King Arthur Movies
King Arthur movies ranked from best to worst. Modernisations and animations excluded.
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- DirectorJohn BoormanStarsNigel TerryHelen MirrenNicholas ClayMerlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.All of Malory crammed into a movie that has emotional drama, fantastic presentation and profound symbolism. An ageless masterpiece.
- DirectorDavid LoweryStarsDev PatelAlicia VikanderJoel EdgertonA fantasy retelling of the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.This superbly crafted story about honor is one of the very few Arthurian movies that is also a great movie in general.
- StarsAnjelica HustonJulianna MarguliesJoan AllenTales of Camelot and Avalon, told from the perspective of the women of Uther and Arthur Pendragon's world.Strong feminine and paganic themes make this a memorable and refreshing watch among Arthurian movies.
- DirectorJoshua LoganStarsRichard HarrisVanessa RedgraveFranco NeroThe story of the marriage of England's King Arthur to Guinevere. The plot of illegitimate Mordred to gain the throne and Guinevere's growing attachment to Sir Lancelot, threaten to topple Arthur and destroy his "round table" of knights.Is it as brilliant as the original Broadway musical? Probably not. Does it nevertheless retain enough charm to be a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience? Yes Sir!
- DirectorRobert BressonStarsLuc SimonLaura Duke CondominasHumbert BalsanKing Arthur learns that his wife, Queen Guinevere, has been having an affair with Lancelot, who at the same time remains loyal to the king, particularly after Arthur's traitorous nephew Mordred commits an attempt on his life.Bresson's directorial antics are certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but here they fuel a strong, nihilistic love drama.
- StarsSam NeillHelena Bonham CarterJohn GielgudLegendary wizard Merlin tells his story of his war against Queen Mab of the Sidhe and his creation of Camelot.Merlin is high on magic and thanks to the generous running time also high on mythos. Many absolutely delicious performances keep the story well afloat amidst outdated visuals.
- DirectorÉric RohmerStarsFabrice LuchiniAndré DussollierSolange BoulangerThe exploits of Sir Perceval, a legendary exemplar of knightly chivalry and one of the champions of King Arthur's Round Table.If you like Chrétien, this is certainly for you. Even if you don't, your struggle against unfinished storylines and stagelike production will be worth it when you get to the masterful conclusion of the quest.
- DirectorJohn Michael PhillipsStarsMalcolm StorryValerie GoganJason DurrOne Christmas, a knight garbed all in green appears in King Arthur's Court and challenges any knight to hew off his head on the proviso that he be allowed to return the axe stroke afterwards. All of King Arthur's other knights being frightened, Sir Gawain takes up the challenge and hacks off the green knight's head. The green knight then gives Gawain a year to find his home and live a little before the cut is returned.Bravely incorporates alliterations from the original text. Only the early analepsis hampers this concise and faithful adaptation.
- StarsFelicity DeanDavid RobbMaureen O'BrienThe classic story of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table.Ample running time allows many smaller famous acts we have rarely seen, yet sometimes the movie feels a bit perfunctory. Claustrophobic cinematography fails to obfuscate low-key production values, but the acting is top-notch.
- DirectorRichard ThorpeStarsRobert TaylorAva GardnerMel FerrerKing Arthur's rule is threatened by the adulterous love between Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere, a relationship the king's enemies hope to exploit.Never has Arthur been closer to Hollywood - here we have the biggest names, the widest screen and the most vibrant colors.
- DirectorKevin ReynoldsStarsJames FrancoSophia MylesRufus SewellAn affair between the second in line to Britain's throne and the princess of the feuding Irish spells doom for the young lovers.Thoroughly proficient filmmaking. But you really can't be proficient in love without spoiling it, and that's where this movie fails.
- DirectorHans-Jürgen SyberbergStarsEdith CleverMartin SperrRobert LloydRichard Wagner's last opera has remained controversial since its first performance for its unique, and, for some, unsavory blending of religious and erotic themes and imagery. Based on one of the medieval epic romances of King Arthur and the search for the holy grail (the chalice touched by the lips of Christ at the last supper), it recounts over three long acts how a "wild child" unwittingly invades the sacred precincts of the grail, fulfilling a prophecy that only such a one can save the grail's protectors from a curse fallen upon them. Interpreters of the work have found everything from mystical revelation to proto-fascist propaganda in it. Hans-Jurgen Syberberg's production doesn't avoid either aspect, but tries synthesize them by seeking their roots in the divided soul of Wagner himself. The action unfolds on a craggy landscape which turns out to be a gigantic enlargement of the composer's death mask, among deliberately tatty theatrical devices: puppets, scale models, magic-lantern projections. The eponymous hero is sung by the specified tenor voice (Reiner Goldberg) but mimed on screen by a male and a female performer alternately, reflecting what the director takes to be the creator's own sexual conflicts. Syberberg's pacing, dictated by the majestic pace of Wagner's score, is slow, but enlivened by constant subtle shifts in point of view, and memorable performances by actress Edith Clever as the villainess/heroine Kundry (sung by Yvonne Minton), orchestra conductor Armin Jordan as the remorseful knight Amfortas (sung by Wolfgang Schoene), and Robert Lloyd (the faithful retainer Gurnemanz).You must be able to endure opera, Wagner and glacial pacing to uncover the interesting symbolism Syberberg has added on the top of the original story.
