A Knight’s Tale (2001) Review

A Knight’s Tale (2001)

A Knight’s Tale follows William Thatcher, who, despite his lowly-born status, embarks on a quest to become a knight by way of tournament jousting, testing his mettle on his way to becoming a legend. 

I love that, with A Knight’s Tale, this is the closest we’ll probably ever get to a modern Princess Bride. A dirt poor lad, willing to risk it all for his lady love, his honor, and to prove that he is as good as any other knight in the land, with a quasi-modern touch to it that is just delightful, combining a litany of famous figures, time periods, dialect, and music to craft something genuinely so much fun. And that’s what’s so bizarre; for a film as ridiculously unbelievable, thin on plot, shamefully predictable, and historically inaccurate in so many ways, it theoretically should have bombed. Yet, every piece of the puzzle works like a Mel Brooks renaissance fair—delightfully tongue-in-cheek, utterly hilarious, and rivetingly tense when it needs to be. 

Throw in the terrific soundtrack composed of AC/DC, Queen, David Bowie, Thin Lizzy, and Heart as well, and you’ve really got an interesting take on 14th-Century England (precisely 1372, hence all of the 70s music). It adds such an energy and character, that though corny, you can’t help but start clapping along when songs like We Will Rock You start blasting across the arena. 

If nothing else though, it’s the performances the truly make this film, starring Christopher Cazenove, James Purefoy, Laura Fraser, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossamon, Rufus Sewell, Alan Tudyk, Paul Bettany, and Heath Ledger. Ledger was as witty and charming as always, with a hint of stubborn pride thrown in, but boy, it’s also everyone around him. Addy, Fraser, Tudyk, and Bettany put on a master class in comedic timing, making me laugh every bit of the way through as they try to save Will from self imploding under his royal alter ego, Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein. And of course, can’t forget the devilishly wonderful Sewell, who provides for a nice adversary and antagonist alongside Will in what I can only describe as the living embodiment of the snake of Eden. 

A Knight’s Tale, directed by Brian Helgeland, is a rags to riches, love conquers all, never say quit, go for your dreams type of fairytale that is just refreshing in today’s age, knowing when to play it serious, but always knowing when to cut loose and just provide for a super fun time.

9/10