Rating: Summary: Suspend your disbelief and be severely entertained. Review: Packing a big punch. Must see for the jousting alone...but you WILL be entertained. Fast Funny, SMART and without a doubt orginal. Who knew Chaucer was such a card?
Rating: Summary: Give me a break! Review: This movie and garbage, if you ask me. 1970's pop tunes in the jousting? just plain ridiculous. I saw that they tried to make it funny, but it did'nt hit me at all. Heath Ledger was pretty good at acting but the rest were terrible. The jousting was awesome, that's the only I liked about it.
Rating: Summary: Awesome Knight! Review: I rented the dvd last Saturday and had to return it today, Sunday. We watched the movie 4 times in a weeks time, it was awesome and I really do like Heath Ledger, he's a great actor.
Rating: Summary: This movie brings back something that been lost. Review: I have ((NEVER)) watched a movie six times before this one. This may not be one of the best theatrical scripts ever written, but the meaning that this movie portrays is the best I have ever sean. The music choices are great. This movie is right up-there with "Somewhere In Time" by Universal.
Rating: Summary: Yeech! Review: Sorry, but I found the jarring juxtaposition of medieval jousting with 1970s pop tunes too much to take. Plus the plot didn't keep my attention. After about 40 minutes I turned it off. 'Nuff said.....
Rating: Summary: IT WILL ROCK YOU Review: Apparently audiences couldn't quite figure out A Knight's Tale when it had its theatrical release last year. This was in all likelihood due to the combination of rock music in ancient times clashing with our knowledge of history and our delicate sensibilities. However, having both seen this at the cinema and owning it on DVD, I would like to hope that this movie will be given a second chance to win new viewers as it really is a good film and great fun! Heath Ledger (The Patriot) displaying great charm and a winning smile throughout, plays William Thatcher, squire to a washed up champion jouster, who dies during a competition, leaving William to masquerade as his master in order to collect their winnings. Aided by his initially less than enthusiatic pals Roland (Mark Addy from Full Monty) and Wat (Alan Tudyk, 28 Days) William fakes nobility to illegally enter competitions. On their travels they encounter a naked wanderer, the future famed author, Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany) who joins their 'crusade' and helps to forge William's ancestral lineage, so that he can take part in the noblemen only games. Whilst competing (according to my wife who seems to like every Australian film star) the very handsome William catches the eye of a lady, Jocelyn (the very beautiful Shannyn Sossamon), and sets out to win her heart. However, standing between William and his two goals of winning the World Championships and winning the hand of Lady Jocelyn stands the dastardly Count Adhemar (brilliantly played by Rufus Sewell, Dark City). This is a surprising change of direction for writer/Director Brian Helgelend (LA Confidential). This movie is great fun and the mixture of rock music (they sing, clap and stamp Queen's We Will Rock You before each joust) and medieval times works surprisingly well, adding to the excitement and atmosphere of each competition. Both Heath Ledger and Shannyn Sossamon shine in their lead roles and share excellent on-screen sexual chemistry. However, it is Paul Bettany who steals most scenes as the occasionally naked, always in trouble, lyrical Geoffrey Chaucer. Also watch out for James Purefoy in a relatively small role (but tipped for greater things)! Extra features on the DVD include a light-hearted commentary from Brian Helgeland and Paul Bettany, where they reveal some of the FX tricks of the trade and hear Helgeland feign ignorance of the fact that they didn't dance to David Bowie in 1366 or play Queen's "We Will Rock You" at jousting tournaments. There is also a passable documentary and some excellent deleted scenes and a music video where Britains most popular of current musical stars Robbie Williams performs Queen's "We Are the Champions" with all the pomp and grandiosity of Freddie Mercury, outlining why he is considered natural heir to Mercury's throne as Britains Greatest Showman. Four stars for the movie (five stars are far too often and easily dispensed), four stars for the extras. Well worth checking out.
