William Tell

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2:17

William Tell

R

2025

2h 13m

Action

Adventure

Drama

History

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

41%

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)

04/09/2025

Very interesting movie that tells a cool history.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

04/04/2025

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

02/04/2025

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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Maria T

@RT31991160 1d

Not the true story. Tell's wife was a white Christian and not a coloured Muslim. Total propaganda against whites. If they didn't use the famous hero's name, all would be fine and acceptable but they preferred otherwise

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John S

@Foxlord May 31

A solid historical action romp. Its based on a play based on a Legend so history is played fast and loose but with some cracking performances and spectacular action sequences it is a no nonsense popcorn worthy evenings entertainment. Claes Bang provides a thoughtful hero and Swindells is a suitably hammy villain in the form of Gessler. With a strong female cast Farahani's Suna and Bamber's Bertha form the emotional heart of the movie. It's a slow burn in some sections but if you've ever thought that a fight to the death in a bathtub would be a cool thing then this is the movie for you. This is a film that despite being set in the 14th Century speaks to todays world. Its themes are as relevant now as they were when the original legend was born. Do yourself a favour and give it a watch.

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christian T

@Japamala Apr 21

Even Shark 1975 was better done and more realistic. This hurts!

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Grace M

@Monikamisiu Feb 28

Not good. Did not enjoy.

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John A

@Kritik Feb 14

A complete failure in terms of historical and ethnographic authenticity. The casting decisions show a total disregard for the cultural reality of 14th-century Switzerland, making the film feel like a forced modern lecture rather than a historical epic. Instead of a faithful adaptation of a national legend, we get a series of immersion-breaking anachronisms. It is deeply disappointing that the creators prioritized industry trends over the actual history of the people who lived in these lands. Zero stars for destroying the spirit of the original story.

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Charlie J

@RT45318316 Jan 10

It's not historically accurate, but if your a fan of the "History, but not really" genre of film (300, The Patriot, et al), then you'll enjoy it enough. The action scenes save it from its shortcomings.

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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

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William Tell: Exclusive Movie Clip - The Apple

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William Tell: Trailer 1

2:17

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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