Review of Excalibur (1981) by Glenn S — 27 Jan 2010
A favorite from my youth that has now fallen more than a few notches after a recent viewing. Most of the budget seems to have gone to armor, weapons, and the round table set. Two-thirds of the movie is shot in forests, presumably to hide the fact that the "epic" battle sequences contain about twelve guys swinging weapons at random with little attempt at action choreography.
And oh lord, the overacting. Nobody simply speaks a line when screaming it will do just as well. On the plus side, Nicol Williamson's Merlin is still one of the definitive screen wizards, and Helen Mirren is smokin'.
I can still enjoy it, but the chinks in the armor are quite visible even through the generous amounts of blood.
This review of Excalibur (1981) was written by Glenn S on 27 Jan 2010.
Excalibur has generally received positive reviews.
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