Customer Reviews

A Knight's Tale (Special Edition)

5 star:		(110)
4 star:		(75)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(33)

 

 

Okay, like some others here let me stress...THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A HISTORICALLY ACCURATE MOVIE.

After reading the first 80 reviews I feel compelled to add my own 2 cents. We rented this and I have to agree that in the first few minutes I was revolted by the rock music, being a big fan of historical pieces set in the middle ages. Despite my initial feelings, I stuck it out. Too soon I found myself again annoyed by the styles worn by the Lady Jocelyn. Yuck! "What is going on", I wondered. But already I was finding myself involved in the story line and enjoying the humor, especially the interactions among the main characters. By the end I was willing to admit I'd been entertained and I was in love with all the characters with the possible exception of Jocelyn.

Then we watched all the extra bonus material and I was amazed at the thought and work that went into this movie. I just had to watch it again, having gained a new perspective on WHY things were done the way they were. What I discovered was an extremely entertaining romp.

For those of you who only saw the theatre version or are concerned about the rock and roll references in these reviews, try to see the director's point of view. Throughout history parents have strived to understand their youngsters. Or do we assume that the generations have always perfectly understood one another until it came to the 20th century? Language, music, clothes...isn't it likely that different generations differed as much in opinions then as now? If not then how did the culture ever evolve into something completely different? Notice that I have avoided the term "teens". Well, face it, back then the teens WERE adults. But there must still have been generational gaps. Did they say "wow" in historical times? No. But it's probable that there was a word that conveyed a similar meaning from a "slang" perspective. Language is not static, it is ever-changing. What we speak today would not even be understood by those who lived in England almost 700 years ago, so how can anyone complain about accents and language? Do they really think that anybody from England today would have been understood back then? Please.

Music....hello? Orchestral is better for periodic pieces why? As another reviewer mentioned...it's no more periodic than rock. The director was wanting to portray a fresh perspective and succeeded hugely. I'm sorry but when you're trying to convey a sense of excitement such as one feels at a football game (yes, that's the analogy used to try bringing jousting to a more modern perspective), chamber music isn't likely to get anyone in today's world fired-up.

And folks, that's a big part of what this whole movie is all about. Jousting was a major sporting event that was very exciting to the people of the time. How does one convey that excitement to a modern audience? The drama is easily done...but the intense emotion, the exhilaration we associate with a favorite sport? I feel that the director found an exciting new way to bring the medieval world alive for modern viewers.

As to Jocelyn. She's a bit shallow and the costumes are starting to bother me less. But her character (or lack thereof), allows for some very comedic lines that I think add to the overall fun of the movie.

I could go on but other reviewers have hit most of the other key points. The bottom line is: if you've seen it once...try it again...and watch the extra stuff. If you haven't, then get it...rent it first if you must but watch this movie. It is now one of our favorite movies and just the other night we watched it again with tremendous enjoyment and I wanted to see each and every single extra feature again. It's family-friendly and a romantic comedy that you won't mind at all having the teens and youngsters watch.

As one reviewer said, "suspend your belief from the start"...and then settle down to enjoy this story. It's fun, it still portrays a medieval "flavour", and the music ROCKS!

A Knight's Tale is what you get when you cross underdog sports drama, comedy, medieval knights, and a healthy dose of Gen X attitude. William Thatcher is a nobody, son of a peasant, fascinated with knights. When the knight he's serving dies before the final round of a joust, William takes a chance and assumes his identity.

The show wastes no time whatsoever getting straight to the fun stuff. The above paragraph is the very first thing you'll see in the movie, and the very next is the movie's first joust set to Queen's We Will Rock You. The twist here isn't just a cheap soundtrack, but the fact that it's interwoven into the movie itself. The jousting audience is more of a football crowd, clapping along to the legendary beat and having fun. The herald trumpet players are even shown to belt a few notes, while the guards step along.

The best example I can think of this previously is Robin Hood: Men in Tights. A Knight's Tale takes it one step farther however by taking it all very seriously. By the end of the show you could almost believe it. Heralds that sound more like boxing announcers, armor with famous looking logos, ultra modern hair and outfits, and even an amazing dance sequence that blends classical with modern set to David Bowie. It's a highlight of the movie and worth watching just for that scene alone.

The best thing I can say about A Knight's Tale is how real it all is, despite it's theme. The modern aspects are blended into the events with real tact, the comedy is honestly funny, and the drama is in no way cheapened by the lightheartedness. It's not exactly Oscar material, but the show has a few honestly dramatic and heart touching moments that are go over extremely well to anyone but scoffing critics.

If you've ever had even a slight fascination with Knights and the joust, give this a watch. It's a great movie filled with all the fun and wit one could ask for. The Gen X attitude may seem like a gimmick, but if you're as tired as I am of lame actors speaking in extremely poor old English, this movie is for you.

The story was awesome the plot is well formed. The only thing a bit off i found was the soundtrack. Don't get me wrong the music's great! Just some of it didn't seem like it fit with the timeline. Like they were trying to bring some modernity into it. But i loved it all the same :)

This movie was great fun and entertaining. Great film? Nah. Great way to spend an afternoon with some popcorn and Junior Mints? Oh yeah! I enjoyed everything about this movie. I thought it was well cast, well played and well paced.

