Characters:
- Clive Owen - Arthur
- Keira Knightley - Guinevere
- Ioan Grudffudd-Lancelot
- Mads Mikkelsen- Tristan
- Joel Edgerton- Gawain
- Hugh Dancy- Galahad
- Ray Winstone- Bors
- Ray Stevenson- Dagonet
- Stephen Dillane- Merlin
- Stellan Skarsgard- Cerdic
- Til Schweigen- Cynric
- Ivano Marescotti- Bishop Germaneus
- Ken Stott- Marius Honorius
- Lorenzo De Angelis- Alecto
SUMMARY:
As the film starts, Arthur and his knight Lancelot, Galahad, Gawain, Bors, Tristan and Dagonet left their home to serve the Roman Empire and guard the Hadrian’s Wall. They will only receive their freedom after fifteen years of rendering their service.
After fifteen years of fighting and serving for the Roman Empire, the Samartian Knights, lead by Arthur are about to receive their freedom. However, on the night that they should receive their freedom, they receive a final and suicidal order from Bishop Germanus. The important Roman family of Marius Honorius especially his son Alecto, must be rescued from the invading Saxons. Alecto is the Pope’s favorite godson and may be “destined to be Pope one day”, according to the Bishop. Saxons are led by chief Cerdic and its son Cynric.
When Arthur and his Knights arrived to Marius grand home, Arthur explained their mission to Marius. Marius refuses to leave his home. While walking, Arthur saw an elder who was left tied up and asking for food. He frees the elder and he soon discovers Marius has also immured pagans, a Woad, Guinevere and a small boy, Lucan. Marius told Arthur that he all did that because those people should pay for their sins according to God. But Arthur tells he should not speak for God and told them that they were “free from their first breath”. Arthur frees them and takes everyone back to Hadrian’s Wall.
One night, Guinevere takes Arthur to meet Merlin. Merlin is the father of Guinevere and the leader of the Woads that hate the Romans. Arthur thinks that he was betrayed by Guinevere, but Merlin has come in peace. In flashback, it is revealed that Arthur’s mother died in the Woad attack when he was a small boy. Merlin says that he did not wish for Arthur’s mother to die. Merlin suggests an alliance between the Woads and the Samartian Knights.
Still in Rome, Arthur, his Knights and the other Bishop have a meeting and it was executed on a Round Table which signifies the equality of all men.
Along the journey at the ice-covered lake, the Samartian Knights encounter the Saxons. Saxons are outnumbered and they are only eight, including Guinevere who will fight. The battle end when Dagonet runs to the middle of the ice and break it with an axe, at the cost of his life.
Arthur and his men reached the Hadrian’s Wall and see Bishop Germanus. The Bishop announced their freedom but they are not happy having it because they lost Dagonet. For Arthur, the battle between Saxons and Rome are not yet finished and he was in worry for those people in Rome who will suffer and die in the hand of Saxons. Arthur and his knights decided to continue serving the Rome even they are free to come back home.
Arthur, his Knights and the Woads prepared plans to fight against the Saxons. In the climactic battle, the “Battle of the Badon Hill” set in the abandoned Hadrian’s Wall, the Woads throw flaming missiles at the Saxon army. In the bloody battle, Guinevere fights with Cynric. She was disarm, Lancelot help her and duel to Cynric alone. Lancelot died when Cynric shoot him with a Saxon crossbow. Lancelot then throws his sword into Cynric, killing him. In the other side of the battle, Cerdic fights and kill Tristan before facing of with Arthur. Arthur kills Cerdic, and the Saxons are defeated.
The film ends with Arthur and Guinevere’s wedding. Merlin proclaims him to be their King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. The last scene shows Lancelot, Dagonet and Tristan reincarnated as horse roaming the lands freely.
The film “King Arthur” is spectacular, it is an epic tale of one man’s destiny to become a king. The writer of this film is David Franzoni, a writer of the film Gladiator. I think he loves writing movies that involves fighting, ideals and bravery which definitely brings excitement to the audience. Clive Owen portrayed the character of Arthur is a great actor, he is full of charisma, his role of being a leader of Samartian Knights and breaking Rome’s existing ideals was effective. Though, Arthur and Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd) are quite similar in hair, complexion, and body built,that makes me confused in the first part of of the movie, I learned to distinguished them as the story moves on. The Saxons shown as the brutal invaders of Britain in the film. Kiera Knightley (Guinevere) plays a fantastic role , every time she will use her arrow make her more gorgeous. The love triangle between Lancelot, Guinevere and Arthur did not strongly affect the flow of the story. I loved Ray Winstone as Bors. He added some humor at different times that lighten the mood of the characters and the audience as well. The role of Dagonet ( Rey Stevenson) put a knot in my throat in my favorite part of the story, a scene that a battle fought on a frozen lake between Arthur’s knights and the evil Saxons, Dagonet runs to the middle of the ice and breaks it with an axe, at the cost of his life. he shows the real attitude of a strong warrior. Tristan ( Mads Mikkelsen), Gawain ( Joel Edgerton) and Galahad ( Hugh Dancy) as members of the Samartian Knights performs great, they are good fighters, the warrior suits and armors added a sense of braveness and a strongmen to their appearance. The founder of Saxon invaders who are Cynric (Til Schweigen) and Cerdic (Stellan Skarsgard) appears in only few scenes in the film. They were only emphasized in the last fight on the abandoned Hadrian’s Wall, where they were killed. I really liked the line of Cerdic, “Finally, a man worth killing” that obviously addressed for Arthur.
For me, the structure of the film “King Arthur” was excellent, it gives the audience satisfaction and conclusion on the movie. The music “Tell me Now” by Hans Zimmer is however magical that’s make it appropriate to use.The cinematography and exotic locations landscaping makes it an intense middle-film fight scene that makes the film “King Arthur” a worth while endeavor.
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