The Green Knight

A gorgeous and superbly directed medieval fantasy by David Lowery that retold the classic Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in an elegantly allegorical and fantastical manner that was all moody and atmospheric, and heavy on the Judeo-Christian imageries and themes of Arthurian virtues of chivalry and honour, but without being excessively overhanded or preachy. Although its obtuse and indirect narrative, with long bouts of silence where Lowery allowed the visuals and score to breath and tell the story - very similar to his previous, equally outstanding and underrated, A Ghost Story - may turn off most viewers. However, for those who persist and allowed themselves to be immersed in the fable, the reward was an enriching and unique experience that we seldom get from Hollywood these days. This was an arthouse, indie film masquerading as a big budget, Hollywood fantasy epic.

Working together with frequent collaborators, cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo and musician/composer Daniel Hart, Lowery created a sumptuous cinematic experience that began from his haunting opening prologue to the silent, fifteen-minutes long ending sequence. Every sequence of every stage of Gawain's quest/journey was laden with symbolism and meaning, from the choice of colours that saturate the screen, the framing and the lighting of moments, the deliberate set and costume designs that echoed through the film, this was a carefully planned and immaculately designed film. Even the soundscape was crafted to complement the narrative and heightened the mood. That final sequence was outstanding as the sound design and score took over and effortlessly manipulated our feelings and ratcheted up the mystery and tension.

This was a film that truly deserved multiple viewings.

Perhaps the only things that did not really work were the the choice of font to punctuate each chapter of the story and the CGI fox - it just stood out for its trickery even in a film filled with magic, mysticism and legends. That being said, the CGI used for the titular green knight was subtly riveting.

Dev Patel has always been on the cusps of a great breakout moment and his performance here will surely inch him nearer to greatness and recognition. It has been fourteen years since his debut in Slumdog Millionaire and we have seen his growth and maturity. Here, he was perfectly cast as a man that questioned his role and place in his society, young enough to be unsure of himself but old enough to fear that his chance for achievement has passed. We see his growth as he embarked on his quest. But we also saw his doubts and uncertainties. This was a multi-faceted portrayal by an actor who understood his character and was aptly able to convey all that to the screen.

The supporting cast were rounded up by the excellent Alicia Vikander, Sean Harris, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Ralph Ineson, Barry Keoghan, Erin Kellyman and Kate Dickie. They were all well-cast, with stalwarts like Choudhury, Dickie and Harris commanding their scenes, and upcomers Keoghan and Kellyman portending to more great things to come.

Stay for a surprise post-credits scene that will likely just add more mystery to the film's ending.