A Knight's Tale

A Knight's Tale is a light-hearted knight film about a young man who suddenly gets the chance to change his destiny. The film's strength is its humour, while there is not much variation in the plot.

The film is set in 14th-century Europe, where William, the son of a thatcher, will no longer put up with being at the bottom of the rigidly feudal society. He is brave and seizes the chance, even though it may cost him his life. When William's master, a knight, dies unexpectedly, he takes over his armour and horse. He poses as the nobleman Sir Ulrich and enters a jousting tournament to earn money for himself and his friends, who play the part of his men.

William goes victoriously from one tournament to the next. His pride is wounded, however, by the fact that he cannot beat the arrogant Adhemar, who on top of everything is courting the beautiful noblewoman Jocelyn, with whom William has fallen madly in love. At the same time another question arises: can William go on pretending to be someone he is not?

A Knight's Tale may look like a knight film, but perhaps it is really a romantic teen comedy in disguise. At any rate the film panders to the MTV audience with its slightly too slick blend of chivalric adventure and eye-catching anachronisms such as rock and pop music. Unfortunately the new gimmicks only end up dragging the film out.

It is as if the producers do not believe the film could hold up as a comic heroic epic. Yet Heath Ledger can easily carry the lead, and Paul Bettany, Mark Addy and Alan Tudyk are really funny as the hero's loyal companions.