King Arthur: Legend of the Sword(2017)

Director: Guy Ritchie

Cast:

Charlie Hunnam – Arthur

Jude Law – Vortigern

Astrid Berges-Frisbey – The Mage

Djimon Hounsou – Bedivere

Eric Bana – Uther

Aidan Gillen – Goosefat Bill

Verdict:

“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” is the newest feature to come from director Guy Ritchie. In this Arthurian tale, we find that Arthur (Hunnam) who was raised in a brothel has discovered that he comes from royalty and is the rightful heir to the throne. This is revealed to him when he lifts the sword from stone “Excalibur.” Once revealed to Arthur he must take down his Uncle Vortigern (Law) and reclaim his rightful place of king. Guy Ritchie has his handprints all over this film from the way he shoots his action to the quippy humor spread throughout. The movie is influenced heavily by the “Lord of the Rings” franchise. This is showcased by its incredible opening scene where there are giant war elephants and sorcerer’s conjuring up spells. The performances in the film were stellar with praise going to Hunnam for his portrayal of Arthur and Jude Law as the villainous Vortigern. Charlie Hunnam’s take on Arthur was unique and well presented. He delivered quippy lines to a tee and really brought the emotion and physicality home. Jude Law was fantastic as Vortigern as he delivered his lines that could come off as ridiculous in a fierce manner. The supporting cast was great as there chemistry with one another had a band of brothers feel. The CGI and visual effects in the film were well done. The film has its issue and the biggest thing for me was there were scenes that could have been played out that were montaged through. As I’ve said before, Ritchie brings his style of action to this film and his utilization of slow-motion action flowed well with the movie. I really enjoyed the street level feel to the fighting. The score by Daniel Pemberton really amped the film and brought out the tenacity in our characters. The use of magic in this Arthurian tale is a neat take and suits Guy Ritchie’s style. “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” is an entertaining fantasy film that benefits from Guy Ritchie’s style.

Grade: B