We’ve all – most likely – heard or read the legend of King Arthur. The warrior turned king of Britain who defeated the Saxons to establish his empire. We’ve read about his knights of the round table, his wife, Guinevere, the magician, Merlin, and of course, his famous sword, Excalibur. And when you have King Arthur in a story, it’s easy to forget many of those around him. Just like most of us fail to place – at least I do – is Gawain, a knight of the round table. And King Arthur’s nephew. The Green Knight goes some way to build Sir Gawain’s folklore. With an adaptation of one of Gawain’s more renowned tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. A story where Gawain, played by Dev Patel is set on a journey that doesn’t test his courage, as much as it lets him find it.
First. A word on ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’
What you might want to know before you watch Sir Gawain on the big screen is a little bit about the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. A 14th century poem Gawain accepts a challenge from the mysterious Green Knight, who suddenly presents himself to King Arthur in Camelot on Christmas day. A challenge to strike him down. On the condition that the knight who does this must meet the Green Knight a year later, so that he can return the favour. Up steps Gawain, who doesn’t just strike the Green Knight, but beheads him. And that is where his journey, rather his quest begins…
Sir Gawain’s Quest
As the story plays out, Gawain must now find the Green Knight to live up to his part of the game. Which – without giving the story away – wouldn’t really be a pretty ending for Gawain. It’s something he can choose to back out of. Something he can avoid even moments before confronting the Green Knight. But he doesn’t. Apparently in his quest for honour. But at a higher level, the Green Knight is Gawain’s quest for so much more than just his honour. This is a story of his search for his courage. It’s his search for his life story. For tales of his heroics. It’s his quest of a Knighthood and a place at the Knights of the Round Table.
The Green Knight – and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – is in fact a story of Gawain’s search for himself.
The Green Knight – On the Big Screen
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a story of loyalty, chivalry, adventure, fantasy, magic, romance, and a multitude of emotions that are all brought to life in The Green Knight. Not just in the depiction of the story itself. But the characters played by a wonderful cast. With a story with so many complex emotional elements, a lot depends on how the characters are depicted. And that is something that makes this such an interesting watch. Not to mention the depiction of 14th century Britain, without going over the top as most dramatizations do. The consistency in depicting the knights, the wizards, even the knights of the round table. The cinematography, the colours, all pointing towards a two-hour film that delivers on every level.
A film that combines its fantasy and emotions with its own blend of humour and charm as it tells the story almost as chapters of a book or acts of an on-stage play. The Green Knight is a perfect blend of great performances, a fantastic narrative, and its own style and an irresistible look, that come together to deliver a true masterpiece.
The Final World. Should you watch it?
It’s very rare that I, or anyone for that matter, would call a movie a ‘true masterpiece’, and then contemplate the question whether you should watch it or not. My simple straightforward answer to that would be yes, you should.
But this isn’t a simple or straightforward film. If you are a fan of fast-paced films and watch this expecting fierce battles between armies, you will probably be left disappointed. If you’re not a fan of symbolism depicted in films or stories, you may be left disappointed. What may be another challenge in watching this film is the subtle nuances it depicts, which would require some effort to notice more closely, and understand fully.
Tales of magic, quests, adventure, heroism and romance never get old. In a way, The Green Knight brings them all together in a two-hour journey. With performances and a narrative that deliver to the standards the story deserves. And viewers with an inclination towards historical fiction and fantasy are sure to find themselves immersed in the atmosphere The Green Knight sets up.
