It's likely to remind viewers of Braveheart -- except without the emotion.
King Arthur (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:180
Fresh:56
Rotten:124
Average Rating:4.9/10
Consensus: The magic is gone, leaving a dreary, generic action movie.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for intense battle sequences, a scene of sensuality and some language
Runtime: 2 hrs 19 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:Jul 7, 2004 Wide
Box Office: $51,726,421
Synopsis: From producer Jerry Bruckheimer ('Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,' 'Black Hawk Down') and director Antoine Fuqua ('Training Day') comes Touchstone Pictures' / Jerry... From producer Jerry Bruckheimer ('Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,' 'Black Hawk Down') and director Antoine Fuqua ('Training Day') comes Touchstone Pictures' / Jerry Bruckheimer Films' 'King Arthur,' a spectacular, epic tale of one man's destiny to become a king. 'Let me sing with inspiration Of the man born of two nations, Of Rome and of Britain... ... Arthur the blessed Led his assault from the Great Wall...' by the 6th century Welsh poet, Taliesin For centuries most historians believed that King Arthur was only a legend, but that legend was based on a real hero whose actions changed the face of Britain and the world forever. Clive Owen, is 'Artorius' or Arthur, the hero of Roman and British parentage eulogized in the ancient Celtic poem. Like his loyal Knights, he sees only chaos and devastation will follow Rome's final pullout of Britain. Although, as a dedicated Christian he is desperate to return to Rome to influence the budding religion, his first loyalty is to his pagan Knights. Arthur sees his duty is to free them from their servitude to Rome so they may return to their ancestral homeland in Sarmatia. However, before he can, he must lead his Knights of the Round Table on one last mission, deep into enemy territory on a quest of adventure and profound enlightenment. Here, Arthur, Lancelot, Galahad, Bors, Tristan, Dagonet and Gawain are forced to confront their traditional enemy: Merlin and his indigenous guerilla armies. Disdainfully called 'Woads' by the Knights for the Woad plant they use to dye their bodies, Arthur and his Knights will see these guerillas are the soul of Britain, devastated by generations of Roman rule. Now, with Rome gone, and without the help of Arthur and his knights, the invading Saxons will roll over the people like an avalanche. Under the guidance of the shaman, Merlin and the beautiful, courageous Guinevere (Keira Knightley), Arthur will struggle to find the strength to fors ke his dreams of Rome to 'become a leader in this land,' and to change the face of history. Thrilling adventure, edge-of-your-seat action and historical grandeur come together in this unique look at the origins of one of the greatest legends ever told. [More]
Starring: Clive Owen, Stellan Skarsgard, Keira Knightley, Ioan Gruffudd
Starring: Clive Owen, Stellan Skarsgard, Keira Knightley, Ioan Gruffudd, Hugh Dancy, Stephen Dillane, Ray Winstone, Til Schweiger, Joel Edgerton, Mads Mikkelsen, Ray Stevenson, Sean Gilder, Ivano Marescotti, Ken Stott
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Screenwriter: David H. Franzoni
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
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Release:
Dec 21, 2004
Reviews for King Arthur
King Arthur is as brutally blunt as Fuqua's film Training Day, but it is grander in scope and scale while remaining compelling and comprehensible.
While King Arthur isn't a waste of time, per se, the story hasn't exactly been reinvented in a way that makes its two hours compelling viewing.
One of the reasons this film works is that we don't feel as if we're watching these people through the scrim of history and legend -- they feel immediate, even contemporary.
There are things to respect about King Arthur. Just not a great deal to like.
King Arthur won't charm you, hardly ever will thrill you, and certainly will have you laughing less with it than at it.
Antoine Fuqua's version of the King Arthur legend includes an element of broad, brawny camp that prevents the movie from being a complete drag.
It turns out to be as much of a swoony valentine to a social ideal that never existed as any other Arthurian text. But at least it takes the conversation with history somewhat seriously.
Owen is able as Arthur but it is Knightley's Guinevere who steals the show.
One sexy woman showing off her stomach does not a movie make, although, it doesn't hurt.
This feels more like your average TBS movie of the week and much less like a major motion picture.
It’s very obvious when there’s a lack of blood in fight scenes it is a choice made by the filmmakers/studio in order to get a gentler rating from the MPAA.
Braveheart meets the Round Table in this epicly atrocious version of the King Arthur legend. My advice is to follow the cast's lead and run screaming.
'The untold true story that inspired the legend' -- you know, the version in which Arthur is a brooding bore and Guinevere is a half-naked post-feminist warrior hottie.
Looking like a medieval Grizzly Adams channeling The Terminator, Stellan Skarsgard as Cedric is worth the price of admission alone.
An orgy of anachronism in a sea of bad action-movie cliches...a dank, dreary pseudo-adventure flick without much energy and with precious little grandeur.
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