A Tale of Valor & Virtue: "The Green Knight" Review
★★★★ (4/5)
After months of feverish anticipation since the first trailer dropped in February of 2020, David Lowery’s The Green Knight finally made its way into U.S. and Canada theaters last Friday. On paper, the movie was a Medieval buff’s mouth-foaming wet dream: rich mythology, a really cool trailer, beautifully rendered atmosphere, Dev Patel’s aspirational beard, articulate costume/set design, and lest we forget the pulsating hivemind of millennial sensibility—distributed by A24.
Don’t get me wrong, that’s not a knock on what A24 has accomplished since its inception in 2012. On the contrary, their accolades are nothing short of remarkable. They’ve won Oscars for tender human dramas and they’ve won notoriety for obscene cult horrors about self-flagellating zealots. But sometimes their movies get pre-emptively lost in the translation of mainstream marketing.
The film’s premise delves into the plight of King Arthur’s eager but stubborn nephew Sir. Gawain (Dev Patel). When a mystical woodland knight challenges him to confront a foreboding fate, he must embark on a tumultuous journey to seek worthiness in the eyes of his kingdom, his family, and ultimately, within himself.
The film’s lead-up promised a sprawling Fantasy epic, a perilous world full of monsters, giants, and plenty of swordplay. As it turns out, The Green Knight trades in the action for dark, spellbinding rumination. It’s not a blood-soaked odyssey, but a massive introspective search for self-worth. Yet still, it manages to be absolutely stunning.
So why the polarity here? Are critics buying too deeply into its pretentiousness? Or are audiences being misled into thinking it would mirror the zeitgeist appeal of Game of Thrones? The answer, much like the movie, is open to endless interpretation.
While the movie can absolutely be classified as a sword-and-sorcery Medieval epic, The Green Knight’s dense, character-driven approach is a poetic deconstruction of the hero’s journey. Throughout the film, Sir Gawain must test the principles of his knighthood. Only by enduring the turbulent journey and learning the right lessons along the way will he find worthiness.
As proven by his previous work, David Lowery’s mindful direction propels The Green Knight down new pathways that had yet to be fully explored in the Arthurian canon, even though most of them revolve around similar themes. From Excalibur to Monty Python & The Holy Grail, they all share a commonality that pertains to people who must test their mettle by surviving a perilous ordeal.
But rather than questing for some generically established greatness, Sir Gawain is a refreshingly flawed archetype whose longing is intrinsically felt. Audiences need a relatable protagonist to latch onto, and Sir Gawain is an ideal avatar to explore the psychological underpinnings of why we strive for greatness. Beneath the safety of his chainmail tunic, he’ll come to learn the sacrifice, heartache, and disillusionment that all must confront in the existential search for validation.
If Medieval Times taught us anything as kids, it’s that every King Arthur story should always feature one glorious battle, right? Although some action unfolds, The Green Knight doesn’t exactly serve those who expect to see a spectacular set-piece like the Battle for Helm’s Deep. The warfare in this movie is mostly internal, though it’s just as emotionally devastating.
When it comes to conflict, Lowery explores knighthood in a way that examines the historical connection between chivalry and combat. Instead of glorifying the bloodshed, he uses it as a plot device, a reminder of a bygone time when violence was a means to establish legacy. Living in the shadows of his fabled uncle, Gawain’s inherent dilemma is that he yearns for his own Excalibur story. Throughout his journey, his willpower will be tested, as will the moral standing of his character in determining the lengths a young man will go for a seat at the Round Table.
Making a movie that takes place in the Middle Ages comes with its own fair share of technical difficulties. Sometimes filmmakers have the tendency of making movies about Camelot that feel corny and cliche, like they’re filmed at the county Renaissance Fair. To a visually gifted auteur like David Lowery, his vision always translates well on the big screen and noticeably stands tall in the foreground of all his work.
While watching The Green Knight, there’s a conscious understanding that it was purposely made with striking visual attunement. The period piece set design by Lowery’s frequent collaborator Jade Healy is second to none, while its captivating cinematography, color, costumes, and lighting create a haunting elegance that feels cinematically epic but still perfectly faithful to its time.
Throughout Sir Gawain’s daunting journey into the great unknown, viewers are possessed by its ethereal enchantments. Much like A Ghost Story and Pete’s Dragon, the prestige with which Lowery tells this story is captured through a lens of mystifying wonder and is meant to grip viewers with profound effect. No matter what viewers thought they could expect from The Green Knight, its stunning visual splendor is the one undeniable fact that everyone can agree on.
In measured contrast to its visual scale, the film’s performances are astoundingly intimate. Dev Patel breathes flourishing life into Sir Gawain with a majestic but headstrong spirit; his role requires a balanced measure of both, as one would expect from the kin of King Arthur. The supporting cast comprised of Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Barry Keoghan, Sean Harris, Sarita Chowdhury, and Ralph Ineson as the bewildering green knight help populate this dense tale and navigate Sir Gawain toward his inevitable destiny.
Just because it doesn’t feature Heath Ledger majestically jousting on horseback doesn’t mean The Green Knight won’t be remembered as one of the most beautifully rendered Arthurian epics of all time. Though your mileage may vary regarding its execution, the film rewards viewers who willingly engage with its deeper meditations on legacy, virtue, and what it means to live heroic.
The disproportionate feedback from critics and fans only seems to further solidify its refreshed originality, despite the way its marketing was positioned. Sir Gawain’s journey is a dignified portrait of being human told within the narrative framework of a fairy tale. This poignant tale of chivalry and honor is yet another astounding addition to David Lowery’s remarkable canon, a magical lead-in to Disney’s Peter Pan and Wendy, set to open in 2022.
