Customer Reviews

Merlin (Special Edition)

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(47)

 

 

This move is about the wizard Merlin. It has all the well known characters of Merlin stories - Arthur, Morgan la Fay, Mordred, Guinivere, Lancealot - as well as some not as well known characters - Vortigen, Uther, Cornwall - and some that are entirely new to me - Queen Mab, Frick, and Nimue. The special effects in this movie aren't the best, but they aren't bad. The costumes and voices of the characters is one of the best things - the best one being Queen Mab. The evil queen of the Old Ways is the one who created Merlin, but whom he turns against. Her costumes and make-up are neat, as is her voice.
With wonderful acting by great actors, a great plot, and a wonderfully portrayed story and characters, this is a highly entertaining and pleasing movie.

A really good product, I was actually very impressed by the rapidity in which I received the product. Had it been available in FRENCH, I would have gave it at least 1 more star.

I must say that Miranda Richardson is an absolutely brilliant actress. All of you people out there who don't like Merlin, why bother reviewing it. It was a powerful, absolutely awesome movie. Queen Mab was the best character, followed by Merlin. The special FX were awesome, I loved the way Mab disappeared, so much better than the traditional puff of smoke. Frik was played wonderfully by Martin Short, and NZ's own Sam Neill is a legend in his own right. One of my fave movies, i could watch it again and again, ten stars isn't a high enought rating for this well made, well casted, well played, breathtaking movie, if anyone has more info (positive info thanx) on Queen Mab, send it to me via e-mail. I'll end by saying. QUEEN MAB WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN BY ME!

I have enjoyed this adaptation for years. Sam Neil is an excellent Merlin, and it is refreshing to find a movie that focuses on the Merlin side of the myth rather than the over-done Arthur side (indeed, Arthur seems secondary and two-dimensional in contrast). I especially like the battle of wills between Mab and Merlin that drive the entire narrative. You can't help but identify with them both. The actors all do a fabulous job with what they were given.
That said, it is obvious that the producers were focusing more on the special effects than the screenplay. The story line comes across rather choppy and like watching a quick synopsis of a bigger movie. The movie careens along at a hippedy-hop pace, touching down for short moments here and there before galloping off again, leaving the viewer wishing for a few moments of breath in a scene. It could easily have been a seven hour movie and felt only just barely "full". If you enjoyed the well-thought-out plodding of Mists of Avalon, you may find this movie too brief and glossy.
Still, I recommend it for an ejoyable afternoon. Think I'll go watch it again...

There are three Hallmark mini-series that left a deep print on my heart. One of them is "Merlin", by Steve Barron (who already was a winner in my book after the hilarious "Coneheads"). The fact that it was made for TV may seem like a reason to underestimate this movie, but you'd be making a big mistake. "Merlin" is one of the greatest fantasy films ever made, and a worthy competitor for some of the genre's classics, like "Legend", "The Never-ending Story", or "Excalibur", its main influence.

"Merlin" tells the story of the most famous wizard of all, narrated trough the reigns of the first four Christian kings of England: Constant, Vortigern, Uther, and Arthur. Besides the obvious conflicts of men and their quest for power, there is another battle: this one between the new Christian religion and the Old Ways of Pagan magic, lead by Queen Mab. It is Mab who creates Merlin in an attempt to restore the power of magic to the world, but when her creation meets Nimue, the love of his life, he leaves it all behind in pursuit of his own dream: to find a good man who can heal the land, regardless of his religion. In the end, Merlin will find himself trapped between these two wars, and his human heart will be torn between the obligation he has towards his destiny and the possibility of getting away from it, seeking refuge in the arms of his true love.

Because of its 3-hour length, the move can really reach some substance with its characters. The cast is supreme, with 5-stars talents like Sam Neill, Isabella Rossellini, and Martin Short. All of them make their characters a treat. I specially love the character of Queen Mab, played by Miranda Richardson, who seems like a Pagan Mephistopheles, always whispering into people's ears. The special effects are beyond anything else I've ever seen for TV, and the director has some very interesting camera work, which gives this film an astonishing technical level, as well as great performances by the actors.

