Shannyn Sossamon and Heath Ledger in "A Knight's Tale."

MOVIE INFORMATION

With 10 as a must-see, Jack gives this film an: Stars: Heath Ledger Director: Brian Helgeland Rated: PG-13, with moderate violence and comic nudity Length: 132 minutes

ROCHESTERCRITIQUE

Having seen this film, how would you rate it? 10 5 9 4 8 3 7 2 6 1

By Jack Garner
Democrat and Chronicle

(May 11, 2000) --As A Knight's Tale opens, medieval jousters sit astride horses, preparing for battle. They pick up giant lances and put down helmet visors.

In the stands, serfs and lords alike become excited.

Stomp-stomp-clap.
Stomp-stomp-clap.
Queen's We Will Rock You blares.

In the final moments before combat, the peasants and royalty join in The Wave.

Clearly, A Knight's Tale is not your father's When-Knighthood-Was-in-Flower motion picture.

The youth-oriented film stars Aussie heartthrob Heath Ledger as a squire who pretends to be a knight, just so he can enter a royalty-only jousting tournament. And when he wins, he becomes a fan favorite in a season of jousts, sword-fights and spectacle.

This is one peasant who's determined to "change his stars."

But will filmgoers be able to change their expectations and enjoy a Middle Ages saga accompanied by 1980s arena rock?

As constructed by writer-director Brian Helgeland, A Knight's Tale positively revels in anachronisms. A 14th-century dance is enlivened by David Bowie's Golden Years. A ride of entrants into London for a grand tournament is accompanied by Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back in Town.

Purists will go crazy and wish they could drown themselves in mead. But I hope viewers -- especially the young and young at heart -- will lighten up and join the fun.

Don't misunderstand. This is no Monty Python and the Holy Grail, played for irreverent laughs. Though there's humor, A Knight's Tale is not going for ironic parody.

Helgeland's script is loosely based on the first of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (and a young and eager Chaucer appears in the film as an amusing cameo by Paul Bettany).

The telling is straightforward, though too earnest; it's more akin to a sports saga than a Camelot legend. Clearly, we're meant to see a correlation between a season of jousts and a schedule of NFL games.

The toughest competition for Ledger's William Thatcher is the nefarious Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell, as the film's handsome dark knight). Both men are also competing for the lovely Lady Jocelyn, played vaguely by Shanynn Sossamon.

Helping Thatcher are his former fellow squires (Mark Addy and Alan Tudyk), and Kate, a spunky blacksmith (Laura Fraser).

In his first starring role, Ledger delivers an engaging performance of determination, youthful energy, and playful attitude. That's the operative phrase for the film in general: "Playful attitude."

If you don't take A Knight's Tale seriously, the frequent slam-bang jousts, the stardom-bound Ledger, the fickle romance, and, yes, the rock and roll offer an entertaining kick-off for the cinema summer of 2001.