HORRORESQUE: KING ARTHUR-THE LEGEND OF THE SWORD

KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD
Warner Bros.
2017 color
126 Mins.
Fantasy/ Action
Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Annabelle Wallis, Djimon Honsou and Eric Bana star.
Written and Directed by Guy Ritchie
Rated PG-13 for language, violence and adult themes.

I was lucky enough to catch an advance screening of King Arthur the other night. You may be asking yourself why this review would even appear on a horror blog. But there is without a doubt a lot of horror themes running throughout this gargantuan production. Surprisingly enough this new version of the mythology approaches the material from a darker fantasy angle than any which have proceeded it. The movie starts out with an epic FX heavy battle sequence featuring gigantic, mysterious creatures and lots of magic. Soon after Arthur's parents are murdered and he escapes. Only a young boy he is taken in by a bunch of young women working in a brothel. We see him grow up through a bunch of quick cut flashbacks done in the purest Guy Ritchie style. Of course when reaching his peak he becomes a continuously shirtless, ruggedly charming Charlie Hunnam. 

Acting as a sort of security for the household with a group of charismatic friends. Meanwhile the kingdom is being searched when a stone with an immovable sword appears. And I'm sure you can guess what happens from there. There are the expected events such as the pulling of the sword, Guinevere, whose a mage trained by Merlin this time around and a final epic battle. 

What you don't expect is some gnarly supernatural creatures, a bunch of cool magic and a very unique take on the material that's never been seen before. The movie is also surprisingly funny and creatively executed. Those expecting a standard issue historical take on the legend will be sadly disappointed. This has more in common with Mortal Kombat than Braveheart. The movie is excessively energetic and confidently entertaining but does feel a bit chaotic at times.

 Because of this chaos it's hard to forge any type of emotional connection to the characters or story. It all feels very flashy and awe inspiring. And although there seems to be substance here as well a ton of very cool ideas it all feels like so much and yet doesn't have the girth you would think. As we move towards it's explosive finale it becomes a bit too CGI heavy, that being said it truly is a sight to be seen.

 I only wish they would have gone for that R rating so the violence would be a bit more graphic and the gore more apparent. Also although the cinematography is pretty impressive I do wish they pulled back and slowed down to show some of the battle sequences instead of the quick zooms and cuts that left me a little confused at times. And once you buy into the cinematic universe they create it's one hell of a good time. Filled with insane action set pieces a very hunky and likable Hunnam and awe inspiring visuals this "Arthur"leaves quite an inspired impression. 

And speaking of those genre bloodlines there's everything from nasty sea creatures to giant snakes and an insanely creepy and hellish Video Game style villain. Enjoy!***.5/5