The Green Knight

Name: The Green Knight
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance
Released: July 30, 2021
Duration: 130 min
Rating: 85
Cast: Alicia Vikander, Anaïs Rizzo, Atheena Frizzell, Barry Keoghan, Dev Patel

2021

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 56 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 429 Ratings

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6.3

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 429 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Showtime Networks | Release Date: July 30, 2021 | R

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Anaïs Rizzo, Atheena Frizzell, Barry Keoghan, Dev Patel, Erin Kellyman, Helena Browne, Joe Anderson, Joel Edgerton, Kate Dickie, Nita Mishra, Noelle Brown, Ralph Ineson, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, Tara McDonagh

Summary: An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur's reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves,An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur's reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers in what becomes a deeper journey to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger.… Expand

Director: David Lowery

Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 130 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Mark Kermode

Oct 15, 2021

If the result sends viewers scuttling back to Armitage’s uniquely accessible version of the source text, then that would be marvellous indeed. But there is enough here that is dazzling and enthralling for Lowery’s movie to stand proudly as a grand work of poetry in its own right. Read full review

100

Hoai-Tran Bui

Jul 26, 2021

The enormity of this film intimidates me. And it hypnotizes me, and seduces me, and captures me until it feels as if the green has grown like moss over my entire body. But rather than threatening to choke, The Green Knight injects a new source of oxygen into the sword-and-sorcery genre. Read full review

Barry Hertz

Jul 26, 2021

The power of Lowery’s work here is to filter his many influences into a singular vision that feels entirely in his sole possession. Read full review

Brian Truitt

Jul 26, 2021

Several heads roll though it’s your mind that'll get truly blown by The Green Knight, a visually dazzling and thoughtful trip back to Camelot. Read full review

Richard Brody

Aug 3, 2021

In The Green Knight, Lowery revises a legend, in style and in substance, in order to evoke a way of telling different stories, and of telling stories differently. He takes the risk of perpetuating a deluded gospel of evil, or of seeming to do so, in a daring effort to dramatize a world in desperate need of artistic redemption. Read full review

Johnny Oleksinski

Jul 29, 2021

The film seizes Lowery’s best skills as a director: his eye for innocence and nature (Pete’s Dragon) and how he uses slowness to deepen a story (The Old Man and the Gun). Read full review

The Film Stage Juan Barquin

Jul 30, 2021

The Green Knight is supposed to be a tale about what it means to be human; Lowery’s film is entirely void of that humanity. It’s a dour, bloated experience that not only fundamentally misunderstands the work of art being adapted, but has no interest in exploring or expanding upon what was already there. Read full review

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User Reviews

WaffleManRG

Jul 31, 2021

The people who gave this movie a bad review were mad that they had to use their brains for once. This is the irony of moviegoers today; everyone says they want something deeper and more dark than the mainstream, but when they react like this every time they get it, it's easy to see why filmsThe people who gave this movie a bad review were mad that they had to use their brains for once. This is the irony of moviegoers today; everyone says they want something deeper and more dark than the mainstream, but when they react like this every time they get it, it's easy to see why films like this one simply aren't made anymore. For those who like to be intellectually challenged and aren't looking for quips and action scenes, this is a fantastic film with stunning cinematography, brilliant music and editing, and a great lead performance from Dev Patel. I honestly don't know what more you can ask for from an A24 movie, and yet the whiners will have a field day with this one as they always do.… Expand

17 of 56 users found this helpful1739

RichardSayre

Sep 30, 2021

THE GREEN KNIGHT is a haunting and entrancing take on the story of Sir Gawain, featuring one of the best performances of the year from Dev Patel. In a year filled with sequels and reboots, director David Lowery brings us something akin to visual poetry, a spectacle filled movie withTHE GREEN KNIGHT is a haunting and entrancing take on the story of Sir Gawain, featuring one of the best performances of the year from Dev Patel. In a year filled with sequels and reboots, director David Lowery brings us something akin to visual poetry, a spectacle filled movie with outstanding cinematography and visuals. The tale is as old as time and this version is certainly unforgettable, easily one of the best films of the year.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

s3ver14n

Jan 30, 2022

So, straight out of the gate, this is an absolutely stunning looking movie. The fantasy locations are among the best I've ever seen. I love the Lord of The Rings Movies, but never entirely felt at home with the NZ locations - when I read the books they brimmed with feelings of the EnglishSo, straight out of the gate, this is an absolutely stunning looking movie. The fantasy locations are among the best I've ever seen. I love the Lord of The Rings Movies, but never entirely felt at home with the NZ locations - when I read the books they brimmed with feelings of the English countryside that I grew up in and, beautiful as it is, the NZ locations never felt totally right to me (but still a great substitute). By comparison the Irish locations used in this movie are simply stunning and feel much more in tune with the English Literature sources.
Music and sound is stunning, especially the sound production. I've never paid much attention to sound production before, but one critic website pointed it out and they're quite right, it is simply amazing in this movie.
The plot is a new twist on the legend, but it works very well and acting duties are delivered excellently without exception. My only gripe would be Vikander's accent as Essel - I felt she was aiming for some sort of UK accent, but haven't got a clue what it was meant to be. That's all irrelevant really because as 'the Lady' she delivers an absolutely stunning performance.
And finally, casting. All excellent without exception, but particular kudos to Dev Patel, one of the finest actors of his generation delivering an amazing lead.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

LisaLR1

Aug 22, 2021

Watched (twice) the advanced A24 screening on Wednesday of "The Green Knight," directed & screenplay by David Lowery ("Pete's Dragon," "Ain't Them Bodies Saints"). The film is a unique, fantasy re-telling of the Medieval Arthurian tale, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Sir Gawain, top form &Watched (twice) the advanced A24 screening on Wednesday of "The Green Knight," directed & screenplay by David Lowery ("Pete's Dragon," "Ain't Them Bodies Saints"). The film is a unique, fantasy re-telling of the Medieval Arthurian tale, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Sir Gawain, top form & attractively played by actor Dev Patel, is King Arthur's foolhardy nephew, who goes on a quest to take down the Green Knight in order to obtain both his courage and gain favor in the eyes of the King. Along the journey, Sir Gawain is faced with obstacles, including thieves, ghosts, sci-fi looking giants and sexually charged nefarious characters. Very good in their supporting roles are Alicia Vikander (dual role Essel/The Lady), Joel Edgerton (The Lord) and Sarita Choudhury (Morgan le Fay-Gawain's Mother). Filmed in Ireland, the misty, magical, hauntingly medieval look and feel of the film are achieved by cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo, featuring a score by composer Daniel Hart.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

hesnotdrunk

Sep 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 of pretentiousness, director Lowery at least attempts to make theAnother 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

snorkiss

Jul 30, 2021

The idiotic casting choice for Sir Gawain aside, The Green Knight is an overindulgent, anal gazing medieval bore - 2 stars

8 of 23 users found this helpful815

shag00

Feb 26, 2023

This nonsense of a film is less interesting than staring out your window to watch the traffic passing by. The writing/script is poor and badly delivered. The ending is something you wonder about, about whether it is connected to the body of the film. This is without doubt the worst film IThis nonsense of a film is less interesting than staring out your window to watch the traffic passing by. The writing/script is poor and badly delivered. The ending is something you wonder about, about whether it is connected to the body of the film. This is without doubt the worst film I have ever seen.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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33	#33 Best Movie of 2021
24	#24 Most Discussed Movie of 2021