Read Mixed User Reviews for The Green Knight

6

GameBoy89Nov 9, 2021

Epic landscapes and good acting but didn’t have the payoff I was hoping for. The film kind of slips into art kid territory. A good movie to fall asleep to.

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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5

ManofReasonAug 22, 2021

As with nearly any subject nowadays, opinions are quickly polarised with broad and often incorrect assumptions - one being that if you don't think The Green Knight is very good, you are brainless cretin who does not appreciate non-mainstreamAs with nearly any subject nowadays, opinions are quickly polarised with broad and often incorrect assumptions - one being that if you don't think The Green Knight is very good, you are brainless cretin who does not appreciate non-mainstream cinema.

But it is quite possible to have a deep understanding of the possibilities of convention breaking cinema, yet still regard The Green Knight as pretentious and hollow. For some reason, many film critics, perhaps starved of genuine new visionaries, have latched on to Lowery as a new 'voice' who has at least has the outward appearance of being fresh and profound.

Why does Lynch's voice seem so strange yet also so very effective? Somehow, the specifics of his craft combine with a sensibility that commands your attention. One of the problems with Lowery is his craft actually obstructs your engagement. Overly showy shots and excessive reliance on cross-cut editing undermine the sense of engagement with the overall concept and give the film the consistency of a high level music video. The film also asserts its own greatness with an insistent score that has more in common with conventional Hollywood underscoring than it thinks. Lowery wants you to feel the impact of every image, yet you are never given the opportunity to engage, even on a subconscious level, as the film rarely settles long enough on any scene to be immersive, preferring to restlessly cut away. So the film feels both slow and very rushed at the same time.

Unfortunately, whatever his intention was, Lowery's vision does not reach a level where it feels even necessary to analyse his interpretation of the original poem. Dev Patel is good though.… Expand

9 of 10 users found this helpful91

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4

AcidCasualSep 27, 2021

Interesting cast, who have shown they have potential, however it all seemed muted, not enough of anything to make it good.

Films like this are not intended to be clever, so to think there's a higher level of attention needed, nah, don't fall for it.

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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4

EeJaySep 5, 2021

Truly terrible. To be sure, well acted with good costuming, but those things alone never make a good movie. It was clearly written by someone who thinks they are brilliant, with artistic talent, but in actuality sorely lacks both. About anTruly terrible. To be sure, well acted with good costuming, but those things alone never make a good movie. It was clearly written by someone who thinks they are brilliant, with artistic talent, but in actuality sorely lacks both. About an hour in I was wishing for the green knight to storm into the theatre and take off my head rather than finish the movie.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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6

BigEggsKitchenJul 30, 2021

I would give it a 6.5/10 I was disappointed in it - there’s some really really bad CGI in the background shots; they have an entire animal CGI that is with him for a while and it just took me out of it. There are some amazing shots andI would give it a 6.5/10 I was disappointed in it - there’s some really really bad CGI in the background shots; they have an entire animal CGI that is with him for a while and it just took me out of it. There are some amazing shots and costuming but it was more along the lines of like a Harry Potter or lord of the rings in tone- it wasn’t anything like I thought it was gonna be. I’m glad I saw it but it didn’t knock me off my feet like I thought it would… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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4

hesnotdrunkSep 27, 2021

Another art-house romp tarnished by its pretentiousness, with the goal to get the admiration of the critics while leaving audiences in the dust using vignettes of "artsy" sequences sprinkled throughout. Unlike the extreme edge ofAnother art-house romp tarnished by its pretentiousness, with the goal to get the admiration of the critics while leaving audiences in the dust using vignettes of "artsy" sequences sprinkled throughout. Unlike the extreme edge of pretentiousness, director Lowery at least attempts to make the story watchable with bits of greatness that make it worth the effort if you appreciate cinema, albeit at an offensively slow pace (couldn't say the same for "Ghost Story", the other extreme of art-house trash that is somehow convincing modern critics to overlook the excessive pretentiousness in favor of a balanced approach). It is shot beautifully, very well acted, and actually well directed, but the pace and artsy vignettes are the death blow, with still shots and awkward sequences (a blindfolded woman just sitting in random places for the sake of "allegory", for example) that tend to take the reigns more often than they should. Head shrugging, to say the least, but it worked to convince the critics. Yet, as you can see based on the polarized audience reviews, anyone who doesn't buy into the pretentious notion of "I created an important work of cosmic art attempting to tap into the transcendent nature of reality" understandably found it a hopeless pursuit.

