First Knight
By Colburn Tseng
Richard Gere is some big stud. Even moviegoers who have never found the actor very appealing will walk out of First Knight agreeing that the soon to be ex-Mr. Cindy Crawford, with his silver hair dyed a youthful brown, just oozes charisma in the role of Lancelot, knight of the legendary King Arthur's Round Table.
Though Sean Connery (King Arthur) receives top billing, make no mistake: First Knight tells the story of Lancelot and his ill-fated romance with Arthur's queen, Guinevere, and the film belongs to Gere and Julia Ormond. Those expecting a faithful adaptation of the Arthurian legend may be disappointed with screenwriter William Nicholson's '90s vision of the familiar tale, but the film is so enjoyable only Camelot purists will mind the changes.
Nicholson has recast Lancelot as an archetypal 20th century rebel. Lancelot is a wandering loner with neither family, friends nor formal occupation. He loves nothing and fears nothing, which makes him a swordsman without peer. And behind his devil-may-care attitude is hidden the pain of a great loss. Corny? A little. But Gere pulls it off superbly.
Lancelot first encounters Guinevere when her traveling party is ambushed en route to Camelot by soldiers under the command of Malagnant (Ben Cross), a former Round Table knight turned despotic warlord. Lancelot rescues Guinevere and the two discover an instant attraction. But Guinevere has already promised to marry King Arthur. Lancelot leads Guinevere back to her party and rides off into the forest.
He arrives in Camelot some time later and impresses Arthur with his athletic abilities and courage. Arthur invites Lancelot to stay in Camelot, but he declines. Later, when offered knighthood and a position at the Round Table, Lancelot accepts, though he knows full well that his feelings for Guinevere could be the undoing of Camelot itself.
Ormond, first introduced to American audiences in Legends of the Fall, is a major talent whose subtlety is refreshing. The film is at its best when Ormond and Gere are on screen together. Connery, usually an imposing presence, has little to do but spout democratic ideals that are strangely 20th century for medieval times and appears significantly less dashing than the brash, young Lancelot.
Director Jerry Zucker doesn't stage major battle sequences as masterfully as Mel Gibson, who displayed a true flair for chaos in Braveheart, but the film's other action sequences are raucous good fun.
First Knight is not a flawless movie. The outfits the Round Table knights wear look like Star Trek suits with armor plating, and there are some melodramatic moments - Lancelot remembering the destruction of his village and King Arthur screaming at God while alone in a cathedral - that will arouse much unintentional laughter. But these small missteps are easily forgiven. At the film's end, audiences will no doubt have put these minor concerns out of their minds for the larger truth First Knight presents to its viewers: Richard Gere is some big stud.
FILM: First Knight. Directed by Jerry Zucker. Screenplay by William Nicholson. Starring Sean Connery, Richard Gere, and Julia Ormond
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