Arthurian legend is one the most famous fantasy tales ever, made even more magical by the presence of Merlin, King Arthur's magician. Some stories would have you believe different versions, with one of the more recent versions being that starring Clive Owen as Arthur, giving it more of a Crusades twist.

First off, the plot was immensely confusing to begin with. Scenes in modern day England greet us after a brief intro in Arthurian times, designed to explain to us what happened. We get the general gist that Arthur's evil enemy, Mordred, has used his powers as a sorcerer to banish Arthur and the Knights of his Round Table, but into where I'm really not sure. We are then told (or shown) that Merlin has in turn banished Mordred, condemning him to being trapped, presumably in limbo.

Okay, so by this point the film had completely confused me, as well as offered me not much in the way of quality acting or camera work. Director Paul Matthews hasn't really got the timing right, and some of the casting is questionable. The lead role is perhaps the most curious. A powerful and charismatic character such as Merlin, steeped in being wise and all knowing would suggest the need for such an actor. While I am a big fan of most of Rik Mayall's work, Merlin is not something I ever expected to see him in, and I have to say I was disappointed.

Other cast members of note are surprisingly below par, too. While she has never really hit the big time, Tia Carrere has always maintained respect for her work, both on the big screen and as Sydney Fox in 'Relic Hunter'. However, she doesn't really have much to sink her teeth into here, and it is more a criticism of the filming angles and the poor timing than it is of her acting, to say that she could have done better. Similarly, Adrian Paul has impressed me in the past as Duncan MacLeod in the Highlander TV series. In contrast to Carrere, his poor performance here as Lancelot is all his own doing. The only good thing about him is when he has to do the fight scenes, which he manages with vague ease. There are also a couple of amusing parts where the actor looks as if he is wondering what on earth he is doing in the film. You get the impression he is just trying to have fun on a sinking ship!

Ultimately, it is a very disappointing film, particularly if you are someone like me who likes Arthurian legend and (nearly) everything that has been associated with it. The all round presentation is diabolical, and it is a film that I really struggled to finish watching. There is, naturally, a big fight scene at the end of the film, and for a minute or two I was actually engrossed in some of it - a little suspense crept into it. However, when Bergen starting brandishing his moustache again, all fantasy in my head about watching something different disappeared once more to be replaced with boredom.