You are taking 130 minutes of an audiences time, it would be nice to take that into consideration when putting together the final cut. Otherwise, you're making the film for yourself, and giving it much more importance than is due (ostentatious obliviousness). Luckily the bits that are good make it worth the overall effort (if you are willing to sit through it).… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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4

MilinchoAug 22, 2021

Beyond style over substance. Stupidity over substance. Nonsense over substance. "Coolism" over substance. Don't expect any logic, plot sense or credible character behavior, just swallow Lowery's artsy pretentious crap. Don't think about theBeyond style over substance. Stupidity over substance. Nonsense over substance. "Coolism" over substance. Don't expect any logic, plot sense or credible character behavior, just swallow Lowery's artsy pretentious crap. Don't think about the ridiculous nonsense that is fed to you, just "feel" that this is good and you will be one of those special and unique people that "get it".… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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5

gabcrayNov 24, 2021

the film is more concerned with its aesthetics than developing the story in a watchable way. Patel looks great here but doesn't elevate the movie and I don't buy the ending. Another "smart" movie from A24 for film twitter. It's very uninteresting.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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4

dembrewskiAug 2, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have not read the source material and have only seen this once. So take this review as an initial reaction to the movie on its own merits.

First the positives, the film was a gorgeous piece of imagery with some excellent music and sound design that really conveyed the mood at any given moment. The final flash forward sequence of him aging was a great piece of story telling that required absolutely no dialogue and yet you knew what was happening and what the characters were feeling. Green knight character design was fantastic.

Now the confusing:
There were so many things in this movie that were introduced and then produced no pay off. They felt random and unmotivated and as far as I can tell had no impact on the story.
-the fire at the beginning
-the giants in the valley (gotta get that boob shot in somehow I guess)
-the fox
-the thief stealing the axe
-the blind folded woman
-the warning from the severed head stating "the green knight is someone you know" even though we had not met the lord at the castle yet.
All of these things and more were put in the film intentionally and yet seemed to be pointless additions.

Disconnected:
The flow of this film felt hindered by a lack of connection between scenes or motivation leading from one scene to the next. Now he's wandering and he finds mushrooms, now he starts seeing things, now it's day again and he's wandering, and now there are giants...just because, and now the giants are gone, and now he's wandering upside down some more. Beautiful imagery that feels hollow.

Clarity:
By the end of the film you're supposed to realize the fox (in its one piece of dialogue) has the voice of his mother, and the green knight has the voice of the lord from the castle. I found this out only once I looked up more info after finishing the movie, during the film it was not clear, I think mainly because of the sound design distorting the voices enough to keep me from placing them. Also, I did not recognize that the brothel girl and the lords wife were the same person, but I think that's more due to me being the type of person that would be fooled by Clark Kent's glasses.

Overall, my initial reaction was one of disappointment. In another viewing I may enjoy this more, but the marketing had me expecting a dark fantastical epic about the journey and growth of a young knight on a quest. Instead I think they should've marketed this as the abstract fever dream that it was, and I think in that situation my disappointment would be lesser.… Expand

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

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6

Brent_MarchantAug 15, 2021

The Green Knight and Round Table champion Sir Gawain are the stuff of legends -- literally -- and in more permutations than one can probably readily identify. Which is something that undoubtedly contributes to some of the recurring confusionThe Green Knight and Round Table champion Sir Gawain are the stuff of legends -- literally -- and in more permutations than one can probably readily identify. Which is something that undoubtedly contributes to some of the recurring confusion associated with director David Lowery's latest take on these storied characters. In drawing from multiple source materials, the filmmaker appears to have come up with his own version of this legend, one that, in typical Lowery fashion, is not always the easiest to follow without making some assumptions and entering the theater with considerable foreknowledge of the subject matter. Even those somewhat familiar with the mythology may find themselves confused when they witness some events unfold that don't appear to jibe with whatever knowledge they may already possess. Add to that a number of protracted sequences that should have been heavily edited (especially in the dreadfully dull opening 30 minutes), and viewers are left with quite a frustrating movie experience. To its credit, some sequences are skillfully handled (such as those involving Barry Keoghan in a superb supporting performance), and a number of thematic issues are deftly raised and discussed. Dev Patel's portrayal of the intrepid hero is also commendable, a role that, at first glance, may seem like an unusual casting choice. But, considering how much of this film seems to leave audiences (even informed ones) in the dark, one can't help but wonder why the director makes his pictures so needlessly difficult to fathom. While it's understandable that spoon-feeding is certainly unacceptable, the same can be said for being excessively cryptic, a quality that seems to characterize -- and plague -- this filmmaker's work.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

