My friendship - you know you want it!
Off back to Uni for a while so the reviews will become harder...
My friendship - you know you want it!
Off back to Uni for a while so the reviews will become harder to write! Hope I catch up with you all soon!
Member since:09.07.2001
Reviews:7
Members who trust:6
Over the years we’ve had American Football (too many times), Football, Rugby, Baseball (too many times), Ice Hockey, Basketball, Pool and even Bobsleigh! What haven’t we flogged to death yet? I’ve got it – Medieval Jousting! Just when you thought they’d run out of sports themed films they make one so fresh it must be plucked and chewed upon immediately. And that’s exactly what I did!
Heath Ledger (“10 Things I Hate About You”, “The Patriot”) plays William Thatcher, one of three servants to a famous and noble knight whom suddenly dies during a jousting contest. Tired and half starved William, helped by his two friends Roland (Mark Addy – “The Full Monty”, “Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas”) and Wat (Alan Tudyk – “Wonder Boys”), decides to compete himself, putting himself in grave danger as only knights are allowed to joust. Luckily he survives the contest, wins the money and the three friends embark on a journey to other competitions to try and raise money.
On their travels they bump into Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany – “Gangster No. 1”, “The Land Girls”), a writer and poet who helps them fake their way into the jousting circuit. Soon William, under the name of Sir Ulrich Von Lichtenstein, becomes a great competitor and creates an intense rivalry with champion Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell – “Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Lawrence”. “Dark City”) and begins a relationship with the exotic Lady Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon). He fights for money, for love and, most of all, honour.
I know what you are thinking. Cheesy, corny, cliched, same story but different format – seen it all before. But wait! Even though there is a faint whiff of Brie in the air this is a great film. I’ll be as bold to say the best film I’ve seen in a while.
Heath Ledger is very watchable and does a good job as the poor servant with the spirit of a knight. He is ably supported with great comedy acting from Addy, Tudyk and particularly Bettany, whom brings Chaucer to life colourfully and delightfully with his flowing, bubbly rhetoric. In fact he really steals the show! Rufus Sewell was dark, brooding and excellently evil and menacing without going over the top. The rivalry between the two central characters Adhemar and Thatcher was also nicely convincing.
What gives “A Knight’s Tale” a refreshing zest is the original soundtrack. It bursts into action with Queen’s “We Will Rock you” and blends the medieval setting well (although strangely) with the modern music throughout the film. This is especially noticeable during the dancing at the banquet scene, which left me chuckling quietly at this unusual and rather clever direction.
Other bonuses to the film were the metal crunching, head smashing jousting scenes, which were realistic and brutal, and the superb introductions from Bettany’s Chaucer for “noble knight” Ulrich Von Lichtenstein.
Downfalls are limited. Occasionally there are a few lines laced with Stilton and the ending is a little predictable but these are minor flaws in an otherwise great movie.
This action comedy really is fun and well made. Plenty of laughs with graphic action sequences combined with an excellent, toe-tapping soundtrack make “A Knight’s Tale” a thoroughly enjoyable film. Rating 7/10
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Production Year: 2008 - Action/Adventure - Director: Christopher Nolan - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
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![A Knight's Tale [DVD] [2001]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78527850.jpg "A Knight's Tale [DVD] [2001]")
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