton (Hugh Bonneville) has plenty of funny dialogue about Gilly's chest, and not a chest found buried in the ground. Dr. Ben Ergha (Adrian Lester) a young black archaeologist of the department makes up the university staff. Well, except for the less-than-competent dept. head Daniel Mastiff (Michael Maloney). A very young black intern, Viv (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), arrives on the scene. She's unwelcome by Gilly, due to Viv's inexperience or beauty or anyone's guess. Quite soon into the episodes, they all feel like family to the viewer.

The writer actually suggests an "Indiana Jones" comparison, but this is better in the way historical and contemporary worlds merge. There's enough Gothic, war, Celtic, and Medieval violence to keep the young kids away. In the end, a connection to all of the episodes becomes evident, with a clashing conclusion. Remember it is as fictional as The Da Vinci Code, regardless of what was written in that book's opening page. But it's convincing enough, only the experts will notice the difference. Me? No! I simply enjoyed it all. Every episode has a "dig", each a chamber. Entertaining DVD to "DIG INTO."

YES, distributor Acorn Media has provided SUBTITLES.
Original TV airing was in 2008.
To much bonus to list, but you have the chance to select behind the scenes footage and interviews for selected phases of production with every episode. Quite interesting "making-of" stuff.

Episodes:
1 Army of God: A battle including Knights Templar. Were they carrying a precious cargo? A Christian relic? Includes a graphic broadsword beheading (not for children). Crusades come to 21st Century. A favorite line: "For the love of Jehovah, may we go to the pub?"
2 Warriors: Bones are recovered on a beach, bodies with no hands. Shackles also are found suggesting slaves. It's only the beginning of a complex mystery encompassing 2 centuries, multiple continents.
3 The Eternal Fire: Celtic 1st century relics are found under baths in the city, Bath. Celtic fires appear related to Roman fires as well as the lives of the 2 civilizations. Archaeologist science meets imagination.
4 The Cradle of Civilisation (spelling is correct): Babylonian artifacts appear for sale on the black market in Bath. Gillian's Iraqi ex-lover is looking to recover a tablet with prophecy (Babylonia's 10 commandments). Gillian wants to help.
5 The Lines of War: WWI tank is found in France with 6 body remains. But why also is there Joan of Arc clues? Much more than expected is discovered here.
6 Follow the Gleam: Gillian & Viv work on a new relationship. An Arthurian discovery (the Round Table?) is made in an area known as Camelot. Is it finally a break in Dr. Magwilde's quest for Excalibur? Archaeology turns vicious. Will Gilly end like her mother?

Good BBC drama presented in a unique form. My recommendation: "Let's dig!"
Tennyson recommendation: "The quest is everything."

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Indiana Jones Meets MI-5, February 4, 2010

By 

Never the Twain - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bonekickers (DVD)

If the title of my review suggests that Bonekickers is slightly shallow entertainment, and I'm not saying it is, that shouldn't be taken as any kind of knock against the show. Bonekickers is unashamedly lightweight fun, brought to life by some very fine actors (especially Adrian Lester and Hugh Bonneville) and devised by some very fine TV writers. Those writers, Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharaoh, were also two of the creators of the classic Life on Mars. While I wouldn't put Bonekickers up on that same pedastal, it's a class act and thoroughly enjoyable.

Some have pointed out that the history on display in Bonekickers may not be 100% accurate, as if that somehow makes the show sub-standard. I'll leave it to the history majors to weigh in on that. For me, the idea that Bonekickers plays fast and loose with historical facts (and I'm sure it does) doesn't bother me any more than knowing that Life on Mars is almost certainly not a thoroughly accurate depiction of 1973 police procedures. Quite the contrary, like any good TV show from Doctor Who to The West Wing, Bonekickers exists on its own terms, and for six hours of escapist entertainment that's more than enough..