Rating: 
Summary: A Valiant Effort
Review: The one thing I can say for this film is that it didn't stick to the rules. The writers and producers thought they would just go for it, pretty much ignoring every rule of filmaking there is. The 3 act structure, blatant anachronisms...who cares? However, the movie's best function is to remind us of why we DO have rules, because in several areas the film fell flat. We basically saw the ending "climax" of the film actually happen twice - once 20 minutes in and once at the alleged "climax," which is why the 3-act structure really does work better than whatever this film tried to do. And also because of the strange structure of the film and because of basically poor writing, me and the 2 other people I was with were able to precisely predict *exactly* what the ending of this film would be, only 30 minutes into it.In addition, and this is a matter of opinion only, I did not particularly enjoy watching medieval peasants dance and clap along to "We Will Rock You" and "The Boys Are Back in Town.: To use those songs in a film of this type is daring enough, but to actually involve the characters in the songs was distracting. And the costumes were somewhat bizarre too. The female lead usually looked like she was wearing something out of a 1987 Liz Claiborne factory store, and her hair? Well, I was reminded of my high school posters of Alyssa Milano. I don't know. People seem to like the film but in my opinion it failed in many respects.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Fun! be sure to view the Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes
Review: This movie is a lot of fun!!! The best "romantic medieval jousting comedy" there is! The setting of the first jousting match will be appreciated by anyone that has attended a professional sporting event. I don't usually find the "extra" material on most DVDs to be very interesting -- but after viewing the "Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes" I immediately wanted to watch the movie again with a different eye. I'm going to buy the movie, it's "a keeper".
Rating: 
Summary: A Knight's Tale
Review: We, my wife and I were already fans of Heath Ledger and now he has impressed us once again.
This movie was wonderful, humerous, action filled and well we throughly enjoyed every minute of it.
We hope to see Heath in a lot more movies. His acting in Patriot was suberb and we just love him.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, funny and entertaining
Review: It's just that: wonderful, funny and entertaining. Great music (unless you don't like Rock 'N Roll), good acting, good story line. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Just Bad
Review: What was Heath Ledger thinking when he decided to participate in this movie? Was Rufus Sewall perhaps high when he read this script? I'll put aside most of my objections too the extreme historical inaccuracies in this movie because they were clearly intentional. Afterall one cannot accidentally have a scene in medieval France where the spectators sing "we will rock you". You have to be going for a certain style, no matter how painful that style happens to be. The costumes and makeup seemed really excellent and accurate next Shannyn Sossamon's stiff and extremely unsympathetic potrayal of William Thatcher's love interest Jocelyn. Jocelyn is herself sadistic, annoying, a bad dresser, and just not that pretty. In every scene her clothing gets more bizarre and increasingly becomes something that no one, in any era, would or should wear. In my opinion, anyone with any pretention to taste would have dumped Jocelyn by the wayside for the much more interesting Kate or even Jocelyn's servant/messanger girl. Why waste your time on a girl with no good qualities? Every scene involving William's father is cheap, each one more pathetic than the last. William's father sends young William away so he can fufill his dream of becoming a knight. When he returns home he finds his loving father blind and alone. Finally father comes just in time to support his dear son during Will's most important match. God, can't you just see the tears welling up in my eyes. If this movie has any redeeming qualities, and all movies do, it's Paul Bettany's fun portrayal of Jeffrey Chaucer. This Chaucer is a compulsive gambler as well as a writer and WWF style announcer. He gets maximum points for clever banter while completely naked. All around, A Knight's Tale is an extremely hurtful movie with occasional bright spots. Please skip it no matter how much you like Heath Ledger.
Rating:
Summary: Awful Beyond Comprehension
Review: I am absolutely amazed at people who think this is a great movie, or even a good movie, or even an entertaining somewhat fun movie. What really scares me is that some who see this movie may think its an accurate depiction of the middle ages. I can see if it were supposed to be a farce, a spoof on the time period--but even then the story was bland. But there was no historical accuracy at all, save for maybe the jousting scenes. And we certainly were treated to enough of those. The language, clothing (loved the see through dress on the princess--I'm sure that was the rage in medieval France), mannerisms and especially, the place of women. Yes, princesses and upper class women just roamed the streets unescorted, traveled all over the country and beyond, had strange men bringing them notes in their bedroom and had sex whenever they wanted. In reality, Ulrich/William wouldn't have been able to get near that woman, and in fact, probably never would've even laid eyes on her because she wouldn't have been out on the street! I don't understand the reason for this movie--why make it take place in the middle ages if nothing at all is accurate? It reminded me of a bunch of people just dressing up for a costume party on a Hollywood set. There is no feeling at all that you are in another place and time. Aside from that, the acting is pretty bland and the character lukewarm. Especially unappealing is Jocelyn, who is so moronic and dull, and not particularly good looking. It really pushes the imagination as to why William would be so enthralled with her. His groupie Kate the blacksmith was far more attractive and interesting, although I tend to doubt there were any female blacksmiths at the time. Her clothes and hairdo reminded one more of a women from the American wild west, several centuries later. All in all, an awful movie. We fast forwarded it after a while, just to get to the final scene and hoping beyond hope, that he'd get rid of Jocelyn and get it on with Kate.
