Sunday, July 2, 2017

Two Paragraph Review: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

Copyright: Warner Bros. Pictures
I always tend to appreciate films that try something as opposed to those who try nothing. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is a film that does try something new, even though it is actually two old things - a Peter-Jackson-like epic fantasy approach and the film’s own director’s signature street-hustling style that made Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels into a cult movie. But since his days in contemporary British gangster stories, Guy Ritchie began branching out and this film is one of those branches.

Of course, not all will or have appreciated the fast-talking, street-smart Arthur who is more than a reluctant hero. Epic fantasy, like porn, is often meant to be consumed in a predefined way where innovations are seen by many as something that takes pleasure away from the expected enjoyment. In spite of that collective wisdom, Ritchie did something interesting here and this might not lead to others trying to emulate his emergent fantasy style, but the film is unpredictable when it comes to its plot and rather well-acted; this especially applies to Jude Law as the main villain Vortigern. Finally, the film might not be the new Excalibur, but like the classic from 1981, it tries to mix it up.