The Green Knight - REVIEW

This was GREAT! Brilliant telling of a classic. (In my humble opinion)

The title cards felt like they were stylized for a movie that would have been taking a more quirky take on the story but it also helps ground it as something based in written legend

Speaking of the Green Knight's sound design, that voice man. Ralph Ineson's voice is just one of those with that natural gravitas and weight and I love it.

I think most hate A24 gets mostly revolves around their reputation of “hit makers” or that they never miss. Where the actuality is that for every hit they have they also have 5-6 misses they just don’t get advertised or known. I’m an A24 lover, but I just know that a lot of the hate I see.

The Green Knight? More like the Greene Knight, right?

Saw it last night. It was a crazy experience and I was immersed the entire time. The music was amazing, too.

One of the things that really got me was that they sort of subverted the typical “leitmotif” model of film composition. Certain ideas came back, like the polytonal choral bits, but the composer really dug deep to find the right balance of modern soundscape v. raw “medieval” sound

I'm getting my doctorate in medieval literature and I'm sooooo excited to see this! I'm going to try to put away my "that's not accurate" pretentious hat too haha! Arthurian romance is all about the inner worlds of Arthur's knights and their quest, and from your review, it sounds like they got it just right! Love it!

David Lowery is one of my favorite newer directors. A Ghost Story was fantastic and very pumped for this. Was one of my most anticipated of 2020!

This was such a must watch in theaters. The shot composition was just stunning. It was the perfect movie to go back to the theaters for. Also i loved the ending after some thought as it was a lot to take in. It shows a life without honor and how the small choices one makes can lead down to a bad path.

They’ve held it back here in the UK. I’m gunna go mad-crazy if I can’t see it on the big screen!

Was lucky enough to see this last night. It was such an immersive watch. I loved every second.

I’m really excited to see this as soon as possible. Not been in a cinema since before the pandemic so this should be a great way to come back!

Really REALLY suggest reading the original poem or a summary of it before seeing this film. I think it allows for you to better enjoy this interpretation while also knowing the original story that it’s subverting and changing
I think my favorite aspect of the film was the experimental filming techniques used to depict magic in this world. It was very understated and natural

This is my most waited film of 2021. It looks so good and interesting - it had one of the best trailers I've ever seen. It will be one of the best movies of 2021.

"Your movies haven't aged as well as you think." Oh, that is relatable!
TBH, quite a bit from the 2000s has not aged well.

Finally got around to watching this review. I was able to catch the digital screening A24 offered and loved it. Really appreciated your thorough review and glad you liked it.

I love that you said journey before destination. I've been reading the Stormlight archive for the first time lately and it had me thinking it the entire time. Then near the end when he said something along the lines of "is that it" I could virtually hear it being shouted inside my head.

I really wanna watch this since the first trailer dropped over a year ago, sadly there’s no open cinema here. 🥲

So excited for this movie! Gawain was always my favourite knight from reading the king Arthur stories. A great surprise to see you review it!

I got to watch it last night and I enjoyed every second of it.

So excited to watch this-I grew up loving this story, and was pleasantly surprised to find out it was being adapted.

I been wanting to see this for so long. I cant wait to go see it

I hope I get to see it, there doesn’t seem to be any dates for it my local cinema yet

wow... great review

I just got back from this film and, honestly, I was floored. I know I’ll be thinking about this for a long time. Now it’s time for me to reread the book!

I really have my problems with this film. I really don’t like how much they changed from the original story and it dragged on for too long. However I can appreciate the visuals, the music, the costumes and set pieces. I have a feeling I’m gonna have a strong love/hate relationship with this film.

I actually really love the ending. It’s such a culmination of all the themes being explored.

Saw it today! Loved it and was surprised to see the theater packed for an 11:30am matinee. Interesting that you mentioned the title cards. I like them, but couldn't read half of them in the amount of time they were on the screen due to the stylized font.

I love that you snuck journey before destination in here.

Man A24 does it again. Saw it last night and I loved it. From the shots to the music, and even I think some of the symbolism. Definitely something I want to watch again.

I was completely captivated the entire time. Loved it

I was gonna past on this one because i cant remember the last time i watched a good, let alone great, Arthurian movie. My favorite is still Excalibur ( probaly the same as your Dad lol). Now i plan on going this weekend. Thanks Daniel :P

My first reaction when walking out of the theater was that it was incredibly difficult to understand. However with a little more research on the source material and what the director was trying to do overall I can say that I enjoyed it immensely.

Love A24. Looking forward to loving this film

Going to see this Monday...the hype is real

“starring Dave Patel” made me smile

I am in the exact same boat with this movie. Is Antlers on your radar?