Now, for this edition, there are some features, but they're not all that great. They have a TV featurette, but it's so lame that you may want to skip it. I appreciate the bios and filmographies for the main stars, as well a the sort-of-history of the character Merlin. One thing bothered me, though: the DVD has an option for Spanish subtitles, but the translation is one of the worst I've ever seen in my life! Even I could have done better!

But this doesn't change my opinion for the movie. You should get it, because it surely is a jewel worthy of any decent fantasy collection.

This is a Fantasy story people, not a historical account! As a fantasy story it is chock full of fantasy elements, and as a story, the writer took liberties with the historical events. I think it is a good fantasy story and is worth watching/ reading

Well, I don't want to be totally negative regarding this movie. It did have some redeaming features and I've seen much worst. For one thing, this movie had great casting. You really can't blame the actors for a mediocore preformance because I think they did the best they could with the script they were given. Jason Done (Mordrid) and Rutger Hauer (Lord Vortigern - the guy that Uther had to conqure) were my two favorit actors in this flick, but they all pulled off a pretty good job. The dialogue was pretty bad. It also had a rather charming twist ending regarding the narrator, (but then they even managed to ruin that by dragging it out way too much.) The one scene in the movie that I loved was duing the death scene when Morgen Le Fay dies and Frick is standing over her, and they both see each other as they really are because the spell of illusion was shattered. It was a beautiful scene and for that scene alone I gave this movie 2 stars instead of 1.

Excluding what is mentioned above, everything about this movie that you could possibly think of stunk beyond belief!! I would recomend it to small children because they're the only ones I think that would truely like this movie.

Well, I don't want to be totally negative regarding this movie. It did have some redeaming features and I've seen much worst. For one thing, this movie had great casting. You really can't blame the actors for a mediocore preformance because I think they did the best they could with the script they were given. Jason Done (Mordrid) and Rutger Hauer (Lord Vortigern - the guy that Uther had to conqure) were my two favorit actors in this flick, but they all pulled off a pretty good job. The dialogue was pretty bad. It also had a rather charming twist ending regarding the narrator, (but then they even managed to ruin that by dragging it out way too much.) The one scene in the movie that I loved was duing the death scene when Morgen Le Fay dies and Frick is standing over her, and they both see each other as they really are because the spell of illusion was shattered. It was a beautiful scene and for that scene alone I gave this movie 2 stars instead of 1.

Excluding what is mentioned above, everything about this movie that you could possibly think of stunk beyond belief!! I would recomend it to small children because they're the only ones I think that would truely like this movie.

Well, I don't want to be totally negative regarding this movie. It did have some redeaming features and I've seen much worst. For one thing, this movie had great casting. You really can't blame the actors for a mediocore preformance because I think they did the best they could with the script they were given. Jason Done (Mordrid) and Rutger Hauer (Lord Vortigern - the guy that Uther had to conqure) were my two favorit actors in this flick, but they all pulled off a pretty good job. The dialogue was pretty bad. It also had a rather charming twist ending regarding the narrator, (but then they even managed to ruin that by dragging it out way too much.) The one scene in the movie that I loved was duing the death scene when Morgen Le Fay dies and Frick is standing over her, and they both see eachother as they really are because the spell of illusion was shattered. It was a beautiful scene and for that scene alone I gave this movie 2 stars instead of 1.

Excluding what is mentioned above, everything about this movie that you could possibly think of stunk beyond belief!! I would recomend it to small children because they're the only ones I think that would truely like this movie.

I'm shocked to say I found this 3 hour TV mini-series more
entertaining, more human, and more emotional, than almost all the huge
sword and sorcery epic features of late (Lord of the Rings, The Lion,
the Witch and the Wardrobe, etc.).

By staying closely to the legend of Merlin and King Arthur, and putting
character first and effects and battles scenes 2nd (though there are
plenty of both) I felt I understood the story of King Arthur for the
first time.

I was very caught up and rarely bored, and even quite moved by a
fairy-tale which has a happy ending tinged with bitterness and loss.

The cast is generally first rate with Sam Neil, Martin Short and
Miranda Richardson all doing excellent work.

This felt true to the spirit of stories that are not just about good
people winning, but also about loss, grief and moral compromise.