The Green Knight – MOVIE REVIEW

From visionary filmmaker David Lowery comes a fresh and bold spin on a classic 14th century tale from the knights of the round table. What a surprising little gem this movie turned out to be. A modern classic in my opinion. Beautifully directed with an enchanting and thrilling story line. Let me take you through my review of this crazy, mind bending tale.

Based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight is an epic fantasy adventure of the story of Sir Gawain (played by Dev Patel), who is King Arthur’s impulsive, wayward nephew. He embarks on a daring quest to confront the legendary Green Knight (a very large, green, bark-like looking being – reminded me of our very own Green Man). Sir Gawain goes about his deep and dark journey, along the way he faces with thieves, ghosts, giants. It becomes a test of character and a chance to prove his worth.

This movie is heavy with mystic symbolism and imagery, and a surprising amount of witchcraft which definitely peak mt interest in the movie. The Green Knight is epic, philosophical, and at times quite obscure leaving you wondering about what you have just seen. It’s a daring and different kind of movie that truly steps out of the norm to take you down a new and different path. Very refreshing to watch.

The tales goes this this in a nutshell:

Sir Gawain woken on Christmas morning in a brothel by his lover, and love Essel. He returns to Camelot receives a telling off from his Mother, Morgan le Fay, (who is actually a powerful enchantress) then attends a feast at the Round Table with his uncle King Arthur, who invites Gawain to sit by his side.

In a tower, Morgan le Fay performs a magick ritual which summons the mysterious Green Knight, who enters into the feast at King Arthur’s court. He follows up his uninvited interruption by stating this:

Any knight able to land a blow on Him (the Green Knight) will win his green axe but must travel to the Green Chapel the following Christmas and receive an equal blow in return.

Sir Gawain takes up the challenge, he is given the sword of Excalibur from King Arthur and decapitates the Green Knight. However, the Green Knight rises, lifts his severed head, and reminds Gawain of the deal and leaves.

Gawain spends a year revelling before Arthur reminds him to uphold his end of the challenge. Gawain departs on horseback for the Green Chapel, taking the green axe and a green magickal girdle made by his mother, who promises him that as long as he wares this be;lt around his waist, no harm will come to him.

Gawain comes to a battle field which is full of dead warriors. He meets a boy who directs Gawain to a stream that will lead him to the Green Chapel. But it’s a trap, the boy with his friends ambush Gawain and steal the green axe, magickal belt and horse. Gawain is left tied up … but, by nightfall, Sir Gawain arrives at an abandoned cottage where hes looking to rest his weary head, he finds a bed but is soon awakened by a ghost of a young woman whos name is Winifred. She asks Gawain to get her head from a nearby pool of water. He does and reunites her skull with her lying skeletal remains in bed … the next morning he wakes to find the axe that was stolen, has now been returned to him (what? how can this be?)

A fox, a very friendly fox (perhaps a guide?) decides to tag along on his journey. Gawain reaches a castle, that is very welcomed as he is extremely exhausted by now. The castle is owned by a Lord and a Lady (the lady of which very closely resembles his love, Essel). He informs him that the Green Chapel is very nearby, and extends him an invitation to stay with him to rest and recover. Gawain accepts his invitation to stay. The Lord’s lady (the one who suspiciously looks like his lover, which I found confusing and weird) makes some seductive moves towards Gawain, who isn’t quite sure what to make of things. The following morning, the Lady presents Sir Gawain with the green girdle (which was made by his Witch Mother and stolen by the young thieves, or so I thought? …), But the Lady claims to have made it herself. Gawain gives in to her sexual advances in exchange for it.

Gawain gets his things together and (feeling a little icky I imagine) flees the scene, encountering the Lord on horseback in the forest. Strangely and unexpected the Lord kisses Gawain in return for his Lady’s actions at the castle, but Gawain does not give him the girdle. The Lord informs Gawain that he has captured his friend the fox, and then releases the fox. Gawain makes a shocking discovery as he reaches a stream where a boat is waiting …the fox speaks! He begs Gawain not to go and get quit his quest. But Gawain can’t do that, he denies the fox’s appeal and takes the boat to the chapel, where the Green Knight is waiting in hibernation for Christmas day.

Gawain waits through the night for the Green Knight to awaken, and when he does on Christmas morning, the Knight gets up a gets straight to it, ready to swing the Knight and chop off the head of Sir Gawain. Before anything can happen, Gawain experiences a vision a kind of trippy ‘what if‘ scenario:

SPOILER ALERT! VISION IN A NUTSHELL: Gawain takes flight back to Camelot, becomes King after King Arthur dies, Essel give birth to his son, Gawain abandons her, take the child and marry’s a noblewoman, his son comes of age and dies in battle. years later Gawain becomes a reviled king, his castle comes under siege, his family abandon him, he removes the green girdle, his head falls off.

Gawain wakes from this vision, still kneeling on the ground in the Green Chapel. He removes the girdle and tells the Knight he is ready to die. The Knight praises Gawain for his bravery then, with his finger, drags a slitting motion across Gawain’s throat and playfully says, “Now, off with your head.”

CONCLUSION:

The Green Knight is a highly engaging, very entertaining, thought provoking, supernatural, trippy and sometimes confusing movie that one should watch at some point. I do think this is either a love it or hate it kind of movie so … I loved it, hope you don’t hate it! Let me know your thoughts on the movie in the comments below 🙂