saucyninja007Jul 30, 2021

This movie will be divisive and its misleading marketing will do it no favors. I did not love it or hate it but I still think you should see it because it is unique. This is a spoiler free review. Starting with the positives. This movieThis movie will be divisive and its misleading marketing will do it no favors. I did not love it or hate it but I still think you should see it because it is unique. This is a spoiler free review. Starting with the positives. This movie captures the grit of the medieval period but is at the same time very mysterious and otherworldly. The storytelling is predominately visual and creative in its approach. Believable acting throughout and nothing is spoon-fed to the audience. The dialogue is delivered perfectly and authentically and I loved the color palette that was used. There is an incredible sequence near the end of the movie that I will not spoil. Now the negatives. At times I felt the film was too abstract or too moody for its own good. The pace of the film is slow and stays that way throughout. People expecting a lot of action will be disappointed (the trailer shows basically all of the "action" highlights). There are some fairly significant changes from the source material that I feel undermine the core message of the film and lead to a somewhat unsatisying ending. If you are unfamiliar with the source material you may be confused at times.… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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6

StrumboreAug 2, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was looking forward to this, but much like the protagonist, the closer the date came, the more dread I felt. Some people are saying the movie was hard to understand...it isn't. Remember "Excalibur"? How Arthur *literally* was the land? Well, in this movie, Gawain *figuratively* is mankind. I dare anyone to say that doesn't make sense. The problem for me is where the director sees mankind headed--or rather, his sloppy indecision about whether or not Gawain will be headed.

I like cynical movies, cynical games...big Souls-like fan, here. But what this movie did was take what was arguably a hopeful allegory for humankind's potential for redemption and turn it into a prophecy of humankind's self-annihilation. This isn't exactly a twist in the movie; it's obvious where the film is headed, so you're really just wondering if our hero can turn it around before he reaches the end of his journey. The fact that he doesn't is foreshadowed before he gets there: The book-transcribing wife of the wealthy lord near the end of the movie 'confesses' to our hero that where she sees possible improvements in a book she is duplicating for her collection, she 'makes them'. This is just what the writer/director has attempted to do. And the cynical side of me says this was the only 'modern', 'intellectual' interpretation that makes sense. There is a fitting symmetry between this movie's prophecy and the hopelessness we feel about society. Edgar Allen Poe should be jealous.

That would have been enough to get the film 7 stars, for being smart but predictable. What knocks it down to 6 is that this ending is revealed to be the miserable outlook of our hero torn between honorably meeting his end and running back home. It seems as though a test audience secured an honorable (and abrupt) end for Gawain's journey after all. So, facing his inevitable destruction with no tricks up our hero's sleeve, this miserable movie ends...on a joke. Like an episode of Seinfeld. I'm very sure that in the coming weeks we will hear that there was some indecision about how to end the movie and this ending is basically the equivalent of Harrison Ford mumbling his voice over through Blade Runner.

