"King Arthur: Legend of the Sword" Review

Title: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Written by: Joby Harold, Guy Ritchie, Lionel Wigram

Year: 2017


There have been countless films made about the legend of King Arthur. Of all those films, I have seen none, unless you count Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Regardless, my view count has increased by one with this newest take on the classic story. Is this film the chosen representation of King Arthur's tale, or simply another pretender?

As a child, Arthur is separated from his father and raised by prostitutes. He grows up to be quite the warrior and eventually finds out the truth about his lineage. Now Arthur seeks to claim what is rightfully his from his tyrannical uncle, Vortigern.

Charlie Hunnam stars as the eponymous hero and he brings an off-kilter snarkiness that surprisingly works. Hunnam employs a special swagger, making Arthur a more interesting character than your basic hero. The same cheekiness can be found in the actors who portray Arthur's friends, with Aidan Gillen and Djimon Honsou among them. However, beyond that, Arthur's group of rebels have little to no character; simply personality. Jude Law fittingly chews the scenery as the villainous Vortigern. As the antagonist, he is easy to hate, but lacks any real substance. Law gives him plenty of presence, but the character seems under utilized.

Guy Ritchie is one of Hollywood's most unique directors. His trademark bombastic and quick-cutting style appears as an odd choice for a medieval fantasy. But, against all odds, Ritchie's direction matches this story well. His swift camera movements give the film a kinetic vibe during simple dialogue sequences, and some of the framing is impressive. This is modern directing meets classic folklore, and the two blend together far better than expected.

However, the editing really botches the storytelling. Even with a running time of 126 minutes, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword feels like a film that was heavily trimmed down. Plot-important elements are relegated to flashbacks executed in an Eisensteinian montage manner, akin to some of Ritchie's other projects (Sherlock Holmes (2009) and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)), and the technique feels clumsy here. It is as if the film is put on fast forward during key scenes, but plays at regular speed when things get dull. This format of editing is very jarring and poorly handled.

Furthermore, this film is a drag. The story unfolds exactly how you would expect and there is very little intrigue. It is difficult to care for the characters and the stakes are never investing enough for the audience. Even most of the action sequences lack any sense of thrill. The picture moves from scene to scene without purpose. That is what makes King Arthur: Legend of the Sword so disappointing; it has some fresh new ideas for a very old tale, but the final product is simply bland.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is a movie with great ideas and visionary creators, but manages to be hollow and drab. The performances from Hunnam and Law are good; Ritchie's directing is shockingly beneficial; and the music is pretty good. The song "The Devil and the Hunstman" is easily the best thing to come out of this film. The weak script, rabid editing, and substandard storytelling sadly overwhelm this feature. A well-intentioned, but uneven and boring attempt at retelling a famous legend.

Grade: C