Do you have a video on Arthurian legend books? Where to start, books that have a nod to king Arthur themes, etc. I would love to see that since I noticed this year that I like books with Arthurian themes.

I can’t wait to see this! Also your closing music is fire lol

Been looking forward to this movie ever since I saw the first trailer way back -- and now that it's release has finally arrived -- I find out it has no release date even set in Australia. WTF.

I really enjoyed it, especially the beginning. I know what you mean about the ending, and now that I understand it I like it. My initial reaction was confusion but I get it now

I'd like to see you do another author video sometime; all the newest rules publishers want to see (for example; excluding ly and ing words). And see what your stand is if you really have to follow every single rule. Because with my trilogy I am editing, it doesn't sound like me when I try and do what the publisher would want

Loved it too. It was really impactful

I'm almost tempted on reading Tolkien's translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in preparation for this, given that's not going to play on any theater near me

I had to read a translation of the book for college. I'm looking forward to the film

I some how missed that this was A24 and learning it now, yeah that checks out lol. I loved it and am 100% here for all the tender face touching 🥰😅

I really enjoyed it. It was hands down one of the most beautifully shot movies I’ve seen in a while. One of the best films of the year so far for me.

The costumes and sets were absolutely mind blowing and it was my favorite thing about the movie. Plus the music added so much to the atmosphere!

At 41 I'm curious what your take, in a word or 2, would be on my top 3. I avoid any in the 00s, if that makes you feel safer lol.
Honorable mention Sword in the Stone
3. First Knight
2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1. Excalibur by a mile

Ok, so I don't think I've heard of A24, at least they hadn't really gotten my attention until now. I'm certainly interested now hearing this praise. Looking through their list, I think I've only seen Ex Machina. I love sci-fi and cinematography so from that angle, what should I check out from them?

Great takeaway Daniel. For some reason I had the opposite reaction lol... I'm familiar with this wonderful story and the questions it raises, but I personally believe that this particular story should have focused more on character and most of the movie left me feeling a bit hollow, and unmoved emotionally, up until the end which I loved. I thought the ending was brilliant. That's when I really felt moved for the character. Up until that point, the visuals and cinematics were brilliant along with the musical score and sound. The acting was perfect. I definitely enjoyed the fact that it was more of a stylized piece filled with slightly more challenging symbolism than most movies, but at the same time I wish there had been more focus on challenging the protagonist than challenging the moviegoer. I would have liked to see more emotional moments leading up until the end. I will definitely watch it at least one more time.

Do you have any book recommendations for Arthurian tales?

I keep hearing authorian legends instead of arthurian legend i don't know why

Yo! I So agree Daniel.
An excellent impassioned review btw!
***
The love of the source material and the "Arthur-verse" was at the heart of this film and evident in every "gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous" frame. *And I very much include The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley in saying that especially in the way one character's presence runs through the entire tale. The sound design was just extraordinarily immersive. This film is like 99% atmospheric splendor!
I guess you might say that it was an insanely rich synthesis/convergence of the visceral with the psychological ... while breathing life into the symbolic.
But this film crosses into cinematic art if at the least because it is a depiction of an internal Joseph Campbell-type hero's journey, truly dreamlike, ethereal, idyllic yet not devoid of the intrinsic shadow darkness of such.
I recommend reading one of the translations before your next viewing of the film.
J.R.R Tolkien's is a really good one, Jessie L. Weston's translation is more "pure verse" and differently brilliant though.
Sir Gawaine and ... The Green Knight is one for the ages and a significant cinematic accomplishment for A24 and David Lowery. It's haunting and stays with you and it transcends as art tends to do.
Your ten out of ten I humbly echo here.
It got me.
peace,
K

I just hope the pacing is good and the story would make sense

What about Excalibur (1981) and The Sword in the Stone (1963)? I'm in my 20s and love both of those films.

Love your Kendrick Lamar tee. One of my favorite albums👌🏼

Hey i have that shirt came with the Kendrick vinyl

I’m so excited for this adaptation

The first review I've seen from you, great review I totally agree. Really enjoyed this movie!

I just saw it for the second time tonight. It is definitely my favorite movie so far this year. I disagree with Daniel about the ending. It really stuck the landing for me. This is the kind of movie that you appreciate more and more on subsequent viewings. The biggest criticism I originally had was the pacing needed to be tightened up in a few places. However the movie breezed by seeing it again.

so hyped to watch this

I never usually care about movie that much nowdays. But this one's trailer stood out. Knew, this gonna be a good movie. Haven't watched it yet, but that scene with the faceless Giants romaing the plains, gave me chills.
Also love this review ^_^

This review hits it on the head for me I went with my fiancé and I loved every minute of this movie (I, being on this channel, love fantasy and pretentious movies) and my fiancé (who hates both of those) absolutely hated this. I feel like you’ll know if it’s for you or not but I imagine most people on this channel will really like it

The music was so good

Now I need to see this film!

