The Green Knight Quicktake: A Gorgeous & Cerebral Filmmaking Showcase
When you watch as many titles as I do, watching average films becomes a chore. I’ll take something bad that stands out over derivative and forgettable any day. Ideally, you want something thought-provoking that’s also good. These films are few and far between, but they are out there. If you find yourself pining for the work of a talented filmmaker with a distinct voice, look no further than David Lowery’s ambitious medieval tale, The Green Knight.
The Green Knight stars Dev Patel as Gawain, a frolicsome young man who dreams of becoming a knight. Early on, you get a sense he would be a knight already if life didn’t keep getting in the way. Gawain still lives with his mother and spends his nights drinking and lusting after women of the night, one of whom (Alicia Vikander) has stolen his heart.
“A talented filmmaker with a distinct voice…”
Gawain isn’t some random peasant who dreams of becoming a hero. He’s the King’s (Sean Harris) nephew. And on Christmas day, the King calls Gawain up to his thrown as a holiday gift, until an ominous visitor ruins the moment.
A cryptic green knight (Ralph Ineson) rides into the King’s court, halting the festivities. As he enters the hall, the torchlights go out, enhancing The Knight’s menacing presence as he creeps forward in the darkness. As he emerges from the thick shadows, you see the Knight isn’t quite human. He looks like a man but with craggy green skin the texture of tree bark.
The Green Knight issues a challenge, daring any man to step forward and try to strike him. Achieving this feat comes with the promise of good fortune. But there’s also a catch (there’s always a catch in these fairy tales). One year from now, the victor must venture to a faraway green chapel and allow the Green Knight to match his blow.
“Patel beautifully renders both Gawain’s bluster and hollow swagger.”
Gawain accepts the challenge, and the confrontation goes way too easy. Suddenly it’s a year later, and he has to hold up his end of the bargain. Gawain must survive the treacherous journey to the green chapel and leave himself at the Green Knight’s mercy.
The Green Knight is unlike any movie I’ve seen in ages. I watched it a few days ago, and I’m still unpacking why it hit me like a ton of bricks. I don’t often have such a strong visceral reaction to non-horror flicks. But this tale got under my skin, and I’ve been thinking about it nonstop.
“There’s always a catch in these fairy tales.”
The Green Knight’s eerie vibe overtook me from the opening shot. Andrew Droz Palermo’s stunning cinematography establishes the movie’s haunting tone. As you watch the story unfold, you have a visceral sense that something feels off, and that sensation never lets up until the credits hit.
The leering cinematography combines with the detailed costumes and immersive production design to construct a living breathing world. But the sound design is the film’s unsung hero. The film looks fantastic, but it’s the small aural details like creaky doors and boot heels scraping on stone floors that draw you deeper into Gawain’s reality.
The Green Knight is a high concept fantasy that feels grounded in the real world. It’s a gritty tale that doesn’t rely on fancy special effects, but the story also feels epic and sensational. These duelling aspects created a schism that sent conflicting signals to my brain. Supernatural elements like ghosts, giants, and talking animals felt surreal and out of place logically while fitting in tonally.
“Stunning cinematography establishes the movie’s haunting tone.”
The Green Knight kept me on the edge of my seat for its entire 130-minute runtime. Mostly because I couldn’t guess where the story was headed. Watching the film stirred up the same anxious feelings I get watching Game of Thrones. Gawain’s world is so brutal and violent that I kept expecting the worst possible thing to happen with each encounter. It doesn’t help that Lowery seems to take pleasure in toying with viewers because Gawain keeps stumbling into dangerous situations.
Dev Patel grew up in front of the camera and garnered praise from an early age. Patel’s performance in The Green Knight proves his star is still on the rise. The veteran actor keeps tapping into deeper emotional depths with each new role and continues pushing himself with challenging characters like Gawain.
Patel brings a boyish charm to his performance, playing Gawain as someone who just can’t get his life in order. The trick here is to get viewers rooting for the character, even as he makes a series of selfish decisions. Gawain may be on the hero’s journey, but he’s driven by self-interest. Patel beautifully renders both Gawain’s bluster and hollow swagger.
You can enjoy the film as a thrilling fantasy adventure or a sumptuous visual feast, but there’s a lot going on beneath the surface. What sets The Green Knight apart from other movies is how much time and consideration went into composing every scene — it’s a thematically rich movie loaded with subtext. If you pay attention to the details, you can chase the film’s heady themes down countless rabbit holes. Above all, The Green Knight is a nuanced examination of honour, ego, finding purpose in life, and coming to terms with death.
These days people are too quick to slap the term visionary on flashy filmmakers. But in this case, visionary fits the bill. The Green Knight’s performances, score, sound design, cinematography, costumes, production design and special effects come together to create an profound moviegoing experience unlike any other.
Let me know your thoughts about The Green Knight on Twitter and in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this review please help out the site by sharing it on social media. And keep coming back to VSR for new reviews, interviews, and videos.
