King Arthur (film)



King Arthur is a 2004 film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Franzoni. It stars Clive Owen as the title character, Ioan Gruffudd as Lancelot, and Keira Knightley as Guinevere.

A reluctant leader, Arthur wishes only to leave Britain and return to the peace and stability of Rome. Before he can head for Rome, one final mission leads him and his Knights of the Round Table, Lancelot, Galahad, Bors, Tristan, Dagonet and Gawain to the conclusion that when Rome is gone, Britain needs a king--someone not only to defend against the current threat of invading Saxons, but to lead the isle into a new age. Under the guidance of Merlin, a former enemy, and the beautiful, courageous Guinevere by his side, Arthur will have to find the strength within himself to change the course of history.

"Arthur: I came to see your face so that I alone may find you on the battlefield. And it will be good of you to mark my face, Saxon, for the next time you see it, it will be the last thing you see on this earth."
 * Exclusively Evil: The Saxons
 * Anachronism Stew: Apart from the far-too-early trebuchets, there are also swords held together with screw heads.
 * The Archer: Guinevere and Tristan.
 * Band of Brothers: Of course
 * Bash Brothers: Bors and Dagonet.
 * Beard of Barbarism: Cerdic
 * Blood Knight: Cerdic and Tristan.
 * Boisterous Bruiser: Bors
 * Broken Pedestal: Rome to Arthur when he learns Pelagius has been branded a heretic and executed
 * Corrupt Church: But of course.
 * Demythtification: Or so they try.
 * Dual-Wielding: Lancelot
 * External Retcon: By ways of Literary Agent Hypothesis.
 * Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy: Subverted. When the Woads ambush Arthur and his knights they shoot arrows at them and noone gets hit. Merlin had ordered not to harm them.
 * Fingore: In one scene Arthur has to fix Guinevere's dislocated fingers.
 * Friend to All Children: Dagonet.
 * The Fundamentalist: Marius and his priests/inquisitors
 * Gentle Giant: Dagonet.
 * Heroic Sacrifice: Dagonet and Lancelot
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: Arthur and Lancelot
 * Historical Hero Upgrade: Dagonet. He was normally portrayed on the Arthurian mythos as a buffoon and a coward.
 * I Have No Son: Played with. Cerdic disowns his son for his failure. But still keeps him back when sending in the remains of his troops into an obvious trap.
 * The Last Thing You Ever See: When Arthur meets Cerdic before the battle.


 * Love Triangle: Lancelot, Guinevere and Arthur. Maybe.
 * Manipulative Bastard: Bishop Germanus.
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: Bors' Red to Dagonet's Blue.
 * Sacrificial Lion: Dagonet. It's the first on-screen indicator that not all the knights will survive till the end.
 * The Starscream: Cynric
 * Taking You with Me: Lancelot and Cynric.
 * Those Two Guys: Gawain and Gallahad.
 * Throwing Your Sword Always Works: Lancelot kills Cynric like this, even as he is on the verge of death himself.
 * Tribal Face Paint: The Celts wear blue face and body paint in battle.
 * Very Loosely Based on a True Story: Or so they claim.
 * Warrior Princess: Guinevere
 * Worthy Opponent: After meeting Arthur, Cerdic mutters "Finally, a man worth killing."
 * Would Hit a Girl: Cynric. Then again, they're in the middle of a big battle.