[movie]Arn - The Knight Templar

[Majsju]

Ok, it will take quite some time before this movie is available for people outside Scandinavia, but since I got nothing better to do, I might just as well give it a quick review.

 

The story is based on the trilogy by Swedish author Jan Guilliou, a mix of historical events and pure fiction.

 

The movie starts in Sweden in the late 12th century, when three clans fought for power, Folkunga, Sverker and Erik. Arn Magnusson is born into the Folkunga clan, and it is mostly his life we get to follow. As a child he is sent to a monastery when his mother promises to give him to God because she fears he is about to die after falling down from a tower. In the monastery he learns the usual things, reading and writing, Latin, french, and a good portion of Bible studies. But he also learns a few rather unusual things. One of the monks served as a knight templar, and he teaches Arn the sword, the bow and how to ride.

 

When Arn eventually leaves the monastery to rejoin with his family, he is expected to be an asset in the coming war with the Sverker clan. Unfortunatly, love interfers with that. Arn falls in love with Cecilia, a young woman from a smaller clan. After a few problems they eventually get engaged, and as so often in those days Cecilia is already pregnant. Her sister has other plans though. She fears that if Cecilia gets married, she herself will have to spend the rest of her life in a monastery since their father can not afford to have two daughters married. So she lies about having had sex with Arn, and sleeping with two sisters is apparently a big sin. Arn and Cecilia are sentenced to spend 20 years in monastery.

 

For Arn, that does not quite turn out as he has imagined. He is ordered to travel to the Holy Land, and spend his 20 years as a knight templar. His fighting skills makes him climb the ranks, and when we see him in Jerusalem, he is an officer.

 

 

So, was ot any good? I have to say yes, it was definitly good, and while the budget comes nowhere near what hollywood would splash out on a movie like this, they have used the money extremely well. Clothes, armour, scenery, everything looks good. With a few minor details that seemed a bit off. Like, a horses shoe being a bit too shiny. But that is just for the nitpicker.

 

And sometimes I think the small budget actually made it a better movie. Like the big battle scene. Instead of loads of expensive CGI, real people are doing it, and that makes it so much better than most of the hollywood battles we've seen the last few years, like Troy, 300 etc. It's dirty, it's chaotic, and there are no long duels. Ie, it's war.

 

The biggest complain I have is that it was too short (2½ hour). The dvd version is rumoured to be somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes longer, and I hope for 60. It feels a bit rushed, and not everything is explained.

 

Can someone not from Scandinavia enjoy it?

Absolutely. Just don't expect an action movie. It is a movie about war, true. but it is also a movie about religion, and perhaps above all, a movie about love.

[MsDanya]

this one i'm definatly gonna see. i loved the books!

[Haxorsist]

I haven't read the books, but I enjoyed the movie. I loved seeing a movie with crusaders without that annoying Orlando Bloom. I had to laugh when Knut returned with what I presume were Norwegians. Not a fair depiction of Norwegians, though I doubt any Swede would agree with me on that one. ;D

Although I think crusaders are cool (except the whole killing lots of innocent people) I found the war between the Swedish clans to be more intriguing than the one in the Middle-East. After Kingdom of Heaven I lost interest a bit in the war between the crusaders and Saladin. I really don't like Orlando Bloom.

And how cool is Arn? He looks bad ass, not 300-bad ass. Real bad ass. :D

[Majsju]

Well, then you'll be happy to know that part two will focus even more on the war between the clans, and there'll even be some Danes getting their butts kicked.

 

And I agree, the norwegians were not quite properly depicted. Far too clean, and not one of them too drunk to stand up *g*

 

As for crusaders, one thing the books stresses more than at least the first movie, is the difference between the knight templars, and the crusaders. I expect we'll get a bit more of that in the next movie, the conflict between the knight templars and the worldly crusaders.

 

And yes, Arn looked so bad. Amazingly, it is his first major role.

[Haxorsist]

not one of them too drunk to stand up *g*

 

Maj complementing Norwegians? Never thought I'd see that. ;D

 

 

[Majsju]

Well, I have this policy of saying something nice about norwegians once every year. My way of thanking for Solskjaer ;D

[ironcross]

sounds like a pretty cool movie, ill have to see it when it comes out over here.  i loved kingdom of heaven but yes bloom is kinda iritating, too dramatic.  i did like his first roll though.  he was the guy who fell out of the helo in black hawk down.

[Mendorah]

Oh wow.  Sounds like something I'd love!  I'll keep an eye out for it.

[MsDanya]

I'm quite happy to hear that he war between he clans will have a major role since most of the books are about that as well as the crusades. gives a pretty fair view of what the books are about i'd say. And Jan Guilliou is a historian as well as a writer after all! I cant wait to see it!

 

and Danes getting kicked.. nothing better  ;D ;D

[Majsju]

The movie ended quite close to the mid section of book two, so if that is any guide, the greater part of the next movie would take place in Sweden, as Arn leaving the Holy Land is just in the end of book two. My guess is that we will see a bit of the political scheming just to add some background, and then the battle where Saladin conquers Jerusalem, and that will be that for the Holy Land part. And in Sweden we will get one great battle. According to the rumours I've heard, Lena and Gestilren will be mixed into one battle. I'm fine with that, as it leaves room for more of the plotting that explains what the heck is going on.

 

As for Guilliou being a historian...not quite true. His background is as a journalist, and that's the training he uses when he researches historical events. He has quite a few details wrong. But then, he has admitted he had to be a bit creative in order to write a good story. And it's not like he's off-the-charts dead wrong as, for example 300.