"Support the arts" and all that **** but you should just see this movie at home, through a streaming service with a diverse production portfolio, and probably not right before bed or bath, in case the ugliness of the 'true ending' moves you to suicide.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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6

derekwoodsJul 31, 2021

Unfortunately style over substance. Clearly made with love, but there’s more passion in the crafting of the film than the characters seem to have being in the story. Better at posing questions than answering them, not that one expected toUnfortunately style over substance. Clearly made with love, but there’s more passion in the crafting of the film than the characters seem to have being in the story. Better at posing questions than answering them, not that one expected to leave with a fully clear picture, but the story itself feels unclear on what it’s trying to achieve, leaving us even less certain.… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

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5

NotablecookieJul 30, 2021

A very visually pretty movie with some of the best shot scenes in any film that I've seen. However I found myself struggling to enjoy the film. Many of the changes from the classic poem acted as a deconstruction of the ideas of honor andA very visually pretty movie with some of the best shot scenes in any film that I've seen. However I found myself struggling to enjoy the film. Many of the changes from the classic poem acted as a deconstruction of the ideas of honor and knightly virtue bit failed to provide any alternative message with any depth.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

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6

Matthew360Jul 31, 2021

It's truly odd to say that a movie has absolutely gorgeous cinematography, superb acting and a beautiful score, yet still was a mediocre piece. The scenes draw you in like a vivid dream that enchants you, only to leave you wondering why theIt's truly odd to say that a movie has absolutely gorgeous cinematography, superb acting and a beautiful score, yet still was a mediocre piece. The scenes draw you in like a vivid dream that enchants you, only to leave you wondering why the scene is created in the first place. The movie is full of beautiful slow motion stare offs, real-time walking journeys and a dialog that runs about twelve minutes long in totality. The Green Knight is by no means a bad movie, just one that should've been marketed as a very slow burning, Arthurian psychedelic trip.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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5

TheAwesomerAug 8, 2021

I saw this movie within a group of six, my own round table of movie chewing knights. We went in with high expectations of a artistic slow character driven movie. Beautiful vistas and locations only to be dragged down by pointless dialogue andI saw this movie within a group of six, my own round table of movie chewing knights. We went in with high expectations of a artistic slow character driven movie. Beautiful vistas and locations only to be dragged down by pointless dialogue and long artsy scenes. And in the end All I got was a green belt covered in white.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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4

umaumaiAug 18, 2021

While I’m not a big fan of a lot of A24 movies, when I read the announcement for “The Green Knight” I was very excited. I loved “Sword of the Valiant” and the Sean Connery titular cameo and with the little I know of the Gawain mythos IWhile I’m not a big fan of a lot of A24 movies, when I read the announcement for “The Green Knight” I was very excited. I loved “Sword of the Valiant” and the Sean Connery titular cameo and with the little I know of the Gawain mythos I couldn’t wait to see this new version. I’d say that this movie started out with such high promise with great atmosphere, costumes and wildly excellent sets. I would have given it an 8 or higher if it kept the energy it had up to the scene when the Green Knight makes his exit. After that it just goes down hill losing momentum, and half of a point from my score, nearly every 15-20 minutes. For how much the movie “insists on itself” it had nothing to say really. All it does is meander without any meaning till it’s dull end. I guess some viewers could see some parallels in current social politics here and there. However, if the film makers are intentionally doing this here it doesn’t holdup against the backdrop of the Arthurian legend. Alongside that the movie has some awful edits, terrible and unreadable reoccurring title cards and some questionable cinematography. I’m pretty sure I saw several “mistakes” that took me out of the film. Some of which felt like the kind of thing that a film student would have made and left on their thesis for “authenticity.” I’m not sure if the acting was good or bad because I was more bored then anything else by the end. The music and sound design are amazing and yet distracting at the same time. This is one of the times that without the strong score the film would have suffered and you wouldn’t have known what the film markers where trying to achieve. Overall it’s not a soundtrack that I’d be interested in as it barrows heavily from the sources that it aspires to be. I’m glad I watched it and oddly I think that most others will be as well. If anything it’s unique yet inoffensive even when it’s trying to be. For a film set in very tumultuous times and has gruesome tales within it’s own story, it only shows/tells it in the most uninteresting and uninspired way.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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6

Stream2BigScreeJul 31, 2021

Hear ye, hear ye! Let all come to the front to view this weekend's review of The Green Knight. This movie is directed and written by David Lowery who has been around for a while but hasn't directed anything I would say was "good". Titles likeHear ye, hear ye! Let all come to the front to view this weekend's review of The Green Knight. This movie is directed and written by David Lowery who has been around for a while but hasn't directed anything I would say was "good". Titles like A Ghost Story, Pete's Dragon, Peter Pan and Wendy are on his credits and we shall see where his current offering fits. Here, The Green Knight is pegged as an fantasy adventure based on Arthurian legend, "The Green Knight". The story follows Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur's party boy nephew, who embarks on a redeeming and daring quest to confront a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger, the Green Knight. Gawain contends with bunches of mysterious strangers along his long journey to redefine his character and worth to his family and kingdom. Let's see if Lowery could turn his career around with The Green Knight.

