King Arthur
Saw King Arthur last night with Shel.
For the first twenty minutes or so, I didn't find much about it that I liked. I thought the focus on Lancelot at the beginning was extremely unnecessary, since the movie is called King ARTHUR. Sheesh. I also *hated* the fact that they passed Merlin off as an evil magician who fought Arthur and his knights (though this is probably due to the fact that I've been reading Mary Stewart's Crystal Cave series...) The only aspects of the film that I enjoyed in the first half an hour were the cinematography and the music.
It picked up after the knights go out on their "deadly" mission to rescue some stupid Roman kid, who, once he's back behind Hadrian's Wall, promptly disappears from the script (though he manages, in his short screen time, to mention to Arthur that his mentor was murdered *whoops*). Guinevere's discovered during this rescue mission and, *gasp*, turns out she's a... er... one of Merlin's henchmen, er, women, er, people... yeah, one of Merlin's henchpeople, meaning she can shoot a wicked bow and arrow and she wears crappy body paint that makes her look like some kind of native art. But I digress... by the end, I was sitting there going "okaaay... music good, Clive Owen good, sexual tension good, Arthur's knights good... " etc etc.
Speaking of Arthur's knights... Holy Mother of God and All Creation, were they good-lookin'. Of course, they kill off one of my favourites, the bastards, Tristan (ie, the one with the eagle and that Arthur is always telling to "Ride ahead"). He was KICK ASS. Kind of attractive, talented, smart, mysterious... *sigh*. Course, Hugh Dancy as Galahad totally rocked too. He was just enough innocence to pass off being "Galahad the Chaste". Gawain was also hot. I realised where I recognise that actor from too. He's the unfortunate young "Uncle Owen" in the latest travesty known as "Star Wars Episode Two: Attack of the Clones". He looks better with long dreadlocks. Lancelot is a story of his own. NOT hot. Sorry chiquitas, but his hair reminded me of one of the wigs on some Muppets character. Plus, he was too broody and he argued with Arthur a lot... and it pissed me off that the movie started with him... stupid. AND he's a total PERV, looking in on Guinevere when she was washing... sicko. Ioan Gruffald, my ass. Give me Star Wars dude *anytime*. wink wink.
So, all in all, it's a pretty good film. But Keira Knightley was really shafted with the part of Guinevere... though she *did* get to have a hot make-out scene with Clive Owen... *stares into space thoughtfully* It wasn't *really* what I expected it to be, which is good, because it exceeded my expectations. Go see it. GO SEE IT NOW.
