Virgin Territory (2007)

“Virgin Territory” is the kind of shamelessly playful period romp that knows exactly what it’s doing: whisking you into plague-era Tuscany and letting the world outside disappear in favor of sunlit scenery, flirtation, and farce. David Leland stages it like a bawdy storybook—handsomely shot, briskly paced, and buoyed by a cast that leans into the silliness with an easy charm, from Hayden Christensen’s earnest swagger to Mischa Barton’s romantic spark. The vibe is more cheeky escapism than historical gravitas, mixing swordplay and swoons with winking, anything-goes comedy that’s happy to be ridiculous. If you’re allergic to broad humor and knowingly naughty antics, it may test you—but if you want a light, scenic, slightly wicked getaway, it delivers a surprisingly fun ride.

“Virgin Territory” is aiming for a naughty, swashbuckling Decameron-style romp—plague-era Tuscany as an excuse for sexy farce, light romance, and cartoonish adventure. The problem is it plays like a confused B-movie: the tone lurches between bawdy comedy and half-serious swordplay, the jokes often land with a thud, and the performances can feel stiff or oddly mismatched to the material. If you’re hoping for sharp wit, genuine chemistry, or a clever period sex comedy, this will likely feel corny and messy rather than fun. If you can tolerate cheap-looking cheesiness and just want a breezy, slightly trashy medieval romp with a few amusingly ridiculous moments, you might get some guilty-pleasure mileage out of it.