The Green Knight

Ein sehr intensives Erlebnis. Ein schlauer Film mit einer wunderschönen visuellen Seite, voll von verschiedenen Gedanken, Andeutungen und Symbolen. Vieles habe ich beim ersten Mal gar nicht bemerkt oder verstanden. Umso mehr möchte ich mir The Green Knight noch einmal anschauen. Excalibur ist bei weiten nicht so gut. Und die Musik! (26.03.2023)

The Green Knight erinnerte mich mehrmals an Eggers' The Witch, der ebenfalls versuchte, die typischen Genre-Erwartungen aufzupeppen und der atmosphärisch nahe an Lowerys Film war. The Green Knight ist eine künstlerische Angelegenheit mit allen Vor- und Nachteilen - ein audiovisuell fesselnder Film voller Metaphern und Symbolik, der jedoch sehr anspruchsvoll für den Zuschauer ist, sei es durch die Erzähltechniken oder die schrittweise Steigerung der Handlung. Jeder, der schon einmal ein Heldenepos gelesen hat, wird erkennen, dass Lowerys Film ähnlich aufgebaut ist: Ein junger (Beinahe-)Ritter begibt sich auf eine heldenhafte Suche nach Ehre (und, um den Preis seines eigenen Lebens, nach imaginärer Unsterblichkeit) und trifft dabei auf verschiedene Figuren, die ihn auf seiner Reise gewissermaßen "formen und auf die Probe stellen". Ich bin unschlüssig, ob ich den Streifen mit drei oder vier Sternen bewerten soll. Der Film war sehr schön anzuschauen, aber er war auch eine Herausforderung. Nun - bessere drei Sterne! (18.09.2021)

A person is a social creature and as such is forced to play social roles practically throughout their entire life. Denying them brings misunderstanding, isolation, and contempt from others. We are simply much less free than we think in our pride. The protagonist of the film, Gawain, is not an exemplary knight - in fact, he doesn't even aspire to that position and knightly virtues are somewhat meaningless to him. However, when confronted with the royal court and the wishes of the royal majesty himself, he commits an act out of zeal that signifies the end of his previous life. David Lowery dismisses fans of commercial fantasy fairy tales and maliciously strips his film of all the usual genre elements that audiences enjoy in such productions. Instead, he serves a slow, visually embellished journey of his hero in pursuit of fulfilling his destiny. It's a journey where Lowery systematically tears down Gawain and deprives him of any nobility and heroism. In return, he makes him deeply human and, as shown in the final confrontation with the Green Knight, willing to accept his fate. I saw the film as part of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival late in the evening, which didn't do me any favors, as I struggled to stay awake. Due to the intimate nature of the work, I couldn't avoid a few micro-naps, which cost it a star. An afternoon screening might have propelled The Green Knight to the highest rating, as the director made a positive impression on me. I would reward it with 80% and recommend seeing the film, ideally on the big screen where its visuals shine. (23.11.2021)

The Green Knight offers a swamp of captivating scenery and the enchanting atmosphere is intoxicatingly absorbing. Though there is no miraculous treasure waiting at the end, the journey is no less splendid. This is a film for the screen and the cinema, where the viewer must submit to Lowery’s vision and the movie’s rhythm. Anyone expecting a spectacular, mainstream Arthurian fantasy will be extremely disappointed. This is rather a creative illustration of the original chivalric ballad set at a pace that is completely opposite to the Hollywood standard. Pompous splendour is combined with down-to-earth, mundane experiences, while intimate fantasy episodes alternate with interludes pointing to epic adventures in a world that people share with ghosts, fantastical creatures and their own demons, and where chivalric virtues blend with base vanity and pettiness. Like every old story, The Green Knight varies according to who is telling it, as the person in question highlights or downplays certain motifs at the expense of others or adds their own ending. What makes it all the more amazing is that for the absurdly ridiculous sum of $15 million, Lowery was able to realise an uncompromising vision that is equal parts shallow and enchanting. In the end, his The Green Knight remains an ode to the boldness of A24, which, together with Annapurna Pictures, represents the last of the more powerful and stout-hearted bastions of the alternative to the dominant and uniform mainstream of American film production. (01.09.2021)

Studio A24 serves up a medieval historical fantasy based on Arthurian legends that is definitely not for everyone, but I was captivated by its visuals and acting. I usually hate artsy and slow films, but A24 does them with style and, surprisingly, I wasn't bored for a moment, though of course I'd rather have an epic fantasy carnage than a slow road movie about heroism, cowardice and a knight's quest. The film definitely impresses with the cinematography, scenery and visuals, it's all so beautiful that at times you want to pause it and take a screenshot of what you're seeing. Dev Patel is excellent, and I enjoyed a lot the supporting characters that pop up throughout his journey: Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Alicia Vikander, and Joel Edgerton; they all act damn well, and the accent was a joy to listen to. I was a bit disappointed with the finale. I was hoping for a more action packed passage at least there, but A24 goes its own way. I have a soft spot for the early Middle Ages and thanks to the actors and the visuals I was able to enjoy it, but I'd guess a lot of my friends will be cursing. Story 4/5, Action 1/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 1/5, Fun 3/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 2/5, Emotion 3/5. 7/10. (19.08.2021)