7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, "The Green Knight" tells the story of Sir Gawain, King Arthur's reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers in what becomes a deeper journey to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger.
Starring: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Sean HarrisDrama | 100% |
Epic | 36% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Romance | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
It's maybe just a little funny to hear The Green Knight's writer and director David Lowery mention in a supplement included on this disc that there have been many great films revolving around King Arthur and/or various Arthurian adjacent legends. Really? Now there have been a veritable glut of such features released over the course of several decades, and many of them have been hugely budgeted and well marketed, only to see their box office fortunes erupt in the same sort of flames that surround the head of Gawain (Dev Patel) in an opening moment in this particular film. Camelot, King Arthur, First Knight, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and The Last Legion, while each perhaps offering at least some interesting elements and maybe even pleasures along the way, might seem to suggest that films with some kind of Arthurian tinge to them aren't always successful, either artistically or financially. There have been occasional treatments of Arthurian legend that have resonated fairly well, including such disparate efforts as Excalibur and The Sword in the Stone, though, again, reactions to even these two films have been decidedly mixed. In that regard, it's literally funny to realize that two films that were unabashedly successful in terms of both inherent merit and box office receipts are comedic riffs on Arthurian legend, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Army of Darkness.
The Green Knight is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Director of photography Andrew Droz Palermo is on hand in the main making of featurette included on this disc as a supplement, and he provides some good information on his choice of the Arri Alexa 65 and various lenses which may be of interest to some. The IMDb discloses a 4K DI, and the results here are often staggeringly beautiful. As Palermo also gets into, he and Lowery wanted to give an almost "psychedelic" edge to the visuals, and my hunch is most viewers will agree the pair has succeeded admirably in that goal. There are both gradings and lighting regimens that give otherworldly glows to various moments, and one of the most distinctive things about this presentation is the sheer variety of tones utilized. Everything from crimson reds, to almost sickly greens and yellows permeate the film, and a number of scenes have an almost thick, buttery yellow look to them. Despite these changes, detail levels are generally superb throughout. Occasional CGI can look a tad soft, especially some background work, but fine detail on other elements like the magical fox's fur can actually be quite convincing. There were a couple of brief but noticeable moments of banding that cropped up, including an early scene where the camera tracks into the court, and a much later underwater moment during Gawain's trials.
The Green Knight features an impressive Dolby Atmos track that delivers good width and verticality virtually from the get go with some almost spooky sounding voiceover, a technique which is later replicated when Guinevere seems to go into a trance while reading the "special delivery" letter from the Green Knight. The track is filled with nicely immersive moments throughout, in both interior scenes, like the introduction of Gawain in what I'm assuming is a kind of quasi-bordello, or, later, in virtually all of the many outdoor scenes. These latter sequences offer some really smart placement of ambient environmental effects, especially once Gawain starts getting really out into the wilderness. LFE is utilized smartly as well, in both some of the Green Knight effects (which admittedly tend to be kind of sonic bookends, given the character's relative sparseness in the tale), as well as other outdoor moments. Dialogue and score are both rendered without any problems whatsoever, and the track has admirable dynamic range throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.
Like any good myth, The Green Knight's ultimate meaning may elude rational thinking, but even if there are elements at play in this tale that can't be conveniently "figured out", Lowery's astounding visual sense and some visceral performances help to give The Green Knight an enjoyably mystical ambience. Technical merits are first rate and the supplements very enjoyable. Highly recommended.
2021
Collector's Edition
2021
Collector's Edition
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