King Arthur (2004) review.

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We watched King Arthur for the first time yesterday and liked a lot so we decided to review it.

JT/King Valun at The Window on the South requested that we review a "historical fiction" movie so here is the review for King Arthur (2004).


If you have seen the movie please give it any score from 1 to 10.

Disclaimer: I have not read the entire book but I have read an excerpt for school a while back and I have seen the other King Arthur but I don't think I liked it that munch.

Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Genre: Action Adventure
Release Date: July 7, 2004 (2004-07-07)
Running Time: 126 min
MMPA rating: PG-13


The Good: Epic action scenes, Great retelling of a classic story that removes the magic and makes a more realistic story, Keira Knightley's performance stood out as the best,

The Bad: Some of the action was over stylized and looked ridiculous but there were only a few scenes like that.





Plot: Arthur, also known as Artorius Castus (Clive Owen), is portrayed as a Roman cavalry officer, the son of a Roman father and a Celtic mother, who commands a unit of Sarmatian auxiliary cavalry in Britain at the close of the Roman occupation in 467 A.D. He and his men guard Hadrian's Wall against the 'Woads', a group of native Britons who are rebels against Roman Rule, led by the mysterious Merlin (Stephen Dillane). He is not the first Arthur — for generations, his ancestors have manned the Wall, leading Sarmatian auxiliaries.

As the film starts, Arthur and his remaining knights Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd), Bors (Ray Winstone), Tristan (Mads Mikkelsen), Gawain (Joel Edgerton), Galahad (Hugh Dancy) and Dagonet (Ray Stevenson) are expecting discharge from the service of the Empire after faithfully serving for 15 years (Lancelot's voiceover is heard at the beginning and end of the film, and his entry into service as a youth in 452 AD is depicted at the beginning). They fight off an attack by the Woads on the Roman escort bringing their discharges.

However, on the night they ought to receive their freedom, they are dispatched on a final and possibly suicidal mission by Bishop Germanus (Ivano Marescotti) in the freezing winter to rescue the important Roman family of Marius Honorius (Ken Stott) from impending capture by the invading Saxons, led by their chief Cerdic (Stellan Skarsgård) and his son Cynric (Til Schweiger). Marius' son, Alecto, is the Pope's favorite godson and may be "destined to be Pope one day", according to the Bishop. The knights are charged with this rescue because Rome is withdrawing from Britain, now considered an indefensible outpost. What the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 7.3/10- The plot is a great retelling of the old King Arthur's story which removes the magic and I like that.


Action: 8.0/10- The action scenes were good and large scale but a few of the action scenes was overly stylized and looked ridiculous.


Acting: 7.5/10- Overall the acting was very good but Keira Knightley's performance stood out as the best.


Special effects: N/A


Soundtrack: 6.8/10- The soundtrack wasn't bad but not very memorable.


Comedy: N/A


Overall: 7.7/10- Overall King Arthur was very good action adventure movie that delivered enough action and story to make it entertaining.


Closing comments: If you liked the original King Arthur story or if you want a good sword fighting action movie you should check out King Arthur.

Recommended for: Action movie fans, Action Adventure movie fans, Keira Knightley fans,