Avoided this one at the cinema and got it on rental not expecting much.....which is just as well as really terrible - set in Britian towards the end of the Roman occupation in 452 AD - which is the first of many howlers - the Romans had pulled out decades before and by this date the Empire itself had ceased to excist - anyway the plot has it that Arthur and his Knights are a bunch of Eastern Europeans from around the Black Sea shipped over to Britain.Arthur(Clive Owen) has led them for 15 years mainly against the Woads who are led by Merlin who is isn't a wizard at all and appears in need of a good wash - the rest of the Knights are a pretty grungy non-descript bunch with only Ray Winstones Cockney hard man of distintion. They are on the brink of ending theirr servitude to Rome when the local bishop has them head North from Hadrian's Wall to rescue a Roman family from their Villa that is under threat from the invading Saxons - as if by this time any Roman would chose to live North of the Wall and survive more than about 5 minuites.... This brings Arthur into contact with Guinivere(Keira Knightly) who is a woad covered warrior - albeit one with a posh totty Home Counties accent and the rest of the film is the battle against the Saxons led by Stellan Stersgard which enatails much hacking and slaying.
What lets it down is the lacklustre direction,flat woden performances - only Winstone enjoys himself snarling and roaring at everyone and Stersgard who has fun peering at us from what appears to several manes of hair - the script is appaling - every scene seems to have the entire cast discussing freedom and what it means to be free until you expect to see George W Bush's name to appear as script adviser - Owen(who is normally quite good) makes like an oak tree and the lenthy battle scenes go on so long you give up caring who is hacking who......I suppose giving a go at Arthur the non-legendary mystical hero is worthwile but the whole thing is no inept that even that good intention goes down the pan...
quote:Originally posted by StevieB: Avoided this one at the cinema and got it on rental not expecting much.....which is just as well as really terrible - set in Britian towards the end of the Roman occupation in 452 AD - which is the first of many howlers - the Romans had pulled out decades before and by this date the Empire itself had ceased to excist - anyway the plot has it that Arthur and his Knights are a bunch of Eastern Europeans from around the Black Sea shipped over to Britain.Arthur(Clive Owen) has led them for 15 years mainly against the Woads who are led by Merlin who is isn't a wizard at all and appears in need of a good wash - the rest of the Knights are a pretty grungy non-descript bunch with only Ray Winstones Cockney hard man of distintion. They are on the brink of ending theirr servitude to Rome when the local bishop has them head North from Hadrian's Wall to rescue a Roman family from their Villa that is under threat from the invading Saxons - as if by this time any Roman would chose to live North of the Wall and survive more than about 5 minuites.... This brings Arthur into contact with Guinivere(Keira Knightly) who is a woad covered warrior - albeit one with a posh totty Home Counties accent and the rest of the film is the battle against the Saxons led by Stellan Stersgard which enatails much hacking and slaying.
What lets it down is the lacklustre direction,flat woden performances - only Winstone enjoys himself snarling and roaring at everyone and Stersgard who has fun peering at us from what appears to several manes of hair - the script is appaling - every scene seems to have the entire cast discussing freedom and what it means to be free until you expect to see George W Bush's name to appear as script adviser - Owen(who is normally quite good) makes like an oak tree and the lenthy battle scenes go on so long you give up caring who is hacking who......I suppose giving a go at Arthur the non-legendary mystical hero is worthwile but the whole thing is no inept that even that good intention goes down the pan...
Avoid...
It wasn't very good, it should have been made by Ridley Scott. What with the Woads and the Romans I just keep thinking all Woads lead to Wome.
