The Uprising

England in the mid-14th century stands on the brink of collapse as the Black Death wipes out nearly half the population and the Hundred Years' War drains the treasury. Director Paul Greengrass frames this historical moment with a handheld camera that places the viewer directly into the mud and blood of the peasant experience. The film introduces Ploughman, an anonymous farmer played by Andrew Garfield, who becomes the reluctant face of a movement born from starvation and oppressive taxation.

The narrative expands beyond a single village to capture the chaotic spread of the Peasants' Revolt across Essex and into London. Greengrass orchestrates large-scale scenes of unrest alongside intimate character moments, showing how ordinary people organize against the crown. The story weaves together the perspectives of radical priest John Ball, charismatic mercenary Wat Tyler, and the young King Richard II, creating a complex portrait of a society tearing itself apart over questions of rights and survival. [edit]

The year is 1381, and the English countryside is a graveyard of sorts where the living struggle to survive the aftermath of the plague. Farmers like Ploughman work diminishing plots of land while facing relentless demands for taxes from corrupt local officials and the church hierarchy. The ruling class, led by the inexperienced King Richard II, imposes a new Poll Tax to fund their wars against France, ignoring the fact that the peasantry has already lost everything to disease and famine. When tax collectors arrive in Ploughman's village with brutal efficiency, threatening to seize his land and enslave his children, the farmer realizes that submission only leads to ruin.

Ploughman's awakening accelerates with the arrival of John Ball, a radical priest whose sermons preach a vision of social equality and divine justice. Ball's words resonate deeply with the oppressed masses, turning private grievances into public outrage. Together with Wat Tyler, a former soldier turned mercenary known for his fiery rhetoric, these three figures begin to organize a resistance that quickly spreads from Essex. What starts as a localized protest transforms into a massive, chaotic uprising involving thousands of peasants, craftsmen, and disenfranchised townsfolk.

The rebellion marches toward London, burning documents and looting aristocratic properties along the way. The film captures the raw intensity of this movement through Greengrass's signature immersive style, depicting violent confrontations with state forces and the internal fractures within the rebel camp. As the rebels approach the capital, they are joined by a diverse array of characters, including the Countess, who finds herself caught between loyalty to the crown and empathy for the common people, and Mayor Walworth, who represents the rigid authority of the merchant class.

The strategic brilliance of the peasant army shines as they capture key figures like Archbishop Sudbury and Chief Justice Bealknap, holding them hostage to negotiate terms with the King. The narrative focuses heavily on the ideological clash between the feudal order and the emerging demand for human rights. Tension mounts as the young King Richard II is forced to confront the scale of the threat to his throne, leading to high-stakes negotiations in the shadow of the Tower of London. The unity of the movement is tested by differing motivations and the fear of royal retribution, setting the stage for a dramatic standoff that will determine the fate of the revolution.[edit]