A lot of people seem to like this movie. I can't help but go against the grain here. As an action movie, it seems entertaining enough. As an historical action film, it left me feeling cheated.

The primary reviewer here said: "Upon witnessing a crowd of peasants at a jousting match, singing and clapping to the beat of Queen's "We Will Rock You," you're either going to love this movie or dismiss it altogether." I was one who dismissed it at that point. The "jarring anachronisms" were not only out of place, but they were unneeded and did nothing to benefit the film. The rock music is fine in itself, but did they really have to simulate the crowd dancing to it? Perhaps if they had just had a more "tongue in cheek" approach to this... witness Moulin Rouge and how they played up their use of modern song and dance in the late 1800's. But here the production seems to imply either one of 2 things: you the viewer are either so savvy about historical details that the anachronisms add a light-hearted comic touch, or the producers do not care a whit about how historical details may be judged by the viewer. Had this been a very funny movie I think I could have dealt with it better.

This is one strange movie. It's set in the 14th century, yet when they put modern songs to certain scenes, it just doesn't seem right! I mean, they start dancing to David Bowie? The dancing's cool though! And what really freaked me out, is somehow I don't think that people in the 14th century (did history at school teach me nothing? I still want to say the 1400s, when it's the 1300s!) would not be doing the claps to "We Will Rock You"!

But this is turning into a "non-sense-making" review as some people would say.

The movie itself is OK. Not the best. But not the worst either. It's confusing when they're jousting, as you can never tell who is who. And normally you're rooting for the wrong one! I seemed to be spend a lot of my time thinking I was cheering for Heath, when it was his opponent. Oopsy!

There are some fantastic actors in this. Mark Addy is once again. He seems to light up the screen as soon as he appears, and always makes me smile! And in the comedic role once again is Alan Tudyk. It's so good to see him in a movie again, as he was terrific as the highly camp Gerhardt in 28 Days! And of course, the main attaction, Heath Ledger.

Included in the extras are: a theatrical trailer; Brian Helgeland and Paul Bettany (obviously Heath Ledger couldn't be bothered) commentary; deleted scenes; Making Of special; Robbie Williams & Queen "We Are The Champions" music video, and a couple of other bits and pieces. Not a lot to write home about really. The music video's quite cool though!

To be honest, I found this to be an average film. Heaven forbid you look away, cos you'll end up missing the dirty looks the opponents gave each other during jousting, or sometimes something important.

My whole family loves the movie. Entertaining and exciting and real. The costuming may not have been for that time period but seeing it through a romantic eye or as someone who doesn't enjoy knights and ladies, this movie will draw you in. From the moment it starts to the end (my kids love the farting contest at the very very end), you won't turn away. I wasn't too impressed with the leading lady but everyone did fall in nicely together. I got this after watching a friend's DVD. I didn't want to like when I heard "We Will Rock You" but fell in love with it. The dance scene is fun. Watching William prove his love to Joceyln, "His Foxy Lady" by doing what most would not do for anyone. Get this movie. I don't think you will regret it.

Good script, interesting characters, plenty of fun moments mixed with 1970s rock n roll make this a family favorite. It is family friendly and has the two things that make a movie great for my 7 year son.. swords. sword-fighting. Throw in a good love story and a dreamy star, according to my daughters when describing Heath ledger and this is an above average movie worthy of 4 stars - very good.

The story is about a commoner who pretends to be a nobleman. he gathers a "pit crew" of sorts and enters the josting circuit. I immediately makes a friend of an important person, but an enemy of another, creating the main tension in the story.

If you haven't seen this one yet, go rent it tonight.

You have to admire the bold twist director Brian Helgeland adds to this often meandering tale of the emergence of a new knight, Sir William Thatcher. Using rock songs from the eighties was risky enough, but the fact that they work so well is amazing: "We Will Rock You" can't help but infect you with its pulsating beat; the dance to "Golden Years" is priceless. Heath Ledger exudes an earthy manliness and a boyish naievete well; Rufus Sewell continues to play the villain with a cold aplomb; Mark Addy as Roland is also great; Shannon Sossamyn and James Purefoy (as Jocelyn and Edward the Black) also lend supreme support. But inevitably the movie falls into the hammish hands of Paul Bettany as the herald, Geoffrey Chaucer. Bettany is brilliant as the hawkster who is always losing his clothes to gambling debts and as the wordsmith who eloquently introduces his fair knight. Add Christopher Cazenove in a wonderful performance as William's blind father and Laura Tracy as the beautiful swordsmith and you have a cast that is perfect for a strangely entertaining movie!
It's well worth your time.

"A Knight's Tale" is a pleasant way to spend an evening watching a movie. Writer, producer and director Brian Helgeland has taken his vision of medevial times and melded it perfectly with the music of today. The first time I viewed this mixture it was a little jarring, but on second viewing it seemed to go together perfectly.

Heath Ledger takes the starring role of William Thatcher a peasant who is determined to change his future and makes it his own, although I still think he's a little over the top, but he has some blockbusters lined up in his future.

My biggest surprise after watching it for the second time recently was a couple of faces in this largely unknown (to me) cast who have become very familiar to me in the last couple of years. They are Heath Ledger's squires Alan Tudyk (from Joss Whedon's great "Firefly") and Mark Addy (from "The Full Monty" and CBS's "Still Standing").

The special features are numerous, the transfer is excellent and the 5.1 Dolby is superbly mixed.