The Green Knight (B+ or 3/4 stars)
King Arthur's nephew sets-off on a journey to find a mysterious being that will test every aspect of his being in a medieval fantasy-adventure title 'The Green Knight' (based on a lengthy, 14th century epic poem directed by David Lowery). When we first see King Arthur's dissolute nephew Gawain (Dev Patel, excellent), he whiles away his days through alcohol & sex with his lower-class lover, Essel (Alicia Vikander). During a Christmas celebration, and in the presence of King Arthur (Sean Harris) & Queen Guinevere (Kate Dickie), Gawain is called to sit next to his majesty. Arthur wants Gawain to tell them a story of his deeds, but unlike the Knights of the Round Table, Gawain has none to mention. Suddenly - and seemingly conjured by Gawain's enchantress mother, Morgan le Fay (Sarita Choudhury) - a towering creature with characteristics of both a tree & a man, The Green Knight (Ralph Ineson), enters the court on horseback to play a "game".
Gawain steps up to play, with the caveat being that whatever kind of blow he delivers to The Green Knight ... the creature will give to Gawain in equal measure 1 yr. from that night. Undeterred and, assuming his blow will be permanent, Gawain beheads him with a borrowed Excalibur. But surprise-surprise, the creature arises, picks up his head(!), leaves his ax, & rides off on his horse with a sickening laugh; reminding Gawain of his date with destiny. The year passes and, as Christmas approaches, he knows he must keep his bargain or face dishonor & shame. Thusly, he sets out on a trippy journey to find TGK & prove his mettle. Along the way, Gawain not only contends with his doubts & insecurities, but also encounters with bandits (including Barry Keoghan), a ghost, a talking fox, giant nude women, & a couple who have their sights set on him (Vikander again, Joel Edgerton). Magic & mystery blend with sobering reality once he reaches The Green Knight.
Many films have been made around the legend of King Arthur, but none quite like this entrancing, bizarre adventure, with its dreamlike vignettes, ethereal sensuality, & quiet filmic poetry. The whole thing drips with imagination & dread. And it is simply one of the most visually arresting films I've seen in some time. This movie is thematically & literally dark, illuminated only by candlelight or fog-shrouded natural lighting - which creates an obscured, tactile atmosphere that puts one under a sort of spell. The cinematographer captures a fascinating visual mood, with unique camera angles & great subtle use of the color green as a motif; mostly dull greens, but very effective. The world Lowery conjures is also aided by decadently medieval production design {spare, yet beautiful), some ornate costumes {the attention to detail on the gowns, head pieces & armory is astounding}, & great make-up/visual effect work that enhances the visions we see onscreen {The Green Knight, the band of traveling giants}. Also spectacular is the aural design which combines with a choral music score that creates a haunting, unnerving soundscape.
Dev Patel is another strength of this film. His Gawain is conflicted btwn. honor & survival. Yes, he wants to slay the creature, but doubts & temptations cloud his goals. Patel taps into a deep well of emotion whenever the moment calls for it; and that is often. Despite having a dual role, Alicia Vikander is underused. She's more than adequate, but Patel outshines her in their scenes together. San Harris is great as King Arthur, simply because Harris' sickly visage & no-nonsense demeanor ALWAYS unsettles me in whatever film he's in {haha}. Katie Dickie impresses as a similarly sickly-looking Guinevere. And Ralph Ineson creates an imposing figure who horrifies with both his physicality & a mocking malice that he brings vocally.
Now, as successful as this film is, I take issue with its length. 'The Green Knight' is NOT going to be everyone's cup of tea; demanding attention that may require subsequent viewings to absorb everything. There's a somnambulant quality to the proceedings {airless, lugubrious, dreamy} that could fail to engage the viewer who is not all IN for this type of film. And there is little entertainment value. So why, why, why must this be 130 minutes in length? A scene or two clipped and/or some more judicious editing/pacing WITHIN each scene could have knocked this down to 105 minutes EASILY and, I don't think it would have made the overall piece have any lesser effect. It still would be atmospheric as hell & wonderful ... and it would just flow better.
