The Green Knight: Underrated Arthurian Masterpiece
There is an ever-evolving trend of fantasy movies being hyped and failing to deliver anything attention grabbing. Thankfully, The Green Knight breaks that trend with a visually stunning retelling of the 14th century Arthurian poem Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. Released in theaters back in 2021, The Green Knight did not receive much notice and was relatively quiet on the marketing side, however it was one of the very few films I recall enjoying in the cinema as of late. Like the poem it was adapted from, The Green Knight tells of a knight’s challenge brought unto the court of King Arthur by a ghostly opponent in the form of a “Christmas Game”. The Green Knight is an underrated Arthurian masterpiece.
Director David Lowery (A Ghost Story, Pete’s Dragon, The Old Man & the Gun) also adapted the 14th century poem into this masterpiece and even goes as far as to accredit himself along with “The Gawain Poet” as writers of the film. Though there are several key differences which separate this adaptation from the original poem, the general beats and happenings remain very true to the source material.
Made and released with a budget of 15 million, The Green Knight is not only a fantastic adaptation, but a film that will probably gain more and more of a cult following as time progresses. There is almost nothing about this film that was done without extensive attention to detail. As a period piece, The Green Knight will hold up in ways that audiences may have never seen when it comes to an Arthurian legend presented on screen.
The costumes by Malgosia Turzanska (Hell or High Water, Pearl, Stranger Things) are one phenomenal aspect of worthy notation, but the trophy truly goes to Cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo (A Ghost Story, Moon Knight). The mood given by the dark tones, selective highlights and wonderfully creative and somewhat Kubrickian framing are truly where this movie excels beyond expectation, making a modern work of art. One should note that this is a movie for cinephiles as it walks us through with a very slow yet methodical pacing.
Starring Dev Patel (Chappie, The Newsroom, Slumdog Millionaire) and with supporting roles from Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) and Joel Edgerton (The King, The Great Gatsby, The Gift) the film has some notably immersive performances, evoking the feeling of a truly great film when all is said and done. The set design and props used throughout the film are not only fascinating but draw intrigue in viewers who might often wonder what life was like in Arthurian times.
The Green Knight sets the bar as one of the greatest adaptations of Arthurian storytelling, of which we do not see much of anymore. The film can currently be viewed on Amazon Prime, and for anyone with a particular curiosity toward source material, the 14th century poem from which it was drawn can be read by following the link below.
Sir Gawain and The Green Knight: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Free PDF | Society of Classical Poets
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