Review of Excalibur (1981) by Caleb H — 14 Apr 2012
Excalibur is, to say the least, visually stunning. It's also a damned mess. John Boorman and co-writer Rospo Pallenberg try to cram all the good parts of Arthurian lore into a neat package, just over two hours long.
And when I say 'all', I mean it. The film moves along at a breakneck pace, sacrificing character development and pacing just to make sure EVERY part of the legend is told. It's sloppy, to say the least, and there isn't a damn character worth caring about.
Arthur is a petulant jerk, Lancelot is thinly-written and arrogant, and Merlin is a weird asshole. The only interesting character is the villain Morgana, but that's probably because-even at a young age-Helen Mirren has a magnetic presence.
Arthur's dramatic-shifts are handled so poorly you start thinking that Boorman has suddenly introduced a new character. Excalibur is a hazy eighties mess filled with weak storytelling and sloppy characterization.
Yuck.
This review of Excalibur (1981) was written by Caleb H on 14 Apr 2012.
Excalibur has generally received positive reviews.
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