- DirectorCornel WildeStarsCornel WildeJean WallaceBrian AherneLancelot is King Arthur's most valued Knight of the Round Table and a paragon of courage and virtue. Things change, however, when he falls in love with Queen Guinevere.Lots of knightly action and a well matured love triangle. The most magical thing here is a bar of soap.
- DirectorJud TaylorStarsSheryl LeeSean Patrick FlaneryNoah WyleThe legend of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and Guinevere, told from a somewhat more feminist perspective.A low budget spiritual predecessor to the Mists of Avalon. Based on Woolley's novels, it gets quite talky at times.
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsJames MasonJanet LeighRobert WagnerA young Viking prince strives to become a knight in King Arthur's Court and restore his exiled father to his rightful throne.Harmless adventuring with sparse Arthurian references and a dense array of massive Viking horns. Visually very loyal to the comics - they only forgot men's lipstick.
- DirectorJerry ZuckerStarsSean ConneryRichard GereJulia OrmondLancelot falls in love with Guinevere, who is due to be married to King Arthur. Meanwhile, a violent warlord tries to seize power from Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.A very loose adaption with an A-list love triangle and heaps of general silliness. I questioned the pistol crossbows at first, but then realised that they actually might be effective against those Star Trek uniforms.
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsClive OwenStephen DillaneKeira KnightleyA demystified take on the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.Suberb production values, cartoon characters, dismal plot. Owen is especially bad, but then again the script gives him nothing more than pep talk to work with.
- StarsGeorge WinterTrevor PeacockRoger AlboroughA star-studded TV production of the classic tale by Mary Stewart which follows Merlin down through history to the days of King Arthur.Interestingly set in the times before Arthur, this is a bit more serious than the most recent young Merlin series. Historic name-dropping, beautiful Welsh scenery and clunky acting.
- DirectorStephen WeeksStarsMiles O'KeeffeCyrielle ClairLeigh LawsonThe Green Knight tricks Gawain of King Arthur's round table, then gives him one year to solve a riddle or die.After a very strong intro scene, the plot becomes a hodgepodge of childish gags. I would have preferred this to be "The Legend of the Green Knight and the Green Knight Only". Connery's chest hair alone has more charisma than the bodybuilder protagonist.
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsCharlie HunnamAstrid Bergès-FrisbeyJude LawRobbed of his birthright, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy - whether he likes it or not.Arthur and the lads messing about. It's so full of over-the-top action that the story comes up completely empty.
- DirectorMarco van BelleStarsKirk BarkerStefan ButlerNigel CookeA young Celtic warrior and a hermit wizard must unite to defeat an evil druid.There is a promise of a good bromance, but an inept script fails to milk enough out from the titular characters.
- DirectorWarren P. SonodaStarsJames CallisLaura HarrisJesse MossAn evil sorcerer has taken over Camelot with his magic beasts. King Arthur's daughter Avlynn asks Merlin to help her take back the castle. She also has to find the sacred sword Excalibur to assist her in the battle against the sorcerer.Low budget and high fantasy is rarely a good combination, but this has plenty of unintentional laughs to offer. Never has Merlin sounded more Jamaican.
- DirectorMark AtkinsStarsSimon Lloyd-RobertsJoseph StaceyDylan JonesAn army of dragons invade the crippled English countryside and the apprentice wizard Merlin must confront the fire-breathing beasts.Massive blunders in the every domain of film making, starting from pound for pound worst special effects on this list. So woeful that it's actually funny.
- DirectorGiles AldersonStarsRichard ShortTim FellinghamStella StockerFollows King Arthur and his people race home to prevent Mordred from taking over Camelot.There's no one to root for in this badly edited and decisively unknightly story about Mordred taking over Camelot.
- DirectorAnthony HickoxStarsStephen MoyerKatherine HeiglThomas KretschmannThe evil sorceress Morgan le Fey teams up with the Viking Sligon to should steal Arthur's sword Excalibur. The young boy Valiant, who masquerades as Sir Gawain to be near the princess Ilene, has to save the kingdom.At some point, a crocodile in a plate mail jumps out of an indoor pool, and that's enough said about this movie. Still, a chance to see Ron Perlman.
