As it has been advertised, "King Arthur" is a unique and welcomed take on the Arthurian myth.
Without focus on infidelity, magic or chivalry, this film will disappoint those in hopes of a "Camelot" remake or a blockbuster film with appeal to teenagers.
Clive Owen was fantastic as Arturious, a knight of both Roman and pagan-Britain blood. Owen portrays Arthur as a dignified man, in search of to whom to give his allegiance, while struggling with the fact that he can't be beaten, but his small group of loyal knights will likely fall under his lead.
Keira Knightley's portrayal of Guinevere was fantastic. In "King Arthur," Guinevere is a pagan warrior, living in the hills of Britain. She is rescued by Arthur from a Roman tomb, filled with the decomposing bodies of serfs who refused to follow the ways of their Roman lord and his faith.
While Knightley's body isn't exactly warrior-esque, her strong spirit and dead-on archery aim are a gift to the name of the legendary Guinevere.
The message of the film is the need to be free tramples all. With sharp, cunning attacks on the Roman church, "King Arthur" is both well-written and well acted.
Throughout the film, Arthur is reminding his knights and those he has rescued from the Saxon Army and Roman royalty, people aren't born to be servants and that all men are created equal.
The film develops its plot when Arthur, upon receiving the freedom papers for his knights, is informed of a dangerous mission from the Roman church in which he and his knights would be required to travel far north and rescue Roman royalty from the vicious Saxon Army.
The film follows the battles between the Arthurian knights and the Saxons over a series of exciting and suspenseful battle scenes.
The knights are portrayed as selfless, brave, outnumbered and loyal as they battle on top of ice, watching it break beneath their feet while fighting the Saxons.
The fact is, the Arthurian legend or myth, is exactly that. No one knows if King Arthur ever existed, or if he is a metaphor for the ideal king of the time. Therefore, the film's director Antoine Fuqua and powerhouse producer Jerry Bruckheimer were free to interpret the legend as they saw fit. This film will likely enrage some, and inspire others.
In "King Arthur," great wizard Merlin is portrayed by Stephen Dillane, as a pagan leader and the man who killed young Arthur's mother in a village raid. But in this demystified version, Merlin has little to do with the story and serves as a respected voice of reason.
Thankfully, there's no dramatic love triangle that has been the focus of so many other Arthurian films.
The legendary romance between Guinevere and Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd) is merely hinted at and never goes past a few passionate stares.
The battle scenes are exciting, but rated PG-13, they're hardly as gory as those in "Braveheart" or the recent "Troy."
There's less cheese and better acting than I expected, and it's a must see for action-lovers and those who are attracted to the Arthurian legend, but looking for a new take on it.
If you like this movie, you might also like: Braveheart, Troy
