First Knight

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First Knight

PG-13

1995

2h 12m

Adventure

Action

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

45%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Handsome swordsman Lancelot (Richard Gere) is incredibly skilled at fighting, but when he meets the lovely Guinevere (Julia Ormond), he can't seem to get past her defenses. She is betrothed to King Arthur (Sean Connery) and plans to go ahead with the wedding, despite her attraction to Lancelot. When the devious warrior Malagant (Ben Cross) rises up against Arthur, Lancelot must try to put his feelings aside and defend his king, Guinevere and all of Camelot.

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Critics Consensus

This unimaginative reimagining of Arthurian legend dispenses with the magic without achieving a convincing realism in the bargain, suffering from fatal miscasting and a lack of romance.

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Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

It's hard not to wonder... about Ormond besieged by Connery on one side and Gere on the other. Why won't the movie let them look for someone their own age?

Sep 6, 2021

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

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Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Whenever Zucker stops piling on battle scenes as if he were directing Braveheart, his film casts a romantic spell.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 12, 2001

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a slow-moving historical drama that’s generally only engrossing in fits and starts...

Rated: 2.5/4

May 27, 2024

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

A few large-scale battles and lengthy action sequences can't save the film from its exhausting stereotypes and sappy storyline.

Rated: 4/10

Sep 11, 2020

Full Review

David Sterritt

Christian Science Monitor

Excali-BORE.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 30, 2019

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Captain A

One of the greatest love stories of all time. A must watch with high replay-ability.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/25

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Ace R

I like this movie. It's a good film because it's not like all of the other films about King Arthur, which all are very much a like. It's a different take on it, and that's why I recommend that you see this movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/21/24

Full Review

Sai M

The classy Julia Ormond absolutely steals the scene with her stunning beauty and how authentic she can portray compelling emotions on-screen. I also feel that Lancelot in this passionate role was one of Richard Gere's best and that he was magnetic and charming for the entirety of the film. Sean Connery, bless his soul, was a stunner til the end of his life and he portrays King Arthur with conviction and resolve that both showcase his strength and compassion while trying to build a place where justice and freedom prevail. It's a fabulous movie with so much passion, valor, and beauty that even now I still find it an enthralling watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/07/24

Full Review

Laraine Anne B

I thought it was supposed to be a quality movie or I wouldn't have bothered. That aside, King Arthur doesn't work without the magic. But the movie still should have been better than this. I tend to switch off when there are confusing battle scenes, one after another. Then there's the horrendous raucous soundtrack. A battle makes enough noise of its own. Who needs amy extra racket? And who needs hundreds of violins accompanying romantic scenes? This was the most disappointing version of the King Arthur legend I have ever seen.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/25/24

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Alec B

Gere's grating performance is the most obviously bad thing here but it's still an extremely lazy movie that makes little to no sense.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Michael S

Underdeveloped King Arthur tale where everyone is British/Scottish except for Richard Gere's Lancelot. Little to nothing is done with the knights of the roundtable, except for sneering villain Malagant. Pops of violence are tempered by the PG-13 rating.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/28/22

Full Review

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Jerry Zucker

Director

Sean Connery

King Arthur

Richard Gere

Lancelot

Julia Ormond

Guinevere

Ben Cross

Prince Malagant

Liam Cunningham

Agravaine

First Knight: Official Clip - Malagant's Invasion

1:11

First Knight: Official Clip - Battle at Leones

3:03

First Knight: Official Clip - Lancelot vs. Malagant

3:13

First Knight: Official Clip - Saving Guinevere

2:22

First Knight: Official Clip - Dungeon Escape

2:32

First Knight: Official Clip - I Owe You a Kiss

2:56

First Knight: Official Clip - Running the Gauntlet

2:41

First Knight: Official Clip - The Battle for Camelot

1:58

First Knight: Official Clip - Kidnapping Guinevere

2:31

First Knight: Official Clip - The Carriage Battle

3:37

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Synopsis

Handsome swordsman Lancelot (Richard Gere) is incredibly skilled at fighting, but when he meets the lovely Guinevere (Julia Ormond), he can't seem to get past her defenses. She is betrothed to King Arthur (Sean Connery) and plans to go ahead with the wedding, despite her attraction to Lancelot. When the devious warrior Malagant (Ben Cross) rises up against Arthur, Lancelot must try to put his feelings aside and defend his king, Guinevere and all of Camelot.

Director: Jerry Zucker
Producer: Jerry Zucker, Hunt Lowry
Screenwriter: William Nicholson
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Action, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $36.7M
Runtime: 2h 12m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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