"A Knight's Tale" is the kind of movie that you laugh at in the theater and then go home and wonder why the heck you did. The premise is cheesy and overused, the historical stuff probably extraordinarily inaccurate, and most of the actors couldn't act their way out of paper bags. But I found myself nonetheless enjoying the film.
Maybe it's because I'm a young woman and find Heath Ledger really, really attractive. Or because I love Queen. But I, um, liked it.
Ledger is actually pretty good at salvaging a role that could have been formulaic-hero-type and turning William into a hopeful, ambitious young man with a clumsy romantic streak. He also makes a dandy knight. Chaucer was funny. Maybe not politically correct for the period, but a nice touch. The sidekicks were unnecessary and rather annoying. And don't get me started on Shannyn Sossamon. I've seen kitchen appliances with more spark than her. Her scenes with Ledger were passable; they had some chemistry. But she couldn't manage to inflect anything but "you have to love me 'cause I'm pretty AND a princess" otherwise.
The jousting scenes were some of my favorites. Something about a medieval sport set to classic rock music just sucked me in. They were the most imaginative part of the film. And the parts about William and his father were touching and sweet. So, in conclusion, not a great piece of work, but a slick and entertaining movie that needs to be watch with great ability to suspend disbelief. And it has blond, bronzed Heath Ledger in armor. See it for him. Otherwise, don't bother.
Maybe it's because I'm a young woman and find Heath Ledger really, really attractive. Or because I love Queen. But I, um, liked it.
Ledger is actually pretty good at salvaging a role that could have been formulaic-hero-type and turning William into a hopeful, ambitious young man with a clumsy romantic streak. He also makes a dandy knight. Chaucer was funny. Maybe not politically correct for the period, but a nice touch. The sidekicks were unnecessary and rather annoying. And don't get me started on Shannyn Sossamon. I've seen kitchen appliances with more spark than her. Her scenes with Ledger were passable; they had some chemistry. But she couldn't manage to inflect anything but "you have to love me 'cause I'm pretty AND a princess" otherwise.
The jousting scenes were some of my favorites. Something about a medieval sport set to classic rock music just sucked me in. They were the most imaginative part of the film. And the parts about William and his father were touching and sweet. So, in conclusion, not a great piece of work, but a slick and entertaining movie that needs to be watch with great ability to suspend disbelief. And it has blond, bronzed Heath Ledger in armor. See it for him. Otherwise, don't bother.