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

55%

Tomatometer

55 Reviews

46%

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)

Very interesting movie that tells a cool history.

Apr 9, 2025

Full Review

Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

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.

Rated: 2/4

Apr 4, 2025

Full Review

Helen O'Hara

Empire Magazine

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. 

Rated: 3/5

Feb 4, 2025

Full Review

John Serba

Decider

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

Aug 12, 2025

Full Review

Alfred Castaneda

Shade Studios

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.

Jul 30, 2025

Full Review

Clotilde Chinnici

Movie Marker

Overall, William Tell is a perfectly decent film. With its compelling story and well-built tension, it is bound to catch the audience’s interest and never let it go until its very last frame, despite its rather lengthy runtime.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 27, 2025

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A W

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.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/15/25

Full Review

Joerg H

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.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/13/25

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Paul S

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!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/13/25

Full Review

Avindu G

As old as the history itself, invasions into freedom won't just breed destruction but also revolutions that define civilizations. This lastest movie adaptation seem carefully crafted to capture the essential bits of the war of local swiss against Austrian invaders. Great performances by the cast especially by Connor Swindells. Excellent visual effects. Breathtaking backgrounds. Perfect sound effects and cinematography. It's a great brief account of a freedom struggle that's worth taking a look.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/01/25

Full Review

Redbil A

Watch it as a violent medieval 'Magnificient Seven,' rather than a historical movie. You will enjoy it if you discard the historical aspect.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/16/25

Full Review

Torin F

WILLIAM TELL assembles a talented cast to recount the tale of Switzerland's legendary folk hero. This epic historical action film is visually impressive, with immersive landscapes and a well-crafted medieval setting. The plot lumbers along, however, wisely avoiding overt Braveheart bravado but failing to establish a thematically or emotionally coherent narrative arc. Further hampered by Claes Bang's convincing but too-stoic William Tell, along with the somewhat confusing political drama, there's ultimately little for viewers to remain invested in, and the unresolved ending is pretty unsatisfying too.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/14/25

Full Review

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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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