Merlin

Rating:
Summary: It's great!
Review: I love anything to do with King Arthur and Merlin. I have read so many books, and watched many things related to the Arthurian legends. This movie is a perfect addition to my collection, and to anybody who loves the legends as much as I do.

Rating:
Summary: breathtaking
Review: This movie is absolutely wonderful. The special effects are incredible! Sam Neill does a splendid job as Merlin. Though I must admit that the way Queen Mab is portrayed, from the acting to the special effects, really steals the show. A fairly true rendition of the novel, definately a must for any fantasy, sci-fi fan.

Rating:
Summary: A journey into the Age of Magic.
Review: I remember viewing all those commercials on TV, thinking how cool the movie must be, but I had no idea what was in store for me. The second I saw Merlin riding on that horse over a lake, and heard that opening music, I knew that this movie was going to blow me away, and it did. It told an age old story, the story about Merlin, and the times of King Arthur, Camelot, and the medival age. The acting was superb, but it was the musical score that stuck with me. Never have I seen such a great movie with such a great musical score. I honestly think it topped off Star Wars, musicwise.

Rating:
Summary: magical family fare
Review: Steve Barron's retelling of the Arthurian legend from Merlin's point of view sparkles with fresh special effects, a light touch, and wonderful casting. Sam Neill makes a marvelous Merlin; passionate, conflicted and imbued with a sense of irony, his eyes twinkling with droll humor. His love Nimue is portrayed by the lovely Isabella Rossellini; Miranda Richardson as Mab is deliciously evil; Helena Bonham Carter gives Morgaine a comedic touch of camp. For those who appreciate a light touch to magic, myth and legend (especially young viewers) this version of Merlin's story will delight. This isn't John Boorman.

Rating:
Summary: A totally awesome arthurian experiance!
Review: This is one hell of a movie, its (totally) different from allthe other arthurian remakes. Merlin's place in the movie is totally defined, Sam Neill is a great actor - but im not sure about merlin the teenager, maybe cause he's still inexperianced. But of course, there's always a black sheep in the way, guess who? Queen Mab, the actress is good, but Mab is annoying!...Okay, I have no time left, overall the movie is totally exciting fit for the whole family so just but it okay? Thanks for reading....

Rating:
Summary: A totally awesome arthurian experiance!
Review: This is one hell of a movie, its (totally) different from all the other arthurian remakes. Merlin's place in the movie is totally defined, Sam Neill is a great actor - but im not sure about merlin the teenager, maybe cause he's still inexperianced. But of course, there's always a black sheep in the way, guess who? Queen Mab, the actress is good, but Mab is annoying! OK i have no time left, overall the movie is totally exciting fit for the whole family so just but it okay? Thanks for reading....

Rating:
Summary: Cheese, camp, entertainment, great acting, and enchantment!
Review: Most of the vehement criticism directed at this video seems to come from Arthurian purists ... however, "Merlin" was never intended to be historically accurate, faithful retelling of the legends. In fact, the insertion of a "new" character (the strange and coldly beautiful Queen Mab) breathes new life into the familiar tales. Although the wizard Merlin strives for goodness, he is drawn to his powerful mother-creator, Mab, as surely as he is repelled by her evil ways. In other instances, the forces of evil are portrayed as more than merely seductive -- they seem superior to the forces of good. It is the villains of the piece -- Mab, the feral sorceress Morgan le Fay, and the gnome Frik (equal parts snivelling sychophant and dashing romantic) -- who really shine, with outstanding performances by Richardson, Bonham Carter, and Short. Their characters are largely than life, and their scenes are a campy mix of over-the-top drama and comedy. In comparison, Neill's plodding Merlin and Rossellini's etheral Nimue seem lacklustre ... however, their grounded performances help to anchor the film. The characters of Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere are swept under the rug ... a decision which I, for one, applaud. Just once, why shouldn't the familiar major characters be ignored so that minor characters such as Merlin and Morgan may step out of the shadows? I prefer sorcery and incestuous couplings to another bland rehashing of the Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot love triangle, thank you very much. Although the special effects are often unconvincing and the narrative is slowly paced with some tedious "filler" -- such is the nature of the miniseries -- "Merlin" is able to overcome a few cheesy lines. The costumes and make-up are truly enchanting, and some spirited performances make the characters of Mab, Morgan, and Frik unforgettable. If you expect the uneven "Merlin" to follow the format of a tightly scripted feature film, you'll be disappointed ... but if you attempt to enjoy it as the campy miniseries it was intended to be, you will find that its virtues far outweight its flaws.

