Everything about `A Knight's Tale' is shamelessly designed to pander the masses. Writer/director Brian Helgeland, who scored big with `L.A. Confidential' has followed that excellent effort with a succession of progressively worse screenplays (`Conspiracy Theory', `The Postman', `Payback') culminating in this charming but trite puff piece.
The pity is that the story had possibilities. A squire seizes upon the opportune death of his knight to enter a jousting competition and ultimately, albeit illegitimately, establish himself as a top competitor. William/Ulrich (Heath Ledger) begins the film with no skills whatever and with the help of his hapless lads, miraculously is transformed into a lean mean jousting machine. He is then thunderstruck by the utterly bland Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon) and spends the rest of the film trying to win her love. Meanwhile Kate (Laura Fraser), the only interesting female character, with excellent potential for an intriguing romantic entanglement, is relegated to becoming William's groupie.
Despite good potential for a serious medieval drama, Helgeland decides that it should follow a rutted and unimaginative formula so that it will appeal to all those millions who have loved this same story in different forms countless times before. As if that isn't enough, he further debases it by filling it with anachronistic contemporary dialogue (`Oh Wow', `Helllllloooo', `Foxy Lady', etc.) and rock music to which all the medieval peasants join in to sing along and boogie. This wouldn't be so bad if the film was constructed to be a spoof, but after each of these absurd digressions, Helgeland switches back into drama mode, asking us once again to take his characters seriously.
Helgeland can't seem to decide whether he wants this to be a farce, a send up, or a serious drama. It is all out of sync. The film is funny when it is trying to be serious and dull when it is trying to be funny. I don't even want to get into how historically unrealistic his depiction of medieval Europe is. The only redeeming quality of Helgeland's direction is the stunt work on the jousting scenes. The jousting is brilliantly done and (of course) unabashedly overused. After a couple of dozen broken lances, it is hard to get up for the final match between William and the evil Count Adhemar as all the spectacle has been wrung out. It would be like having 25 chariot races in Ben-Hur and asking us to be excited about the 26th race against Messala.
Heath Ledger is airy and adorable as William, qualities I know I always associate with medieval knights (sarcasm intended). Ledger plays the part with such lack of force that it is difficult to believe the rushing wind didn't knock him off his horse long before the opponent's lance hit the mark. Shannyn Sossamon is pretty, but equally mind-numbing. Their romance has all the heft of balsa wood and all the maturity of a date to the Junior Prom.
Paul Bettany steals what is left of the show with his spirited portrayal of Chaucer. Bettany provides us with a most remarkable interpretation of the celebrated author, whipping the crowds into frenzy with his commanding introductions. Rufus Sewell is a passable villain, but comes across more obnoxious than despicable.
Overall, this film is so utterly insubstantial and obsequious to the masses that it had to be a hit. This is another typical Hollywood cotton candy film, sweet with no substance. It is charming, light, and predicable, giving everyone exactly what they want and expect. I rated it a 4/10 including a point for the great stunt work. Serious filmgoers are cautioned to lower their expectations.
The pity is that the story had possibilities. A squire seizes upon the opportune death of his knight to enter a jousting competition and ultimately, albeit illegitimately, establish himself as a top competitor. William/Ulrich (Heath Ledger) begins the film with no skills whatever and with the help of his hapless lads, miraculously is transformed into a lean mean jousting machine. He is then thunderstruck by the utterly bland Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon) and spends the rest of the film trying to win her love. Meanwhile Kate (Laura Fraser), the only interesting female character, with excellent potential for an intriguing romantic entanglement, is relegated to becoming William's groupie.
Despite good potential for a serious medieval drama, Helgeland decides that it should follow a rutted and unimaginative formula so that it will appeal to all those millions who have loved this same story in different forms countless times before. As if that isn't enough, he further debases it by filling it with anachronistic contemporary dialogue (`Oh Wow', `Helllllloooo', `Foxy Lady', etc.) and rock music to which all the medieval peasants join in to sing along and boogie. This wouldn't be so bad if the film was constructed to be a spoof, but after each of these absurd digressions, Helgeland switches back into drama mode, asking us once again to take his characters seriously.
Helgeland can't seem to decide whether he wants this to be a farce, a send up, or a serious drama. It is all out of sync. The film is funny when it is trying to be serious and dull when it is trying to be funny. I don't even want to get into how historically unrealistic his depiction of medieval Europe is. The only redeeming quality of Helgeland's direction is the stunt work on the jousting scenes. The jousting is brilliantly done and (of course) unabashedly overused. After a couple of dozen broken lances, it is hard to get up for the final match between William and the evil Count Adhemar as all the spectacle has been wrung out. It would be like having 25 chariot races in Ben-Hur and asking us to be excited about the 26th race against Messala.
Heath Ledger is airy and adorable as William, qualities I know I always associate with medieval knights (sarcasm intended). Ledger plays the part with such lack of force that it is difficult to believe the rushing wind didn't knock him off his horse long before the opponent's lance hit the mark. Shannyn Sossamon is pretty, but equally mind-numbing. Their romance has all the heft of balsa wood and all the maturity of a date to the Junior Prom.
Paul Bettany steals what is left of the show with his spirited portrayal of Chaucer. Bettany provides us with a most remarkable interpretation of the celebrated author, whipping the crowds into frenzy with his commanding introductions. Rufus Sewell is a passable villain, but comes across more obnoxious than despicable.
Overall, this film is so utterly insubstantial and obsequious to the masses that it had to be a hit. This is another typical Hollywood cotton candy film, sweet with no substance. It is charming, light, and predicable, giving everyone exactly what they want and expect. I rated it a 4/10 including a point for the great stunt work. Serious filmgoers are cautioned to lower their expectations.