The (long) journey of the hero – review of the film “The Green Knight”

The story of a clash

In the case of the Green Knight,  however, the optimism was justified. After all, the project was the responsibility of the respected studio A24 ( Midsommar , Lighthouse ), and the directing was undertaken by David Lowery, the author of the acclaimed Ghost Story . The source material itself is also interesting. Instead of the most popular stories about King Arthur, the 14th-century anonymous poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was used as a basis.. This work was supposed to promote the then model of a good Christian, showing a hero who was faced with numerous trials, who, despite the difficulties, remains faithful to the chivalrous virtues. Especially the attitude to these values ​​(but not only) causes that we are dealing with a fairly easy transfer of the story, although the film refers to it very strongly, transforming the content.

The starting point remains similar. On Christmas Day, King Arthur’s court hosts a mysterious green-skinned knight. He offers an unusual game to those gathered in the castle. One of the warriors can hit him, but he will be reciprocated in a year. Gawain, the king’s young nephew, takes on the challenges. Beheading the head, although it does not kill the newcomer, makes the daredevil popular. The year passes surprisingly quickly, however, and he is forced to remain faithful to his honor and travel to the Green Chapel.

The traveling knight

The heart of Lowery’s film is precisely the main character’s journey. This path is extremely slow, in large part so that there is room for numerous trials to which, according to tradition, the protagonist is subjected. Except that, contrary to the source footage, Gawain’s footage is definitely not virtuous. In fact, he is not even quite a knight. This is a man who is just looking for fame, who has not yet had the opportunity to forge his own legend. At the same time, it does not fit in with the typical image of a warrior – he is tormented by doubts, evidently feeling lost, but sometimes he can be quick-tempered. This is perfectly reflected by Dev Patel, who plays the main role, playing more expressively, which corresponds to the fact that the protagonist is rather reticent. He manages to cope as much as possible with the weight of the story focused on one character. On the other hand, a very good background allows for more words (attention is particularly drawn to Alicia Vikander in a double role, which is symbolically related to the plot), often giving monologues which, combined with a specific composition, give many scenes a theatrical character. Carefully selected lighting plays a special role. Often, especially indoors, it is very dark, the light is gently recessed, however, it makes it easy to read and creates a unique aura.

There are more such unusual elements, “borrowed” for the chivalrous history. Although the Green Knight does not try to scare the viewer, there are some truly horror ways to build tension, including in the very atmospheric music of Daniel Hart. What may be surprising, however, is that a large part of the film consists of only inconspicuous scenes of traveling through empty areas. These debts, in my opinion, are difficult to perceive as a disadvantage, because if skillfully carried out, they give the production a calm, even meditative tone, befitting dream images. Certainly, this direction was not helped by the promotion with the last trailer, stylized as an action-packed fantasy adventure. Therefore, I completely understand if such a convention disappoints anyone.

Between worlds

I was most grasped by this “sluggish” style. In large part because it has been used in a fantastically depicted reality. The painterly photos by Andrew Droz Palerma can delight on the cinema screen, despite – or actually thanks to – their relative severity. The world that Gawain traversed is mostly hostile land, cut off from civilization. The landscapes are in some ways reminiscent of  Nicolas Winding Refn’s Valhalla Rising , but the Green Knight can boast a greater variety, both in terms of the circumstances of nature and the colors used, emphasizing the magic. Speaking of magic, it is extremely interesting to use fantastic elements in the context of world-creating. We get to know a place somewhat suspended between the worlds of ancient legends and myths and the spreading Christianity. On the one hand, in the royal city, people pray and holidays are celebrated. On the other hand, reality is permeated with magical powers and objects. In addition, the more the hero moves away from home, the less visible the influences of the new order. Beautiful costumes and scenography also add to the whole flavor. The creators did not try to use the “historical” aesthetics popular in film productions and although they refer to it, in a more creative way, emphasizing

An exquisite knight

The Green Knight has emerged as the best fantasy movie in many years. David Lowery did not need the budget or the panache of The Lord of the Rings to create an expressive, original creation. The painting enchanted me with an evocative raw vision of a fantastic world, which is in fact a hidden hero, accompanying young Gawain all the time on his way to meet the dark, green-skinned warrior. The work is very different from what Hollywood productions of the genre have got used to, which for many people can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. It is certain that not everyone will like such a slow pace of this intimate story, but in my opinion it is worth giving a chance and feeling this magical atmosphere and the secrets that accompany it until the very end.

We  invite you to the screenings of the film The  Green Knight at Cinema City.