Rating:
Summary: VERY, VERY DULL.
Review: This film has been described as a `Family Movie' but I can't think of one reason why any kids would want to watch this 3 1/2+ hour dud. Nothing kept my interest. The film falls flat on almost every level, apart from the music. When you watch this, remember it is called MERLIN. And what do we associate with Merlin? Magic. Something that this film has NOTHING OF! I don't get it. Queen Mab constantly refers to Paganism as `The Old Ways'. I had no trouble understanding that she was referring to Paganism because I have knowledge of this subject. But how on earth is anyone else supposed to know? Nothing is ever explained about the history and friction between "the old ways" and christianity. The dialogue and acting throughout the entire film is absurdly lame(very, very bad). That's it. For almost 4 hours! Buy the incredible soundtrack CD, but don't watch this movie!

Rating:
Summary: Bad script !
Review: You know after I finished watching this movie I thought to myself that this script had to have been written by 8 year olds! I can't imagine anything else other than a group of second graders sitting around saying.... "Hey I got a great idea for a movie! Lets get that funny guy from SNL to star in a magical fantasy and have some Kiwi be Merlin and perform unbelievable magic tricks like that David Copperfield... stuff like freeing himself from his chains or making flowers appear out of nowhere. I mean come on! This is totally insipid. Don't take my word for it though, just check out the other horrible comments it has received. I would comment on all the things I found wrong with this film but I dont want to sound like a broken record. I feel my fellow AMAZON users have pretty much covered all the bases.

Rating:
Summary: Not even worth a rental. Go see "Excalibur" instead.
Review: I am perplexed at how some of the positive reviewers here have taken offense to negative comments by responding negatively. The negative posters, on the other hand, have virtually refrained from personal attacks keeping their opinions solely to the film itself. *Kudos* to them, and none to their attackers, Richardson or Rosellini. Hey... if you can't take any criticism, then you shouldn't be here at all. Many, like myself, weren't blown away by this movie....We know a good flick when we see one, therefore our standards aren't on the levels of those who think that "Dumb and Dumber" was the best film they ever saw. The settings and costumes might be awesome for a Hallmark film, but so is Houston Astro pitcher Jose Lima after a trip down to single-A minor leaque! And, to some of you pro-Merlin people out there- might it occur to you that you are the ones who are really biased ? (*you know who you are*)? Biased-ness is not what makes a movie crappy. It's the crappiness which makes a movie crappy. The plot in "Merlin" was spread out very thin leaving a lot to be desired, and the actors (especially Sam Neill and Paul Curran) acted as though they didn't really care much, as if they were looking forward to something more important to do. Secondly... the story of Merlin is mostly myth and not legend. LEGENDs usually indicate something with an actual historical root. True or not, what is meant by "historical inaccuracy" is how little the costumes, settings, etc pertain to the times that these stories were supposed to have taken place in. Hallmark, of course, screwed up. Thirdly, it doesn't matter how Arthurian mythology is told just as long as it's told in a good way. Hallmark screwed up here big time as well, making some of the world's most beloved mythological characters look like a Three Stooges clay animation feature. I would not recommend this film to anyone of any age at all, because it would be a big waste of their time. "Excalibur" is a much better movie, so go see that instead. 1/5 stars.