DVD review: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
An interesting take on the classic legend of Arthur and how he came to draw Excalibur from the stone.
Reviewed by: Samantha Keogh
Review made possible by: Times New Media
The film starts with an attack on Camelot, and Uther Pendragon, King of the Britons, by iron-fisted warlord Mordred.
And thus begins a multi-layered battle for the throne, and the need to really suspend reality.
While the movie is based on a legend to begin with, the filming of this version is an even taller tale, a very tall tale indeed.
From the enchanted elephants – that’s elephants in England – to the moat hags (think mermaids with octopus tentacles, not fish-scales) this one really falls in the whopper category but it’s not all bad, not at all.
It’s an interesting take on the classic legend of Arthur and how he came to draw Excalibur from the stone.
However, director Guy Ritchie takes plenty of liberties to create this dark and twisted tale which marries the fantasy of Camelot with the dark underbelly of London in another time.
That said, I would strongly advise taking a look if you have an interest in folklore and legend.
For those unfamiliar with any of the tellings of Arthur’s Camelot this one essentially starts with Mordred’s attack on Camelot under the rule of Uther in a bid to establish the dominance of magic-wielding mages (they can control the animals and make them do the mages’ bidding) over humankind.
However, with the strength of Excalibur, Uther infiltrates Mordred’s lair which is strapped to the back of an elephant and beheads him, saving Camelot.
This triumph is the real start to the story which then sees Uther betrayed, and killed, by his treacherous brother Vortigern who covets the throne, orchestrates a coup and sacrifices his wife Elsa to moat hags in order to become a demon knight.
The only survivor is Uther’s son Arthur, who drifts away in a boat and ends up in Londinium (London in the ‘old days’), where he is found and raised by prostitutes.
Having grown up to be a king of sorts, ruling the streets of Londinium, Arthur is taken to Camelot where he is forced, as all young men of his age are, to attempt to draw Excalibur from the stone.
Vortigern, widely known as the false king, is eager to identify and kill the born king before he has a chance to discover his lineage and take control of Camelot.
Only this time, to the guards’ amazement, the sword comes out of the stone and their false king’s fate is sealed.
As I said, if you can suspend belief for an hour or two, this one is a fun movie, well worth watching.
