The Green Knight - Movie Review

Critics Score - 9 of 10

General Audience Score - 7 of 10

King Arthur and the knights of the round table story has been done so many times it’s tough to imagine a new take would be revolutionary, not just for the Arthur story but for any medieval or renaissance era film. But The Green Knight is an epic tale, both in a filmmaking sense with it’s spectacle and visual wonder, but also in it’s story with ingenuity and a craftsmanship behind every single element the film is using. All cinephiles should make the effort to go into The Green Knight with as little information as possible. Through the duration of my review I’ll strive to remain as vague as possible to entice readers to view the film while simultaneously not spoiling many plot points. I’ll forgive anyone who stops reading here. Just know this is a movie created for people who love art and great cinema, but mainstream audiences will also be highly entertained in the same way as a Pans Labyrinth is completely captivating. It’s difficult to turn away from this Green Knight, you’ll be completely enchanted by him.

Our film opens to Gawain (Dev Patel), the much darker skinned nephew of King Arthur, waking up in a house of ill repute with Essel, (Alicia Vikander). After rushing out, Gawain makes his way to a feast held at King Arthur’s court, but the party takes a turn for the grim when the Green Knight decides to crash the Christmas Day celebration and rides right in on his horse. He invites someone to play a Christmas game with him, without giving away much, Gawain presumptuously agrees to play his game in order to prove himself in front of the King. Almost immediately the film offers us some stunning visuals in the court scenes but once the wannabe Knight, Gawain, takes off on the adventure the Green Knight has put before him, the visuals move into the realm of otherworldly. The pacing of the film does slow for just a bit during the outset of his trip, but even his approaching a crossroads with a skeleton swinging in a cage beside the road is visually dazzling. While the film isn’t rife with action and fight sequences, the screenplay does an excellent job of continually setting up challenges and trials that test the young Gawain's merit and mettle, such as a group of vagabonds who almost immediately relive him of some of his prized possessions.

When the quest comes to its finale, most of the audience will be left speechless and filled with wonderment and an appreciation for the cinematic arts. This is the story of Gawain and although he’s supported by some other characters that add layers and dimensions to the film, the design of them is the same as the story, it stays focused on him and his search for honor. The Gawain character is so relatable in that he shows that despite his knightly aspirations, he’s perfectly flawed and capable of unknightly deeds and missteps along his journey. The score and sound design along his travels are similarly moody and haunting and work in lockstep with the cinematography which only enhances the overall beauty the film is able to encapsulate. It must be said that Dev Patel is doing some absolutely brilliant work here as Gawain and although the storytelling is extremely visual in nature, Dev helps support the case the film makes for best movie of the year.

SUMMARY - Even if your not the biggest fan of overly cinematic movies and abstract artsy films, I’m talking about The Tree Of Life and similar genre films, The Green Knight still works for the average cinema goer in many ways. Cinephiles will be gushing over The Green Knight for years to come, but so many others will be pleasantly surprised how riveting it is to cross swords with The Green Knight.