Merlin

Konterr Brilliant and touching

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Kirpianuscus this series has an admirable basic virtue - it represents a justice act for the admirers of King Arthur legend. first - for the courage to not give only a slice from it. the second - for the profound and seductive perspective about a secondary character who is rehabilitated . and, not the last, for splendid performances. and each of that traits, all together, gives to "Merlin" a special status. it is more than a story about a magnificent universe. it is the story about it. complex and complete. smart and delicate. remembering all the levels of a biography who represents a long, hard war. and who discovers not an exotic wizard, wise mentor but a man looking to be himself, part of his noble mission.

Mikael Eriksson This films is possibly the single greatest TV-film I've ever seen, and even by big screen stanards this movie is spectacular. First, there is the script. The script is splendid. It focuses not on Arthur, but on Merlin, which in this take is a far more interesting character in terms him being involved on and behind the scenes in Albion for a far longer time period, thus the length of the story is expanded and can cover more interesting points. The characters are generally well fleshed-out and feel very alive. Like in a typical GRRM-book, there isn't necessarily a knife sharp line between good and evil. While queen Mab might seem like a full-fledged witch, you can to some extent understand her desperate attempts to save the world of magic. Morgan le Fay simply seems immature and isn't comparable to the pure-evil Emperor Palpatine. The only real demonic characters are possibly Vortigern and Mordred. However, Merlin, Arthur and the knights are not the diametrical opposite of them. Many of the "good" characters shows flaws from time to time, emphasizing the complex and shifting nature of Man.Second, there are the actors. Sam Neil as Merlin does an outstanding job in conveying a lifetime of experiences as wizard who has seen it all and grown weary of it. Miranda Richardson brings a good mix of hectic and creepy (with her whispering voice) as the manipulative Queen Mab. Martin Short as Frik brings some cheerfulness to an otherwise serious film. Helena Bonham Carter is perfect in playing the spoiled brat.Third, the score. The music by Trevor Jones are simply a m a z i n g and gives the film a very epic touch. Fourth, the setting and the clothing. One particularly irritating aspects of other films based on the Arthurian legends is that they tend to sport late-medieval armor and weapons in an era that is supposed to be 400-500 A.D. This film on the other hand sports leather armor and roman-looking cuirasses. While not 100% historically correct it sure makes you feel a lot more like you are watching the Romano-British era compared to when you see the Gothic armor of other films. There is also the magic – it never feels like "too much". While there are magical creatures a plenty, the magic doesn't overtake the dark age setting. The magic feels more subtle.To summarize, the film is a must watch if you have any sort of interests in epic-, historic- or fanasy films. Ten out of ten.

gheremond Now here's a conundrum: This miniseries/T.V. film is perhaps guilty of every flaw you can think of. And at the same time, it manages to be the best interpretation of the Arthurian legend and a thing to cherish and admire, despite its glaring defects. How can this be?Merlin has the ambition, scope and in many respects, talent pool of a first rate film. You have a great cast with some fine stars and even some relatively unknowns at the time who would go on to gain fame (like Lena Headey), a good director (Steve Barron was an X-Files regular), a first rate composer (Trevor Jones) and a truly great script, that shifts the focus from King Arthur to the wizard Merlin. But... this happens to be a T.V. movie, not a big production and when striving to adapt a tale like this with severe demands on the production level, budget limitations are hard to overcome. This shows in many instances. Make-up is especially problematic, since the story is supposed to encompass events spanning decades, with many characters being played by the same actors with little to no make-up to account for aging. As a result, Isabella Rossellini hardly ages at all throughout most of the film and Paul Curran who plays Arthur goes from puberty to adulthood through the addition of facial hair. Production design can't hold up to the demands of the script either, although there are a couple of battle sequences that are well done given the circumstances. There is also the occasional bad CGI present (those where the late 90's after all).And then you have the performances, that are extremely uneven. Some of the actors are across the board excellent (like Sam Neil as Merlin, Rutger Hauer and Miranda Richardson) and consistent. Others are hit and miss, including some of the known ones like Martin Short and Helena Bonham Carter. There are several instances where the movie isn't certain of the tone it aims for and as a result you get weird lapses into bad comedy with at times cringe- worthy performances. So, with all these problems, how can this thing be worthy of your attention? Surprisingly, what Merlin lacks on the technical/skill level, it makes for in storytelling and heart and for once, the whole is far far more than the sum of its parts, to the point where all the imperfections get eventually ironed out and forgotten. If you can give the movie a break for its occasional CGI dragons and the odd cheesy line, you are in for a spellbinding tale, one of the best you've ever seen. Merlin is also well served by its almost 3 hours of running time and manages to achieve its desired epic scale by using the time available to unfold its intricate plot instead of resolving to grand sets and special effects. Barron may be responsible in part for the uneven tone of the film, but when he goes for tragedy and seriousness (which is thankfully the majority of the time), he delivers in a big big way. We even get to see a prototype of bullet- time photography, one year before the Matrix. What also helps Merlin transcend its humble origins is the majestic score of Trevor Jones, that lends an epic, tragic dimension to the events unfolding on screen.The tale of Merlin and Arthur is very sad and tragic, starting decades before Arthur is even born, with at least two generations caught in the wheels of destiny and by the time all story lines are concluded, no one is left untouched. Especially the story of Merlin and Nimue (ostensibly the main characters) is heartbreaking. A great twist in this take of King Arthur, is that Merlin isn't an all powerful wizard and in fact, he is mostly restrained from using his powers, making all his choices harder and costlier for everyone around him, with his errors often having devastating effects. By the time you reach its unforgettable ending, you will have witnessed one of the best epics ever, if you only are willing to give it the chance to enchant you.

ctomvelu-1 I'm not sure why screenwriters feel the need to concoct their own version of the Arthurian legend when there is a perfectly good source book out there made up of three novels, collectively known as THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING. But so be it. MERLIN, a TV miniseries, tells the legend of Arthur from Merlin's viewpoint. For a TV miniseries, it's not bad, but as with so many TV offerings, it rings a little flat and the special effects are strictly on the cartoon side. Nevertheless, Sam Neil makes a fine Merlin, and for a TV show, the sweep of the thing is pretty vast. As Queen Mab, Miranda Richardson is fun to watch as she essentially reprises her evil stepmom role from Tim Burton's SLEEPY HOLLOW. I am not a big Helena Carter fan, but for those who are, she plays Arthur's scheming half-sister, Morgan. A barely recognizable Martin Short plays an evil gnome clearly inspired by characters in LORD OF THE RINGS and HARRY POTTER. The gals will enjoy this more than the guys, I suspect. For the guys, I highly recommend John Boorman's testosterone-driven Excalibur, where knights manage to have sex in full armor. For everyone else, THE SWORD IN THE STONE. And for the few people I don't like, KING ARTHUR. You know, the one where Gwenevere is a hell of a shot with bow and arrow.