King Arthur Movie Review – 2004

This is a review of  King Arthur – The Director’s Cut (Widescreen Edition).

Clive Owen is one of the actors I could watch in almost anything. Mime performance? Sure. Conceptual play about flowers? You know it. King Arthur’s origins? HECK YES!

King Arthur is a film that takes a gritty, unrefined look at how King Arthur appeared and what he stood for. It’s probably the best King Arthur movie I’ve seen.

Casting

As mentioned, Clive Own stars as King Arthur and he is perfectly cast. Ioan Gruffudd, from the Fantastic Four, is Lancelot, while Keira Knightley is Guinevere.

Clive Owen is excellent, Ioan Gruffudd is fantastic, but Keira Knightley is just ok. The other two carry the film, while Keira tries to keep up.

What You’ll Like

King Arthur Movie Review - 2004 PhotoOrigin of Arthur – Unlike other movies that make King Arthur out to be a magical person, this movie shows the Romans involved at an early period in Britain’s history. Owen is called forth by the Romans for service as a youth for a period of 15 years. At the end of this time, he is a free man. The movie deals with the end of his service to the Romans.

Battle Scenes – I’ve always thought I’d make a good soldier in the middle ages, but after the battle scenes of King Arthur I’m unsure. Unlike the scenes from other period films that are relatively clean, King Arthur’s battle scenes are messy, bloody and confusing. The filming makes you feel as if you are experiencing the battle.

Roman Imposition – The Romans loom large in the film and a series of scenes that are disconcerting capture you. The one that leaps out and grabs you concerns religious zealots and is the first time Owen questions the Roman way. Again, excellent filming and acting draw you into the pain and misery being experienced.

I didn’t expect much going in, but King Arthur is a very good film that is well worth the almost 2 hour viewing time. Clive Owen grasps what it meant to be a loyal, honorable soldier and his conflict of his service end is enticing.

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