What Went Wrong?

Millions of movie dollars wasted by errors that evaded the light of minds skilled in the dramatic arts

King Arthur

Debugging King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

 

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword – What went wrong


This movie has no heart.


The only real feeling on display is the production's hollow attempt to cash in at the box office with some shallow revenge porn.

 

Part of the problem is the director’s skilful toying with quick cuts, flashbacks and the flow of narrative time. It all disengages the viewer from the action and characters. It’s like riding through interesting countryside in a car with a faulty gearbox; just when you start to ease into the ride, the gearbox shifts erratically unlocking you from the flow. Hey man I want to enjoy the journey not see how aggressively you can drive!


Another bad move was the choice of director. When involving oneself with legends you need someone with a wide deep and passionate sense of why those legends endure.

You need a progressive mind, a historian with heart who can see grand historical overlay and someone who can be a voice of the people, all rolled into one director. See below.


The great Arthurian ideals are missing, the yearning for individual freedom, nationhood, self-determination, 'Christian values' versus barbarian terror, a land ruled by justice and decency – this is the fatal blow that killed this movie before it was even made.

 

In context of lost potential, the story was shit - sorry for my use of language but an excreta reference is the most expressive word in the dictionary I can find to describe this screenplay.

 

Giant elephants - seriously?
A David Beckham cameo extracting oneself from the plot like having a wisdom tooth pulled by rusty pliers - why and WTF?


How to fix it:

 

  • Get writers with a strong sence of history who understand why a legend endures for millemnia in the hearts and minds of people. - Doh!
  • Chose the right director: eg: Imagine Mel (Braveheart) Gibson let loose upon the poetic and mythic juice within Arthurian legend: the blood would boil, the spirit would soar and tears would flow along with box office coin and nominations. He turned down the 2004 King Arthur job but now conditions point to his acceptance and a chance for him to prove something. But there are many suitable directors worthy of doing justice to legend.
  • Hire the Lightdrops team to de-bug the movie at the script stage.