Rating: Summary: generally charming tale Review: ***1/2 It seems that every few years or so Hollywood attempts to revive a moribund genre by coming up with a film that blends traditional elements with those of modern teen movies. This principle is based on the assumption that, since adolescents provide the source of most of the box office revenue for the industry's few yearly mega-blockbusters, all a studio need do is craft its films in any given genre to reflect that key demographic's interests and it will come up with a winner. This has been tried, with varying degrees of success, with the western ("Young Guns") and the swashbuckler ("The Three Musketeers"), to name but a few, and now we have the same principle being applied to the medieval romance in Brian Helgeland's 2001 film, "A Knight's Tale." I must confess that I wasn't exactly bowled over by this film in its first hour. It wasn't that I objected to the filmmakers' use of popular music from the 1970's and '80's as a background for the 14th Century action. In fact, I rather liked the fact that the film found a unique and interesting way to employ anachronism in a time when audiences seem incapable of identifying with people of the past if they don't speak, act or behave exactly as we do. No, what I mostly objected to was the fact that the film didn't really seem to know what to do with its concept and that, by the sixth scene of knights jousting, I was pretty much ready to pack up and go home. Yet, slowly but surely, the film finds both its tone and its footing and becomes an extremely likable romantic tale, overflowing with charm, sentiment and an air of goodwill that becomes quite irresistible. Despite the modern touches around its edges, "A Knight's Tale" has solid old-fashioned values at its core. Heath Ledger stars as William Thatcher, a lowly knight errant who, upon the unexpected death of his master, decides he wants to be a knight himself, even though the law forbids all but nobility and royalty from assuming that title. Armed with his own band of bumbling, good-natured merry men, Thatcher strikes out to make a name for himself on the jousting circuit, winning the love of the beautiful Jocelyn in the process. As in most traditional medieval romances, we have blonde, blue-eyed virtue embodied by Thatcher doing battle against dark-haired villainy in the form of the evil Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) - all for the love of a fair lady. "A Knight's Tale" works because it never takes itself too seriously. It would be hard for any film to take itself too seriously when it has medieval peasants rocking out to Queen's stadium classic "We Will Rock You" at the start of a tournament, elite nobles dancing to David Bowie's "Golden Years" at a formal ball, and our heroes re-entering the city of London to the antic strains of Thin Lizzy's "The Boys are Back in Town" on the eve of a great jousting contest. By calling such obvious attention to its anachronisms, the film manages to sustain its youthful, playful spirit throughout. Even the emphasis on modernistic feminist ideals seems less forced than it otherwise might in a film with a different, more serious tone. Yet, the film takes its romance very seriously, as evidenced by the fact that the courtship between Thatcher and Jocelyn is played out with an air of genuine affection and sweetness. Moreover, Roland, Wat, Kate and even Geoffrey Chaucer (yes, THAT Geoffrey Chaucer) serve as wonderful and endearing sidekicks for the intrepid hero. "A Knight's Tale" is a film that takes a bit of getting used to. But if you stick with it like I did, I think you will be pleasantly surprised and rewarded.
Rating: Summary: Entertaining if you take it for what it is. Review: First and foremost, this film is not trying to grab an Oscar; it is not trying to be deemed the most historically accurate film of all time; it is merely trying to entertain (think MTV, think Jim Carrey comedy, think Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie). So, this is a "flick," not a film by any means. How does it rate there? The film opens with "We Will Rock You," which may jarr a few audience members. This is a conglomeration of the old and the new: costumes, language, and people will be painfully anachronous. Acceptable? Unforgivable? It depends on how badly one needs to relax and just enjoy some mindless fun. No summary will be given here, as there are plenty contained in previous reviews. The it-listed Heath Ledger plays William Thatcher, a role that does not demand much acting muscle; however, Ledger does his job well playing an ambitious young pauper-turned-hero. Newcomer Shannyn Sossamon plays his romantic interest, Jocelyn, with more frigidity than expected. She has obvious charisma and charm, but it would have been the film's benefit if she had played the role with a little more warmth rather than her adoption of the archetypal cold princess persona. The real stars are the actors who portray Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany) and Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell). The virtually unknown Bettany shows his acting chops in this film, stealing the show with his vibrancy. The talented Sewell could have played the humdrum villainous without any spark, but he manages to bring sympathy to the role. Is this another manufactured flick that follows the 1-2-3 formula? Yes, but the key word here is "energy." A tedious medieval dance that segues into David Bowie's "Golden Years" only invites audience glee. As for the negatives: Thatcher's childhood scenes are plopped down in inappropriate places, which screams director Brian Helgeland's attempt for a saccharine moment ("Now, everyone, this is where you 'aww' and shed a little tear, okay?"). The only positive arising from this is Christopher Cazenove's genuine performance as John Thatcher, William's father. Someone cast this man in a serious and dramatic film. The jousting scenes, intially thrilling, quickly become tiring and repetitive - how many times can a person see splinters a-flying in slow motion? In addition, the fact that a month is enough time for an unpolished knight wannabe to become an unbeatable knight is somewhat eyebrow-lifting, but then again, this is a movie. The verdict: the characters are fun, the love story somewhat interesting, and the lines are sometimes funny. However, ultimately the anachronistic music hurts the film, as it brings the film from the "just good fun" level to the "man, this is really ridiculous" level. The film is energetic and fun without the "aid" of Queen, thank you very much. This is a good flick - a great film? The absolute best? No, not by a long shot. But think: it's not trying to be.
Rating: Summary: Didn't think I'd like it--Came away wanting more. Review: This was just the best movie ever. I didn't even want to like it, but I just couldn't help it. A great story that warms the heart. It has just about everything. Love, humor, adventure. What more could anybody want. Something for everybody. I don't think I could ever get tired of watching it. Love the soundtrack too. Keep an open mind. Just sit back and let it take you. You'll be glad you did.
Rating: Summary: Not bad. Review: This was a fairly good film, but honestly - if you like it - you will love it. You don't like it - it will be one of the films you despise for this year. It was a very risky film, and most people I have spoken to, tell me they were a little disappointed. Me - I thought it was okay. Worthy of 4 stars at least for the cool action sequences and the co-ordinating of that opening sequence
|