I went in really cold too. I saw it at the drive in last night and as soon as A24 trailers started rolling I was very pleased! The movie got started and when the Green Knight comes to court I realized I knew the story through Joseph Campbell and got really excited. It was awesome, I put it next to Excaliber in my head collection of Arthurian myth/legend movies.

Also @Daniel Greene. Have you seen the BBC show Merlin? What do you think?

This was totally not on my radar! Thanks for pointing this out :")

Can you please review The Neverending Story's book, please?

Thanks for this great review. Really liked this movie myself as well.
Do you think you might do more of a thematic spoilery discussion later on, after more people have seen the movie?

Now I want to watch and read this !

I also really loved this movie, it felt like it appealed greatly to me specifically, as I was a fan of the 2015 adaptation of Macbeth starring Michael Fassbender. Speaking of, have you seen that particular forgotten gem? As Shakespearean adaptations go they play it pretty straight and not much is done to make the language and delivery any more interesting compared to the source material, but the soundtrack and cinematography do so much to elevate the piece and give it this fever-dream-esque quality that I will never forget :0 Highly recommended for fans of the Green Knight looking for more of that weird fantasy dreamscape vibe!

If you’re looking for a similar take on Arthurian legend to read I highly recommend “The Buried Giant” by Kazuo Ishiguro. It is beautifully written and a haunting read at times but this movie reminds me a bit of that book in terms of the tone it set out to establish

Came here after seeing your tweet. I haven't seen it, but now I'm excited.

Dev. His name is Dev Patel

I can't wait for it to release in the UK (dates been pushed with no reschedule so far due to a rise in cases) - it's been a movie I've been looking forward to for a while now!

it'd be cool to have a series of roundtable knights stories made by the same team, but without making it a cinematic universe, sharing no more than a few recurring actors, culminating in a king arthur's end story with just him and bedevere in one last ride

How does it compare with Excalibur?

Saw it earlier tonight before it went out of theaters. Man what an experience. I was completely blown away. It's my favorite movie of the last couple of years easily.

The poster alone got me intrigued I ADORE THE TRAILER and now the Goblin King has ordained it I MUST WATCH THIS MOVIE

there is so much about this movie that I love. I went into it completely blind and it was an experience. One thing I love that this movie did was how invested into the characters it makes you. I genuinely thought to my self "I wonder how he'll make it out of this one" which is one of my favorite feelings to get when watching a movie. I usually don't feel that unless I'm reading a book. Another thing I really loved about this movie was the dialogue. some of the best I've heard in a film.

This was the first movie I've seen in theaters in like 2 years, and I really enjoyed it. We even saw it in our local independent (and haunted) theater that has castle themed décor. Tons of themes/symbolism that I probably failed to grasp completely but have enjoyed pondering all week.

Can't wait to see this when it's released. Excalibur is still my favourite Arthurian big screen adaptation. It used a lot of mysticism, which seems to be what The Green Knight is going for too.

I'm so hyped.

Loved it.

Oh! 😮 Okay, I might watch this now.

I don't know if you've ever read The Mabinogion, but the Peredur section, to my mind, links the most closely to Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. Things happen that touch something in the human spirit, they feel either familiar or like they should be familiar, but if you observe rather than participate, you won't get the full meaning. And of course, by reading or listening, we're observing. I really want to see this.
I also want to "recommend" a film called First Knight. It's not a good movie; I remember coming out wondering where I could get a dress in that shade of blue. However, part of its story is a nearly perfect retelling of one of Chretien de Troyes Arthurian poems. And as a fan of the Round table, _that_ completely amazed me.

I need to know, it's been bugging me for ages, can someone tell me what the different logos/symbols in the channel banner are?
I recognize the Witcher wolf one, but I don't know what the serpent one and odd crescent moon ones are.

Merlin looked cool af
Also, was that the skeleton of Kilgarrah up in the mountains?

Watching the end and reading the meaning about the final words of the Green Knight makes me awe this movie. I caught myself, several times, not liking to live in this time around. This feeling and thought made me realize that the movie was so well done, that I could feel myself in to the character and into the story.

DAMN I see you with the shirt Daniel!

Have you seen Rare Exports? I think you'd love it for its world building & psychological machinations...one of the finest creepy cool artsy Christmas-ish films ever!
Great recap of Green Knight, I too avoided all info on it before seeing it.

A masterpiece

I’m so excited for it now. Your opinion seems to be the prevalent one now

Unfortunately I'll have to wait for it to be available online.

Thanks I wasn't gonna see that and now i really want to, it's my style!

The one from arthurian legends?

Recomending Supreme magus video 4