For 50 minutes, I waited for The Green Knight to spark into life. And when Dev Patel, as Sir Gawain, towards the end, asked ‘is this all there is?’, he was certainly echoing my thoughts as well. That’s that? Is that really all there is to it? But that’s kind of the point, of waiting for a huge pay off, before realising there isn’t one, and this is a me thing as much as anything else.
I have a thing with movies of serenity, or more appropriately, a no-thing with them. Movies that are more mellow than in-your-face. Films that are more compelling than intense, and makes you less captivated and more curious. The kinds in which you have to look in-depth and get it, and doesn’t necessarily let you know there’s an endgame; the definition of the acquired taste. Nomadland, for instance, or The Hurt Locker, and to an extent, The Irishman.
The Green Knight certainly falls into that category. If this movie is a class or lecture session, it’s the kind that would tell that if you don’t intend on taking this seriously, leave now. There’s little room for goofing around here. This is a movie that doesn’t seek likeability.
The Green Knight is taken from the chivalric works that centre on Sir Gawain and The Green Knight; a 14th century English tale authored by an anonymous figure. And from a personal point of view, that’s (part of) the hiccup. For me, the source material is one of which I have little knowledge. Hence, in terms of the story, it’s not quite the thing for me.
But that doesn’t necessarily dim the credit that this movie should get. And if the story itself isn’t one’s shtick, other elements definitely are. Not least the storytelling, the way the rather serene story is portrayed is quite brilliant. Watching The Green Knight at times felt like seeing a fairy-tale – one you know of – come to life, even for one like me who doesn’t know. As you watch the movie progress, you can almost imagine a handful of kids listening to an elder with fascination, and asking what happens next.
Plus, the performance of Dev Patel is as outstanding as it gets in film. The sense of obliviousness, the fear, the trepidation and contemplation. And this film does a remarkable job of making one identify with the central character. His confusion is our confusion – again, the quote; ‘is this all there is’. His desperation is as much his as it is ours. Even when he gets impatient, we do too.
The Green Knight kind of does well to make you realise that you shouldn’t have been waiting for a payoff. A bit similar to The Hurt Locker (sorry to reference that imperialism glorifying pic from Kathryn Bigelow once more), this is the kind of when you wonder what you’ll feel when it all gets resolved, only to realise you’ve been feeling it the whole time. It is the journey this movie takes you that’s the point. The Green Knight also has immensely creditable cinematography. It’s incredible. The giants. The skeletons. Sir Winifred. The paintings. It’s as brilliant as they come.
This is the kind of movie that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, more so than films should be. But its standout qualities are universal, and if this kind of movie is your shtick, then you’ll appreciate it better than I ever could.
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