I'm going to be blunt with this one. This movie is weird. End of review. Ok, ok, I'll say a bit more. This movie is really weird to review. Parts of me want to say it was good, but I'd likely never watch it again. But then I say to myself, "Does that really mean the movie isn't good?" I judge it against a movie like V For Vendetta that I love but won't watch again on purpose because it's just too long. The Green Knight has that super long element. Then, I judge it against the likes of A24's Midsommar and Orion Pictures' Gretel and Hansel where stylistically the movies are so similar. The Green Knight has some of the same cool, flowy shots and smoky elements of Midsommar but also some of the super dark and hard to view elements of Gretel and Hansel, to make it visually appealing and unappealing at the same time. Also, there's a weird feeling similar to Midsommar or Game of Thrones, like is this a dream, drugs, or am I supposed to take this world just as it is? Just so many questions. I think that's the main thing about the movie that may make it off-putting. There are a couple scenes where I just found myself questioning life. Why is this happening? Is this really happening? And have they given me a reason to care in the end? I'm just not sure but it makes the movie on the fence.

Overall, the acting in the movie is pretty good. A24 and BRON Studios both have begun to produce some really quality and original films. They don't always pan out well, but they do know how to cast a movie well. My guy, Dev Patel, does a pretty good job as Gawain but is still overshadowed by the weirdness and eeriness of the side characters who all find a way to shine in their own right. I'll admit I was intrigue by the promos for the movie but I don't know if the source material truly shined through in this interpretation.

Confusing enough but so is this movie. The Green Knight is artistically pretty well done but the storyline and fantasy elements at times are just too weird. A24 and Bron Studios have produced some quality fantasy/horror/original stories and The Green Knight falls into that but they might have gone a bit too far and that's hard to say after Midsommar and Hereditary. Due to the length of the film and randomness of the flick, The Green Knight is best suited for a nice streaming in whether Redbox or Netflix with a handful of popcorn. Save your money from the theater and check this out at a later time.… Expand

2 of 8 users found this helpful26

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6

shoulderoforionAug 19, 2021

I'm conflicted over this movie and my review, it's a story based off a 14th century chivalric romance poem, based on characters from the King Arthur/Camelot myth. The movie itself is beautiful, the characters/actors/acting/sets/scenery allI'm conflicted over this movie and my review, it's a story based off a 14th century chivalric romance poem, based on characters from the King Arthur/Camelot myth. The movie itself is beautiful, the characters/actors/acting/sets/scenery all the toppest of top notch, but the story is almost empty, like a ghost of a movie that could have been. This is such a barebones recreation (with changes) from the original 700 year old poem, they could have fleshed it all out, I mean they had sooo much to work with. As it was it was "nice", but could have been epic, they had all the working pieces already in place. A chance missed.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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4

Gamed2longFeb 17, 2022

This film lands in a "in between" gray zone for me. Kinda like the bulk of the scenery in it actually! I respect that the filmmaker went with a old tale which has a different rhythm, focus and goal compared to modern stories. What I cannotThis film lands in a "in between" gray zone for me. Kinda like the bulk of the scenery in it actually! I respect that the filmmaker went with a old tale which has a different rhythm, focus and goal compared to modern stories. What I cannot forgive is how in a story which has something of a coming of age adulthood theme going, the main character remains a wussy little child of a man who has opportunity after opportunity handed to him. He's never shown learning from mistakes. Growing. Or taking responsibility for himself and his actions. There is precisely one exception to this, and a miraculous vision is involved. Things this film would need to be better and more entertaining: Character growth, more chances for good dialogue, some kind of setup or plan on the quest, the lead coming up with a plan or strategy. The main character having redeeming traits at all actually. Its dull because you don't know where the film is going, and you can't get invested enough in the lead to follow them blindly through it. Visually quite beautiful and relatively coherent at least.… Expand