A Knight's Tale 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

A Knight's Tale 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

"Kicking your can all over the place, singin' weee will, weeee will rock you!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown May 18, 2025

'A Knight's Tale' was first released in high definition in September of 2006, when Blu-ray was still in its infancy. Surprisingly, it hasn't received an updated or remastered domestic edition in the years since and has long been in desperate need of a do-over. Sony has finally answered the call with this new SteelBook release, complete with 4K presentations of the theatrical and extended editions of the film, a new 1080p transfer on a second disc, excellent video quality all around, terrific Atmos audio and a large selection of special features. Sure, the supplemental package is entirely comprised of older DVD-era extras, but the 2006 Blu-ray was a barebones release, making for yet another winning hit for this new 2025 edition.

"You are all equally blessed! For I have the pride, the privilege... nay, the pleasure of introducing to you to a knight sired by knights. A knight who can trace his lineage beyond Charlemagne. I first met him atop a mountain near Jerusalem, praying to God, asking His forgiveness for the Saracen blood spilt by his sword. Next, he amazed me still further in Italy when he saved a fatherless beauty from the would-be ravishing of her dreadful Turkish uncle. [Crowd jeers] In Greece he spent a year in silence just to better understand the sound of a whisper. And so without further gilding the lily and with no more ado, I give to you, the seeker of serenity, the protector of Italian virginity, the enforcer of our Lord God, the one, the only, Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein! [Crowd roars] Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week!"

Only those of noble blood may participate on the field of jousting battle. That's all about to change, though, when young William (Heath Ledger) dons the armor of a recently-deceased jouster and fights in his stead. With the help of his companions Roland (Mark Abby), Wat (Alan Tudyk) and the famed poet Jeffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany), who forges a falsified "Patents of Nobility" for William. The commoner turned jouster competes in numerous events and quickly rises to the top of the sport, earning a throng of adoring fans. Soon he finds himself drawn to the rich -- and royal -- Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon), much to the chagrin of true nobleman Adhemar (Rufus Sewell), setting off a rivalry between the men both in the jousting ring and for the young lady's heart. With his skill and popularity on the rise, it seems that only the untimely exposure of his true roots as a simple peasant could knock William off his high horse.

Click here to read the rest of Martin Liebman's review of the film, which he rightfully warns "opens innocently enough, beginning with something of a lighthearted swagger that suggests the movie is shooting for some off-the-cuff, none-too-serious sort of tone but in the midst of a definite period piece that boasts strong production values and solid acting." Adding, "all is well, good, and as expected, until... Queen's "We Will Rock You" suddenly begins blaring through the speakers; not only overlaid atop the film, but with the jousting crowd breaking out in accompanying song and dance." As Liebman explains, A Knight's Tale mixes new and old, going for something uniquely all its own.

A Knight's Tale 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Even a cursory glance at the 2006 Blu-ray release of A Knight's Tale reveals a host of problems: color and contrast are overbright, primaries are washed out, artificial sharpening is slathered on, ringing haunts edges... on and on and on. It may have received a 3.5 score but we were all easier on scores twenty years ago, when high definition releases could razzle and dazzle when simply compared to their DVD counterparts. In today's era, we're much harder on titles, and the Knight's Tale presentation of old, while an improvement over the DVD, would pale in comparison to the best transfers on the market. But oh my, my my my, what a difference two decades and a proper -- and gorgeous -- 4K remastering make. The film arrives in what appears to be its prime, free of the shackles of all the issues that plagued its former incarnation. Even its accompanying standard Blu-ray showcases the many improvements, and that's before you fire up the 4K edition's 2160p beaut of a presentation. It may lack much in the way of traditional color vibrancy -- after all, the film's jousting arenas are bathed in browns, earthtones and steel -- but contrast is vivid and dialed in beautifully, primaries pop, black levels are rich and decadent, and skin tones are lifelike and natural (a touch muddy too at times, though it works with the setting). The image is no longer overly bright but party to the dark, gritty tones in which the film was meant to revel. Likewise, detail is no longer artificially sharpened within an inch of its life but rather crisp, clean and oh so revealing. Edge definition is refined, textures are pristine, and film grain is velvety, filmic and unobtrusive. (Perhaps a bit reduced but proficient and consistent all the same.) Moreover, no blocking, banding or compression issues that I can see. What a transfer. What a transformation. A Knight's Tale is back.

A Knight's Tale 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Stomp stomp clap... stomp stomp clap... Buddy, you're a young man, hard man, shouting in the street, gonna take on the world someday, you got blood on your face... you big disgrace... waving your banner all over the place, singin'... You just sang the chorus, didn't you? Well, good, because A Knight's Tale will certainly rock you with its excellent Dolby Atmos audio experience. The march to the London jousting arena sounds fan-frickin-tastic thanks to bold, explosive sonics that make every roar and impact, creak of armor, splintering lance, neighing horse and groaning jouster spring to life. Dialogue is clear and intelligible even when chaos reigns, prioritization is spot on, and the blend of modern rock, period setting and visceral combat is never out of balance. LFE output is weighty and powerful too, and the surround channels create a truly immersive series of battle playgrounds for Ledger and crew to frequent. Directionality is convincing, pans are invisibly smooth, and crowds scream and cheer from every direction it seems. What a blast of an Atmos track. (The standard Blu-ray's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is no slouch either!)

A Knight's Tale 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Dual Cuts of the Film (HD) - A theatrical and extended cut of the film is available in 4K.

• NEW Deleted Scenes (SD, 9 minutes) - A series of deleted and extended scenes from the film's tape dailies.

• Audio Commentary - with director Brian Helgeland and actor Paul Bettany.

• Deleted Scenes w/ Video Introductions (SD, 49 minutes) - Six lengthy scenes and introduction commentaries are available: "The Campfire Scene," "Adhemar Intro," "Chaucer's Second Speech," "Riot," "Chaucer's Wife" and "The Stocks."

• Quill and Quarterhorse: 2nd Unit Photography (SD, 8 minutes) - Additional shots.

• Gag Reel (SD, 2 minutes) - Standard outtakes.

• Behind the Scenes Featurettes (SD, 33 minutes) - Vintage featurettes include "The Rock Music Scene in 1370," "Sexy Armor and a Rock Band on Tour," "You'll Never Know What You'll Find in a Czech Prop House," "School of Hard Knocks," "Tournaments: A Cross Between," "The Marquee Event," "The World's First Sports Promoter," "Stories for the People," "The Rules of Love," "Heath Ledger Profile" and "A Director's Quest."

• Vintage HBO Making-of Special (SD, 15 minutes)

• Robbie Williams and Queen Music Video (SD, 4 minutes) - "We Are the Champions"

• Domestic and International Trailers & TV Spot (HD, 5 minutes)

A Knight's Tale 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A Knight's Tale remains a fun movie with a striking blend of modern and period production flair balanced at just the right tipping point (without ever toppling over). It's also a treat anytime we get to see Ledger again. What a talent. Sony's 4K Blu-ray release is a terrific one, with an excellent video presentation (whether discussing the 4K or standard Blu-ray), a rocking Dolby Atmos track, and a large selection of extras; older special features but all material that wasn't included on the original 2006 Blu-ray release. This one is an easy release to recommend.