Rating:
Summary: Guilty pleasure
Review: Okay, okay, I admit that this is truly one of my life's guilty pleasures. At least this piece of fantasy doesn't even try to pass itself off as history. From watching the extra material, though, it is obvious that the writer/director did a good deal of research into joisting. If you're looking for a couple of hours of mindless frivolity, this is the place. The cast looks as though they are having the time of their lives.
Rating:
Summary: A DELIGHTFUL PSEUDO-MEDIEVAL ROMP...
Review: This highly enjoyable, fairy tale of a film revolves around the efforts of William, a tanner's son, trying to change his destiny. His father gave him up into servitude to a knight, when William was a slip of a lad, in hopes of his having a better future. When he grows up, William, remembering his father's advice, reaches for the stars in an effort to become what he has always dreamed of being, a knight in shining armor. Played to perfection by the very hunky and charismatic Heath Ledger, William gets his big break when the knight, whom he serves, dies during a jousting competition. Donning his knight's armor and substituting secretly for the knight, he handily, though clumsily, wins the competition and its purse. He persuades the other two vassals, Roland and Wat, who also served the now dead knight, to assist him in his efforts to continue competing. They reluctantly agree and begin helping him train for future jousting competitions. William, however, needs credentials establishing his knighthood in order to compete, as mere peasants are prohibited to do so. He has the good fortune to run into a man of letters, Geoffrey Chaucer, who happens to be a bit down on his luck. Chaucer agreees to provide him with forged patents in order to enter tournaments. William, playing the role of a knight, Ulric Von Lichtenstein, becomes a force with whom to be reckoned on the playing field. This does not pass unnoticed by an evil knight, Count Adhemar, played with deliciously wicked malice by Rufus Sewell, who does not hesitate to play dirty on and off the field, if necessary, in order to win. William, however, plays his role most honorably and nobly. William falls in love with the Lady Jocelyn, whom Sewell also covets and intends to marry, but Lady Jocelyn, played by lovely newcomer, Shannyn Sossamon, may be falling for our erstwhile hero. This turn of events makes Count Adhemar all the more determined to win on and off the field. When a jousting competition brings them all to William's hometown, Adhemar pulls out all the stops in an effort to settle the matter once and for all.. This is truly a fun film. The viewer can't help but love the ever so earnest William, played by the simpatico and romantically handsome Heath Ledger. Paul Bettany, as the insouciant and scampish Chaucer, very nearly steals the film, so terrific is he in his role. Rufus Sewell is both sexy and ruthless as the unprincipled and haughty Count Adhemar. The rest of the supporting cast is likewise superb, with the exception of Shannyn Sossamon who does not seem fit the role of one to the manor born. While the plot seems somewhat formulaic, it is made new by the interjection of modern day music and customs. Watch as the crowd gathered for the jousting competition stomps, claps, and does the "wave" in time to Queen's rousing song, "We Will Rock You". See Chaucer act as a modern day huckster for his knight, working the crowd to a fever pitch. Look to the dance led by William at a post jousting reception at the local castle. Likewise, Jocelyn's costumes, at times, resemble haute couture. These modern day interjections that occur throughout the film, though jarring, keep this age old story fresh and funny. It is difficult not to enjoy this film, as it is infectious in its charm.
Rating:
Summary: This is not a feel good movie....
Review: This is a FEEL GREAT movie! Shoot for the stars is the theme and you may suprise even yourself. A bit anachronististic, the screen play of the age old Knights in Shining Armor tale with rock music replacing the herald's blaring trumpets. Will we ever tire of this theme? I hope not.
Rating: 
Summary: Pulleeezze tell me
Review: That it was Heath Ledger's twin brother Heath BAR in this movie. I hated the "new found" rock music they played to try to upscale the movie. I probably would have liked this so much better if they'd stuck with more...periodic music. By far the most amusing and most fun was Heath's would-be harald most of the time naked companion. Overall I wish this had been a much better movie.
|
