The Green Knight (2021)

The Green Knight (2021)

 

5/10

Starring

Dev Patel

Alicia Vikander

Joel Edgerton

Sarita Choudhury

Directed by David Lowery

This is an epic medieval fantasy about a knight in King Arthur’s court. The movie has a nice feel and you will not see any reason to doze off, but also no reason to celebrate either. Even though I enjoyed Dev Patel’s performance, I think the movie got so involved in itself. It got lost in its own game and lapsed enough consistency in its suspense and magic to have you totally engulfed. I am familiar with the tale so I understood somethings, but I wonder someone who is not how will they feel. Then the movie does some changes here and there that for me did not add up to all round entertainment.

The movie has a different somewhat ending to that of the source material. The movie also added some different twists to its tale with an ending that does not match the flow with which the movie begun its journey.

The movie is adapted from a 14^th Century tale named Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by an anonymous writer.

The plot is about Gawain (Patel) who see enjoying himself with a lady. He gets home to be scorned by his mother Morgan La Fey. On the day when he was to be in the Kings court, she was at some gathering working some sorcery. A green knight appears at the court and challenges the knights to a game. In which they will be a battle between him and just an elected knight. When that knight strikes a blow, the fight ends and the same equal blow will be struck on that knight on the next Christmas day. Arthur wanted to take the offer, but Gawain jumps at it and the green knight did not put up any fight, but allowed Gawain to strike dropping his axe and laying bear his neck. Gawain cut off the knights head in one swoop. But to his dismay the body which slumped got up, picked up the head and reminded Gawain that he is to come meet him at the Green Chapel next Christmas to receive the same equal blow.

Gawain spent the rest of the year drinking and making merry as he is celebrated, but when the time came Arthur reminded him to go fulfill his promise to the knight. The movie chronicles his adventure, his challenges and the obstacles he had to overcome to reach the Green Chapel.

If you are into some form of dramatic fantasy with no fights, battle or magical beams being shut here and there, this is the movie for you. But for me the movie fails to entertain.