King Arthur DVD > Reviews

Advantages: some great performances, battle scenes
Disadvantages: fails to deliver on potential promise, goes nowhere as a result

...This version of the King Arthur legend eschews all the typical takes on the story and focuses instead on a different theory, which according to the opening credits of the film, has received backing from archaeological findings in recent years. The theory goes that Arthur was not really a king of Britain but rather the leader of a band of soldiers bound to serve Rome for 15 years prior to the end of Roman rule in Britainnica. Arthur (Clive Owen) ... Read review

Advantages: A different slant on the Arthur legend.
Disadvantages: Maybe not what you were expecting.

King Arthur, a name that brings to mind pictures of fairy castles and knights in gleaming suites of armour, mounted upon prancing white chargers doing war on the evil in the world. Images of court ladies dressed in long flowing gowns and wearing tall pointed hats. Fantasies of magic swords and magicians weaving their spells in the ultimate fight between good and evil. This adaptation will shatter all those illusions or at least change the way you ... Read review

Advantages: Some good acting in parts, a potentially interesting story
Disadvantages: The sum isn't greater than the parts...

...of course, Arthur is declare king ? at a time when constitutional monarchies did not exist, so much for the hope of liberty? The juxtaposition of church and empire on the one side and the locals on the other is a bit of a problem -- the Saxons are invading, so that is bad; the Romans and the church institution are foreign implants into the land also, and they are bad (neither live up to their ideals in practice). The message here is a rather xenophobic ... Read review

Advantages: Some good special effects and score
Disadvantages: Cringe-worthy perfomances and laughable script, no mystery

...was awaiting the release of King Arthur with anticipation. One, I greatly enjoyed last summer's blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean, also produced by über-action producer Jerry Bruckheimer and had high hopes for King Arthur being cut from the same cloth. Two, the legendary stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have always held a sort of romantic mysticism for me and I was eager to see what a big-screen adaptation of these stories ... Read review

Advantages: some good battle scenes
Disadvantages: poor story, poor charaters

This film was never at the top of my list of things to watch when it came out in the cinema. I must admit that I was slightly curious about it but was put off it by the mixed reviews it was receiving. When I received it as a Christmas present my curiosity was reignited so rather than take it back and change it for something else I decided to watch it. Could it be as bad as some of the reviews had implied? Surely not. ** Background ** King Arthur ... Read review

Advantages: Some amazing fight scenes and great special effects, Ray Winstone
Disadvantages: Wooden characters, disapointing plot

...I’ve been meaning to watch King Arthur. Once or twice whilst it was on at the cinema I almost took a trip to see it. In the end I’ve ended up getting myself it on DVD as I was still quite keen to see it. The main point that stopped me from visiting the cinema was that it seemed to be another case of Hollywood re creating ancient British tales. This version of King Arthur is no different as Jerry Bruckheimer gives it the Hollywood treatment. The ... Read review

Advantages: Great plot, effects and scenery
Disadvantages: All types of mistakes

...to that legend, in which King Arthur is betrayed by Mordred whilst in France seeking revenge on Lancelot, a knight and also Arthur's former best friend, who has run off with Arthur's wife, Queen Guinevere. On his return to Britain, Arthur gathers an army to fight Mordred in what turns out to be Arthur's last battle. After the battle, Mordred ends up slain while Arthur, gravely injured, drifts off donwstream on a barge towards Avalon. It is said that ... Read review

Advantages: Good cast, interesting story, nice costumes
Disadvantages: Dodgy script, lacking in oomph

...disappointed. This is not the King Arthur legend as we know it. It is what Hollywood execs term a “re-imagining”. That is to say that apart from the names of a few key characters, little remains of the traditional story. For one thing, it’s been transplanted from the middle ages to the tail end of the Roman occupation of Britain. For another, there’s no magical sword in the stone, no Lady in the Lake and Merlin is now a Catweazle-alike rebel strategist, ... Read review

Advantages: a brave attempt at history
Disadvantages: dont expect the medieval tale

...thing to do, and with King Arthur I think that the writers, David Franzoni and John Lee Hancock. have done an excellant job. The problem with the story of Arthur is that its such a vague story in its original sources that there is room for so many different versions all with possibilites and merits. What we think we know about the story, Camelot, The Round Table, Excalibur, Merlin and the Holy Grail are a mix of ideas from a range of cultures and ... Read review

Advantages: None
Disadvantages: None

...that inspired the legend. ok, King Arthur is not proven to be history anyway, but a legend it certainly is, and this is the stuff of legends are made of: Lancelot and Guinevere, Gawain and Galahad, Knights in shining armour, complete with magical sword and the Holy Grail, and using Ireland for the England sets and locations. You certainly won't get the most authentic story from this movie. Hey! this is Hollywood, remember? The legend of King Arthur ... Read review

Advantages: Keeps the man's mind on the film!!!!
Disadvantages: I had to sit through it!!!!

...tickets to go and see King Arthur. Then stood in a line for our popcorn and two cokes that cost £5.75 what a ripe off. But well at least it was a night out. We went in to the picture house and sat down in the middle so we would get a good view and get the full impact of the sound. After nearly fifteen minutes of reviews the film began........ Now the film is set in the dark ages, were a group of duty bound knights are serving out their last ... Read review

Advantages: Some good battle scenes, and attempts at finding some sort of historical context
Disadvantages: Poorly cast (to mention just one)

...be a new movie about king Arthur, I thought (and hoped) that it would be a really action packed film with a good storyline, decent historical context and not too much Hollywoodisation. The movie begins with a young Arthur who is taken away from his tribe of traditionally fearful warriors in the land of Samartia who were very skilled horsemen. This immediately through me into slight confusion. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but I was always under ... Read review