‘The Green Knight’ Review: An Epic Visual Feast
Can A24 just take over production for all movies ever? Seriously, they don’t make bad movies ever. Not only are the movies not bad, they’re mostly excellent. The studio’s latest film is The Green Knight, which is starring Dev Patel and is directed by David Lowery.
The film was delayed for over a year because of the pandemic as A24 didn’t want to send it directly to streaming. Boy, was that a great call. This movie needs to be seen in theaters. The Green Knight is based on the old medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which is among the most famous stories in the King Arthur universe. While the film’s themes and story are very similar to the original tale, Lowery does take great liberties.
The Green Knight is an absolute visual feast for the eyes. From the very first shot of the movie, it’s clear it is a work of art. For a film that likely has a relatively low budget, Lowery creates one of the most impressive visual displays of the year. From giants to foxes to the Green Knight himself, everything looks epic and amazing. The scope and scale of some of the scenes are truly breathtaking. I can’t get some of these shots out of my mind more than a day later.
While The Green Knight is a directing and cinematography masterclass, the performances also shine. The three biggest standouts for me are Dev Patel as Gawain, Sean Harris as King Arthur and Alicia Vikander in multiple roles. However, it’s Patel’s movie and he never misses a beat. If the Academy Awards weren’t such a dumpster fire, he’d have to be in line for the best actor award. He’s excellent in the role and is able to balance a perfect line between being sympathetic while not having the most likable character traits and being an honorable man seeking knighthood.
The middle of the film is very good but there is a prolonged scene that dragged for me a bit, which is the one knock I have. However, the last 15 to 20 minutes of The Green Knight are mesmerizing and so well done. There are still many more movies that need to come out this year but I’d put The Green Knight above anything else I’ve seen. It’s visually striking, brilliantly performed and the story is thought-provoking. Please don’t let this fantasy epic flop while Jungle Cruise makes Disney a billion dollars. The Green Knight is a feat of filmmaking and deserves to be seen.
Rating: Shiny and Chrome
Note: Do yourself a favor and watch A24’s breakdown of The Green Knight story as it will likely clear up a lot of confusion for people who are unfamiliar with the tale.
