Aside from major animation series such as How to Train Your Dragon or the Goliath universes such as Harry Potter, things are currently looking pretty bleak for fantasy fans in the cinema. We look in vain for classic worlds full of knights, wizards, witches or dragons. Until a fantastic director tried something new and failed completely unjustly.
Guy Ritchie tried to create an entire film universe with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Instead, the film flopped. exactly the fantasy fare that the cinema has been missing for yearsThe film tries new things and sticks to established favorite elements. And it also updates one of the greatest legends of the Western world. You can now take a look at it on Amazon Prime with a flat rate subscription – it’s worth it.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword on Amazon Prime mixes classic Arthurian fantasy with rogue charm
What if Arthur, the future King of Britain, had grown up a little differently? If he had not learned to be an honorable knight, but rather Street thug? If he knew how to fight with a few tricks, cleverly outsmart others and still stand up for his friends unconditionally?
Arthur and his sword in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Then we would have the opening of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Arthur (Charlie Hunnam) grows up in the streets of Londinium. In his absence, the ruthless Vortigern (Jude Law) has ascended the throne and rules with an iron fist. But the time of the true heir has come. The legendary sword in the stone reveals itself and calls its wearer.
But before Arthur can truly take up the sword’s legacy, there is still a lot to do. He must learn to control its power. He must set the fall of Vortigern in motion together with his friends. And his own past place.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword would have been the perfect start to an entire fantasy universe
The combination of Ritchie’s dynamic action, his penchant for fast, clever dialogue and cheeky characters with the ancient Arthurian legend results in a surprisingly perfect symbiosis. Fights feel like video game scenes filmed for the cinema in the best way possible. The stiff and honorable knights are brought to a modern, entertaining level upscale. Everything feels big and epic.
Anyone who liked Hugh Grant in his villain era in The Gentlemen, for example, will have a lot of fun with a diabolical Jude Law as an antagonist. Charlie Hunnam is charmingly sly. The film sounds even innovative. Anyone who incomparable film music will find an incomparable pearl in Daniel Pemberton’s mix of medieval epic and completely unexpected elements.
Warner Bros.
Jude Law in his villain era in King Arthur
We could have expected a whole Ritchie fantasy universe. It’s a shame that it never happened – because King Arthur was a great start and didn’t deserve to be mercilessly destroyed. The film is Balm for the soul of all who long for high fantasy.
But at least we still have King Arthur: Legend of the Sword as a high fantasy treat, which you can currently stream with a subscription on Amazon Prime.
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