William Tell

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2:17

William Tell

R

Apr 2025

2h 13m

Action

Adventure

Drama

History

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

1307, the Holy Roman Empire is in turmoil. As its grip on Europe loosens, new dynasties such as the Austrian Habsburg Family encroach on new lands, desperate for power. Switzerland, the once peaceful country, is overwhelmed and bows under the Austrian might. When the local huntsman William Tell sees a farmer begging for help after murdering a cruel Austrian governor, he reluctantly agrees to guide him to a safe location. But as he meets with more comrades along the way, Tell realizes that this act of violence is a larger sign of what's to come with the growing Swiss resistance. Tell is drawn into the madness when the cruel Austrian Viceroy Gessler orders him to shoot an apple from his son's head for refusing to bend the knee to Austrian authority. Once Tell's family has been threatened, there is no turning back. Tell not only commits to joining the resistance but ends up leading the fight against the Austrian forces. Scarred by his own experience in the depravity and destitution of war during the Crusades, he comes to realize what matters most: his family and preserving his country's independence for future generations.

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Critics Consensus

William Tell finds a worthy embodiment of the folk hero in the capable Claes Bang, but this historical epic repeats too many familiar beats to stir up its own distinctive legend.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

Apr 9

Very interesting movie that tells a cool history.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

Apr 4

2/4

It seems a bit of a stretch to think that this is going to end up as the first installment in a long-running MCU-style series of hard-edged escapist adventures loosely based on history. But stranger things have happened.

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Helen O'Hara

Empire Magazine

Feb 4

3/5

This old-fashioned tale of folk heroism and hardy underdogs benefits from solid performances and spectacular vistas, but it loses points for a sequel-baiting ending. 

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Oct 16

5/10

While the end result may appeal to viewers seeking a straight-forward historical action film, there are sadly much better thrills to be had elsewhere.

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John Serba

Decider

Aug 12

The apples of this story might be getting soft, but Hamm made a pretty good baked crisp out of them.

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Alfred Castaneda

Shade Studios

Jul 30

There’s enough material here that could fill a mini-series, but as an overly long movie, the narrative still feels rushed. As if Hamm knew there was enough concept for a multi-episodic work but was forced to cut this down to size.

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Mondo C

@Kangaray Nov 25

Took an hour to warm up…if you can say that. Can’t recommend.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Nov 22

Based on a true story in 02 hours, 13 minutes, and 18 seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 2025-2026 Amazon MGM Studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Strong/Bloody Violence and Brief Nudity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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John S

Nov 17

Don't bother with this one. Story and dialogue is awful and makes no sense.

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A W

Oct 15

The dialogue is awful. A general lack of character development and absurdly unrealistic roles make the movie unwatchable. Unlike some other "legendary tales" that pull off heroic drama in a realistic way, this movie is obviously intended to be taken seriously but lands as ridiculous. There is clear potential for the story and the beautiful setting this effort just misses the mark.

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Joerg H

Oct 13

What a disaster. The story makes no sense at all — characters act without logic or consistency. Wilhelm Tell just leaves his arrows lying around, argues loudly with the man demanding the shot, then suddenly agrees to do it anyway. None of it feels believable. The pacing is all over the place, the dialogue sounds forced, and the acting ranges from wooden to ridiculous. The direction feels random, the editing sloppy, and the supposed tension completely evaporates because nothing feels earned. Even the cinematography can’t save this incoherent mess. A painfully bad adaptation that manages to ruin a classic legend.

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Paul S

Oct 13

This movie was amazing! It is refreshing to see a modern medieval epic, and while there were some moments I felt the performances were overdramatic, I would put it in the same realm as Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven. Not only is it an epic action-adventure, it is a riveting tale of tyranny, courage, rebellion, and honor. I had so much fun watching this movie! I definitely recommend it for medieval, history, action, and adventure fans!

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Nick Hamm

Director

Solly McLeod

Actor

Sam Keeley

Actor

Jake Dunn

Actor

Tobias Jowett

Actor

Claes Bang

Actor

William Tell: Extended Preview

6:35

William Tell: Exclusive Movie Clip - The Apple

2:26

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William Tell: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

1307, the Holy Roman Empire is in turmoil. As its grip on Europe loosens, new dynasties such as the Austrian Habsburg Family encroach on new lands, desperate for power. Switzerland, the once peaceful country, is overwhelmed and bows under the Austrian might. When the local huntsman William Tell sees a farmer begging for help after murdering a cruel Austrian governor, he reluctantly agrees to guide him to a safe location. But as he meets with more comrades along the way, Tell realizes that this act of violence is a larger sign of what's to come with the growing Swiss resistance. Tell is drawn into the madness when the cruel Austrian Viceroy Gessler orders him to shoot an apple from his son's head for refusing to bend the knee to Austrian authority. Once Tell's family has been threatened, there is no turning back. Tell not only commits to joining the resistance but ends up leading the fight against the Austrian forces. Scarred by his own experience in the depravity and destitution of war during the Crusades, he comes to realize what matters most: his family and preserving his country's independence for future generations.

Director: Nick Hamm
Producer: Piers Tempest, Marie-Christine Jaeger-Firmenich
Screenwriter: Nick Hamm
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Production Co: Tempo Productions Limited, Free Turn, Beta Cinema
Rating: R (Strong/Bloody Violence|Brief Nudity)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 25, 2025
Runtime: 2h 13m

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