Review of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) by Vicky S — 30 May 2017

Seems that Guy Ritchie is the go-to director to give old-fashioned properties a (questionably) needed English gangster aesthetic-an aesthetic that made himself a household name with 1998s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and 2000s Snatch.

After successfully pulling this trick off with 2009s Sherlock Holmes (and the 2011 sequel) and the underrated 2015 espionage action-comedy The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (best not talk about his Madonna-starring remake of 2002s Swept Away), the British director has now implemented his quick-cut, fast-talking style into a property that is dear to his homeland with 2017s King Author: Legend of the Sword, a film that has way too much going on but is ultimately a satisfying, fun, experience non-the-less.

Much credit should be given to Ritchie for not only doing something completely different with material that would (most likely) be done exactly how one would assume if another filmmaker were at the helm but still make a story so old feel new, unique and revitalized.

With a screenplay that gets the best out of Ritchie's kinetic way of storytelling (written by Lionel Wigram, Joby Harold and Ritchie), the pace of the film is unrelenting with a ton of information thrown at you but the engagement level never deters even when giant bats, giant elephants and giant snakes spill over the frames.

With a huge dose of weird (Ritchie indulges in visual extravagance one wouldn't expect from the filmmaker), a huge dose of momentum (this film never lets up-with a great score from John Mathieson to keep things ticking) and a huge dose of (escapist) entertainment, King Author: Legend of the Sword is a worthy retelling of such an old tale, proving Ritchie's inspired, singular pedigree with updating older properties.