'The Green Knight' brims with ideas. i.e., the futility of pride in one's self; a sobering deconstruction of chivalry. Themes of bravery, masculinity & heroism abound. Kneeling below the towering Green Knight at the film's end {amazing montage sets up the final moments} ... which road does Gawain travel down? What does honor mean, & what does it cost? Why do we search for greatness? Does he die as a brave young knight, or live a wholly unsatisfactory life as a coward? Gawain grapples with all of this. Any great film starts & ends well and, the ending here is a wower; with an energy that the rest of the film lacks. I felt somewhat emotionally detached from 'TGK', but it is an undeniable intoxicating movie that engaged my senses greatly.
Gawain steps up to play, with the caveat being that whatever kind of blow he delivers to The Green Knight ... the creature will give to Gawain in equal measure 1 yr. from that night. Undeterred and, assuming his blow will be permanent, Gawain beheads him with a borrowed Excalibur. But surprise-surprise, the creature arises, picks up his head(!), leaves his ax, & rides off on his horse with a sickening laugh; reminding Gawain of his date with destiny. The year passes and, as Christmas approaches, he knows he must keep his bargain or face dishonor & shame. Thusly, he sets out on a trippy journey to find TGK & prove his mettle. Along the way, Gawain not only contends with his doubts & insecurities, but also encounters with bandits (including Barry Keoghan), a ghost, a talking fox, giant nude women, & a couple who have their sights set on him (Vikander again, Joel Edgerton). Magic & mystery blend with sobering reality once he reaches The Green Knight.
Many films have been made around the legend of King Arthur, but none quite like this entrancing, bizarre adventure, with its dreamlike vignettes, ethereal sensuality, & quiet filmic poetry. The whole thing drips with imagination & dread. And it is simply one of the most visually arresting films I've seen in some time. This movie is thematically & literally dark, illuminated only by candlelight or fog-shrouded natural lighting - which creates an obscured, tactile atmosphere that puts one under a sort of spell. The cinematographer captures a fascinating visual mood, with unique camera angles & great subtle use of the color green as a motif; mostly dull greens, but very effective. The world Lowery conjures is also aided by decadently medieval production design {spare, yet beautiful), some ornate costumes {the attention to detail on the gowns, head pieces & armory is astounding}, & great make-up/visual effect work that enhances the visions we see onscreen {The Green Knight, the band of traveling giants}. Also spectacular is the aural design which combines with a choral music score that creates a haunting, unnerving soundscape.
Dev Patel is another strength of this film. His Gawain is conflicted btwn. honor & survival. Yes, he wants to slay the creature, but doubts & temptations cloud his goals. Patel taps into a deep well of emotion whenever the moment calls for it; and that is often. Despite having a dual role, Alicia Vikander is underused. She's more than adequate, but Patel outshines her in their scenes together. San Harris is great as King Arthur, simply because Harris' sickly visage & no-nonsense demeanor ALWAYS unsettles me in whatever film he's in {haha}. Katie Dickie impresses as a similarly sickly-looking Guinevere. And Ralph Ineson creates an imposing figure who horrifies with both his physicality & a mocking malice that he brings vocally.
Now, as successful as this film is, I take issue with its length. 'The Green Knight' is NOT going to be everyone's cup of tea; demanding attention that may require subsequent viewings to absorb everything. There's a somnambulant quality to the proceedings {airless, lugubrious, dreamy} that could fail to engage the viewer who is not all IN for this type of film. And there is little entertainment value. So why, why, why must this be 130 minutes in length? A scene or two clipped and/or some more judicious editing/pacing WITHIN each scene could have knocked this down to 105 minutes EASILY and, I don't think it would have made the overall piece have any lesser effect. It still would be atmospheric as hell & wonderful ... and it would just flow better.
'The Green Knight' brims with ideas. i.e., the futility of pride in one's self; a sobering deconstruction of chivalry. Themes of bravery, masculinity & heroism abound. Kneeling below the towering Green Knight at the film's end {amazing montage sets up the final moments} ... which road does Gawain travel down? What does honor mean, & what does it cost? Why do we search for greatness? Does he die as a brave young knight, or live a wholly unsatisfactory life as a coward? Gawain grapples with all of this. Any great film starts & ends well and, the ending here is a wower; with an energy that the rest of the film lacks. I felt somewhat emotionally detached from 'TGK', but it is an undeniable intoxicating movie that engaged my senses greatly.