A printed preamble tells of scholarly investigation to trace the legendary title figure to a real historical personage, a Fifth-century Sarmatian dubbed Artorius, who was posted by the Romans to hold the line against the Saxons in Britain. The film then authenticates this research by investing its hero (Clive Owen) with the egalitarian ideals of the Age of Enlightenment, schooling him and his knights in the combat techniques of samurai films, and giving one of them (Ray Winstone) the personality of a soccer hooligan: head-butts and the like. Guinevere (Keira Knightley) emerges as some sort of Amazon Queen, or Woman Who Runs With Wolves, or Kick-Ass Chick, or what-have-you. In any case she takes to the battlefield herself in leather and face-paint, and is undeniably good for a laugh. Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd) gazes at her with appreciation, but makes no move to come between her and her Arthur, who've only just met. Merlin and his pagans, meanwhile, wait in the woods for the advent of Alice Cooper. Camelot is never mentioned, but a tangible Round Table serves as a rebuke to a papal emissary who expects to sit at its head. From start to finish the beauty of the legend bows to the grubbiness of the potboiler. Which is pretty much what you would expect from the director of Tears of the Sun, Antoine Fuqua. In fact what you get is pretty much the same plot: a commando rescue operation behind enemy lines, except in this instance it's behind Hadrian's Wall. With Stellan Skarsgard and Stephen Dillane. (2004) — Duncan Shepherd
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