King Arthur movie review: Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur tries hard to play cool, and fails

People are little more than CGI-created multitudes, years are little more than camera in fast motion, and Chinese are little more than unageing kung-fu fighters, in Arthur’s (Hunnam) race to his throne here. A lot of heads roll down the gutter, a lot of eyes get rolled by the Mage (an ever-sad Berges-Frisbey, butchering an English accent) summoning the magic to help Arthur, a lot of big animals wander in and out, some Christian mythology gets mixed in, and a lot of swords are swished about, often to no obvious avail.

Women, unless they have powers like Mage, only get raped, beaten up, jailed or killed. Men make fun of their feminity with ease, and get away because well, you know, you are not to take any of this seriously.

Also read: Alien Covenant movie review: Michael Fassbender is the saving grace

Sometimes Ritchie can catch your attention, like with the hissing serpents from which Arthur’s evil uncle (Law) derives his powers, which were used by him to defeat and kill Arthur’s father (Bana). Ritchie can be funny, and the film, despite itself, is entertaining in parts.

But even that is due to Hunnam’s natural self-effacing charm and the pleasure of seeing Law sprawled on a throne, dressed in a casual shirt and trousers with a crown on his receding hairline.

However, Ritchie has promised five more sequels. Even Camelot ended.