Reality beats myth in King Arthur

The ringing of swords being unsheathed hovers in the air as seven knights gallop at full speed down a hill to a bishop's rescue. Thus begins the battle-ridden journey in King Arthur, an extraordinary depiction of the legendary tale of Artorious Castus (Clive Owen) with a twist by director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day).

Although King Arthur deviates from the traditional myth, in which the magical wizard Merlin is the advisor to King Arthur of England, the film portrays Arthur and his fierce fighters as remarkably human. Arthur transforms from an ideological fighter torn between his Roman and British heritage to a confident leader fighting for his people and his beliefs.

In Fuqua's story, Arthur leads not legions fighting for the glory of a Roman Empire they loyally serve, but a motley group of Sarmatian knights anticipating their own freedom. The knights are bound by their ancestors' long-standing bargain with the Romans, holding them to 15 years of service.

Despite their hatred of the Empire, Arthur's fiercely loyal knights are drawn to his compassionate nature and his devotion to his people. The six knights are pagans, offenders of the Christian faith that Arthur adheres to. Arthur, oblivious to the realities of the Empire, fights for a Rome that does not exist: one where all men stand equal, no matter what their faith or nationality. He believes there will one day be peace, in spite of Lancelot's (Ioan Gruffudd) insistence that battle will always rage.

On their last day of service, Arthur and his knights are charged with retrieving a noble family important to the Pope and endangered by invading Saxons. Upon Arthur's arrival at the estate, he rescues a tortured pagan woman, Guinevere (Keira Knightley), and brings out the fierce warrior in her. While the Guinevere of legend was a revered Roman Queen of famed beauty, the film portrays her as a British fighter in her own right, as skilled and capable as the next. Knightley, having grown considerably since acting in Bend it Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean, gives a dazzling performance as a self-assured woman in a man's world.

Guinevere pays obeisance to Merlin (Stephen Dillane), a dark magician and leader of the Woads, a group of British guerillas fighting for the release of their lands from Romans. Unlike the Merlin of myth, who is said to have been a majestic and all-powerful wizard, the Woad leader is a shabby-looking recluse with overgrown, matting hair who looks like he's been dumped in alternating buckets of mud and blue dye.

In the legend Arthur falls in love with and marries Guinevere, but she falls for Lancelot, his most trustworthy knight, sparking a tragic affair that ends in Arthur's eventual heartbreak. However, in the film, with the exception of the rare glance he throws in Guinevere's direction, Lancelot gives no indication that he is besotted with the feisty Briton. While still a good man at heart, Lancelot is takes on a more down-to-earth, human personality, prone to bouts of arrogance when it comes to his "manly" capabilities.

Arthur leads the family and his men to the east towards his domain, and meets a Saxon infantry squad. Arthur, his six knights and Guinevere defeat the 200-strong Saxon army, led by Cynric (Til Schweiger), over an ice-covered lake. The Pope's favorites are delivered to Arthur's lands without further ado and his knights are finally made free men - only to find the bulk of the Saxon army, led by Cerdic (Stellan Skarsgrd), camped outside Arthur's castle walls. Guinevere brings the guerrilla fighters to Arthur's aid, and together, the British fight the Saxons to free the English soil in a climatic battle with superbly detailed choreography.

Owen thrives in the battle environment, his regal presence a comfort in the ensuing chaos. Gruffudd's handsome looks belie his fighting capabilities, making his character a fearsome foe expertly wielding two swords. Arthur's exquisite costume design spotlights the film's medieval setting. The knights wear rusty and dusty armor, complete with dirt-encrusted fingernails and oily hair (or the lack thereof). The warhorses have their own mail shirts and frilly colors.

However, even such a grandiose tale has its faults. At times the battle sequences disintegrate into a muddled mess. While the director practices originality in deviating from the famed legends of King Arthur, he loses the magical touch that made Arthur's knights so endearing. Except for Lancelot, the film's knights remain aloof and untouchable.

Fuqua's film is not for fantasy fanatics, but for those who seek an original take on a medieval tale, King Arthur lives up to the promise. The names of Arthur and his knights will reverberate in history, their unique, human tale as told in King Arthur ever to be remembered.

King Arthur (130 minutes) is rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences, a scene of sensuality and some language.