Entertainment
Extremely R-Rated King Arthur Adaptation On Netflix Split Critics And Audiences
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
The legend of King Arthur has been adapted time and time again, from the classic Excalibur to The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin, but when one of the Knights of the Round Table gets the spotlight, it’s always Lancelot. 2021’s The Green Knight fixes that by finally adapting the classic story of Sir Gawain for the big screen. David Lowry’s take on the classic is gorgeous, with a resemblance to Renaissance paintings. Shadows and dark, dank castle walls have never looked so good, which is why it’s even more disappointing that the film itself is a slog to get through.
A Different Type Of Arthurian Legend
Dev Patel stars as Sir Gawain, the son of Morgan le Fey and nephew of King Arthur, but while he’s typically considered one of the most chivalrous of Arthur’s Knights, The Green Knight starts with him in a brothel. He’s fallen in love with one of the girls there, Essel (Alicia Vikander), who was made up for the film.
The incident at the Christmas fest with the strange Green Knight (Ralph Ineson) offering to play a beheading game with Arthur’s court hasn’t been adjusted too far for the film, and Gawain beheads the Green Knight with Excalibur. The Knight then stands up, picks up his head, and reminds Gawain he’ll see him in a year to offer a blow of his own.
Lowry’s The Green Knight takes its time getting to the Green Chapel. First, Gawain lives the rest of the year as if it’s his last, which it very likely is. Eventually, (and given the film’s languid pace, eventually is the right way to describe it) Gawain comes across a Lord (Joel Edgerton) and his wife (also Alicia Vikander, in case the theme was too subtle). You’d think that Gawain and The Lady’s interactions are the film’s largest departure from the classic poem, but no, that would be the ending.
By the time that The Green Knight gets to the Green Chapel, you know that this isn’t a straight adaptation of the original story. Lowry’s decision to alter the ending is either a bold storytelling choice or an example of the worst tendencies of Hollywood producers. Viewers, at least those who made it to the ending, remain divided to this day.
The Green Knight Divided Audiences
Critics adored The Green Knight upon its release, reflected by the 89 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason. The cinematography is among the best of the last 20 years, there is more symbolism within the last hour than your freshman English mid-term, and everyone involved is giving a highlight reel acting performance. Patel in particular deserved more award consideration in 202.
The problem is that the other half of the Rotten Tomatoes formula shows 50 percent of the audience didn’t like The Green Knight, and even today, when the film comes up on social media, it’s always “it looks great, but…”. You can’t even say that the pacing is a throwback to older adult dramas: it’s simply a slow, thoughtful film. Combined with the ending and it’s a recipe to become an eventual cult classic, but that’s the ceiling.
Today, you can catch The Green Knight on Netflix and judge for yourself if it’s an artistic masterpiece or if it makes King Arthur: Legend of the Sword look like a classic.