Merlin: The Return (2000)

A scientist awakens King Arthur and his knights, and the forces of good and evil do battle once more.

Director:

Paul Matthews

Writer:

Paul Matthews

Stars:

Rik Mayall, Patrick Bergin, Craig Sheffer

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rik Mayall	...	Merlin
Patrick Bergin	...	King Arthur
Craig Sheffer	...	Mordred
Adrian Paul	...	Lancelot
Julie Hartley	...	Guinevere
Tia Carrere	...	Dr. Joan Maxwell
Leigh Greyvenstein	...	Kate
Byron Taylor	...	Richie Gould
Grethe Fox	...	Morgana
Jennifer Steyn	...	Richie's Mom
Anthony Bishop	...	Gawain
Lynne White	...	Aunt Everlyn
Jocelyn Broderick	...	Megan
Lee-Anne Liebenberg	...	Mordred Personal Bodyguard 1
Connie Giles	...	Mordred Personal Bodyguard 2

Storyline

"Merlin: The Return" is the story of the battle between good and evil. The dark forces of Mordred are pitted against the mythical sorcery of Merlin. Mordred and his mother Morgana have been imprisoned in another world for the past 1500 years while Merlin's magical powers kept them at bay. However, in the present, a scientist accidentally finds the gateway to the other world and is about to release Mordred into 20th Century life. Arthur is reawakened from his slumber and together with Merlin, tries to find a way to stop Mordred from re-entering this world.

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Plot Keywords:

laboratory | unfaithfulness | jumping off a cliff | alternate dimension | knights of the round table | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 2000 (UK)

Also Known As:

Le retour de Merlin

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£20,868 (United Kingdom), 24 December 2000, Limited Release

Company Credits

Production Co:

Peakviewing Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Riffed by the guys from MST3K under the Rifftrax name, Michael J Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy.

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Goofs

Guinevere wears chain mail, but has a very revealing neckline, which somewhat defeats the purpose.

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Quotes

Mordred: Give me the sword, or the woman dies.
King Arthur: Then take it.
[He tosses Excalibur straight at Mordred, which pierces through his chest]

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Connections

Features Breeders (1997)

User Reviews

Drop Dead, Mordred

I hadn't ever heard of this movie until I ran across it on cable this evening, and seeing Rik Mayall's name in it, I figured I'd check it out, being a fan of "The Young Ones" from way back. Well obviously he's a young one no longer, but he does a enthusiastic turn as Merlin in this unfortunate mish-mash of I-don't-know-what.

Was this really Patrick Bergin, Tia Carrere, Craig Sheffer (oh what happened to the days of "A River Runs Through It"?)? Throw in a little Stonehenge mythology, Arthurian legend, special effects that look like they flew out of "Ghostbusters" and this could have been a LOT better movie. Bad things happen to good actors, and this movie is proof. Discombobulated plot, confusion abounds, and I kept hoping Elizabeth from "Drop Dead Fred" would pop up and say the magic words and make it all go back in the jack-in-the-box. Craig Sheffer is in no way, shape or form cut out to be this creepy time traveler, he's a great actor and what in the world made him do this movie is beyond me. Patrick Bergin doesn't really have that much enthusiasm either.

Mayall does seem to be the most inclined to try his best, so I'd give this a 5 out of 10.