Staci Layne Wilson’s The Green Knight review says Dev Patel’s latest epic is a visual stunner but has limited appeal.

The 14th century epic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was once a lesser-known Arthurian legend, but thanks to a 1920’s translation by the legendary fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien, and its subsequent adaptations for the screen, Gawain has found his way into pop culture.

But A24’s The Green Knight, perhaps the most ambitious and stylistic retelling yet, should do even more to raise the profile of this timeless coming-of-age tale. Casting Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) in the lead role is certainly a stroke of genius, and writer-director David Lowery (A Ghost Story) presents a less epic but more insular take on the mythos.

Arthurian legend has been done to death onscreen—we have takes from the Monty Python comedy troupe, Disney, Guy Ritchie, (my personal favorite) John Boorman with Excalibur, and many more. Those have pulled the proverbial sword from the stone, so this slightly different take just might be the ticket to reinvigorating the audience. On the other hand, some might find this brooding, surreal, gritty approach less to their liking.

Gawain is King Arthur’s nephew, born to the monarch’s sorceress half-sister, Morgaine (Sarita Choudhury). As such, he’s never been part of Camelot’s court. But as Arthur (Sean Harris) and his queen, Guinevere (Kate Dickie), age without heirs, they embrace Gawain.

One fateful Christmas Day, the notorious Green Knight (Ralph Ineson, looking a bit like Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy) comes to the castle and challenges Arthur to a duel. The weak, feeble King appeals to his Round Table Knights to represent him, but none step up. Gawain brashly borrows the mystical sword known as Excalibur from his King and beheads the immortal Green Knight… only to find himself in a predicament: he must surrender his own head to the Knight one year later.

Thus begins Gawain’s education. He is forced to cast aside his previous carefree, drunken, womanizing life and become a worthy heir to the crown. As the deadline draws near, Gawain heads into the unknown alone, where he encounters cunning highwaymen, headless ghosts, nomadic giants, a clairvoyant and seductive wife, and a talking fox, before finally finding his way into the leafy temple of the Green Knight, who lies in wait for his chance to return Gawain’s ax-blow.

Rife with symbolism, allegory, and dreamy, cryptic musings, The Green Knight is deliberately paced and assumes prior knowledge of the legend. While it’s not nearly as glacial as Lowery’s A Ghost Story (which I enjoyed, for the most part), The Green Knight takes its time, lingering long on static scenes and choosing mood over excitement. It’s surreal and trippy, so be prepared for a few WTF moments.

While I hesitate to recommend The Green Knight to anyone other than sword-and-sorcery fans, if you are going to see it, do catch this visual stunner on the big screen.

Rated R
2 Hours 10 Minutes

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Staci Layne Wilson’s The Green Knight review says Dev Patel’s latest epic is a visual stunner but has limited appeal.