The Green Knight
Written by Cameron Geiser
David Lowery is quickly becoming one of the most fascinating filmmakers to emerge into prominence over the last decade. Both A Ghost Story and The Old Man and The Gun have proven the writer-director’s range in ability and relationship with time in ways both cosmic and tender that have bled into this latest offering as well. The Green Knight is an adaptation, as the lovingly antiquated fonts will tell you, of The Chivalric Romance, written by “anonymous”. This is a film both mired in the past, and infused with modernity at times. The language remains old, while the colorblind casting of Dev Patel as Sir Gawain (as well as various other characters) points to some unique twists on the centuries old poem. There are other deviations from the myth’s most common retellings, but other than obvious changes, such as our eponymous antagonist (Ralph Ineson) taking a form resembling Treebeard from The Lord of the Rings more so than simply a knight with green skin, to reveal more here would be a disservice to any audience.
The Green Knight is a revisionist adaptation in imaginative, clever ways.
In this version of Camelot, King Arthur (Sean Harris) and Queen Guinevere (Kate Dickie) are aging and more frail than typically depicted. The kingdom’s renown and legend are beginning to fade when our young lead’s story begins. Then there’s our Sir Gawain. Not yet a knight, our similarly Green Knight is more akin to Shakespeare’s young King Henry galavanting with fellow delinquents and sex workers, than his poetic version. Without a tale of his own yet to tell, the young man is eager to earn his place among the knights of the round table, and to see respect and pride reflected in the eyes of his uncle, King Arthur. During the Christmas feast, the titular Green Knight interrupts the festivities to offer up a challenge. He will take a blow from any challenger of the kingdom and a year from now that man must seek out the Green Knight waiting in a Chapel where he will return the same attack inflicted upon him.
Thus, when no one returns the Green Knight’s offer, Sir Gawain’s voice rings out. He steps up to the creaking, ancient knight, and swiftly beheads him. The seemingly fallen knight then rises, retrieves his cleaved head, and utters a grave reminder, “One. Year. Hence.” and rides off cackling into the night. The only one who seems to have absorbed the gravity of the situation at hand happens to be Sir Gawain. While the rest of the hall bursts into raucous celebration at the feat of strength, his face alone holds the fear of a man facing such a challenge.
The Green Knight is challenging yet rewarding.
This is a film that requires your patience, and your willingness to accept the strangeness that comes with the quest at hand. The Green Knight will challenge some viewers. It's atmospheric, mythic, and a story that's comfortable with taking things at a slower pace from time to time. Long takes and quiet scenes reveal a calm confidence behind the camera. It's also comfortable with mystery. You don't always get answers to what's shown on screen, and the film is visual above all else, with the exception of its outstanding sound design. The film does what so many others within the medium seem to forget at times: to tell its story through imagery rather than relying solely on dialogue. The production of the whole affair also draws attention right down to the smallest of details.
Shooting on location, superb costuming, and a reliance on practical effects while utilizing CGI in ways that support the story without detracting from the immersion- this one sticks with you after leaving the theater. Sir Gawain's otherworldly travels take him through dangerous forests, past wandering giants, and to castles afar. These places and spaces are filled with ghosts, spirit animals, thieves, and awkward sexual advances. Oh yes, the film is also far sexier than I imagined; and in my opinion, all art house movies should have at least a little sex and violence. The more people you can get to watch weird, challenging, art house movies, the better.
Cameron Geiser is an avid consumer of films and books about filmmakers. He'll watch any film at least once, and can usually be spotted at the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Northern Michigan. He also writes about film over at www.spacecortezwrites.com.