Spring Break
A knight to remember
Columbia Pictures' new flick 'A Knights' Tale'
is guaranteed to satisfy with action, love and music
Jena Torres / Daily Staff Writer
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Throughout the movie, set in medieval times, rock ’n’ roll music is used.
In one scene, the main character, William Thatcher, played by Heath Ledger, practices his jousting skills to War’s “Low Rider.”
Combining humor, romance and action, “A Knight’s Tale” succeeds where many movies fail.
The plot follows William, a poor young man who is pretending to be of noble blood so he can be allowed to compete in jousting tournaments to earn money.
With the help of his friends, a group of whimsical characters that includes poet Geoff Chaucer, William becomes a tournament superstar known as “Ulrich von Lichtenstein.”
The jousting competitions are exciting and are refreshing alternatives to the action movies of today that rely on played-out gun violence to entertain.
Chaucer, played by Paul Bettany, is especially funny during his exaggerated introductions of the knight Ulrich.
When William spots the beautiful and noble lady Jocelyn, played by Shannyn Sossamon, aearly in the movie, he becomes enchanted.
He follows her around, determined to learn her name, and finds himself lying awake at night thinking of her.
With the help of Chaucer and his other friends, William wins the heart of Jocelyn with some of the most romantic poems ever written.
As a child, William, the son of a thatcher, dreams of being a knight.
But in the 14th century, it is nearly impossible to move up from the lower class.
William’s father, however, tells him anything is possible, and that he can “change his stars.”
Hoping for a better life for his young son, William’s father sends him to work for a knight.
As the mighty knight Ulrich, William remembers the words of his father and is resolved to become the champion of jousting.
But the evil Count Adhemar, who also has his sights set on Jocelyn, is the current jousting champion.
Adhemar employs a list of nasty tricks to get William to fail, including cheating during a match and exposing the true identity of William.
The movie is an enjoyable experience, from the interesting costumes to the musical-esque touches to the irresistible romance between William and Jocelyn.
William is such a likable character that the viewers find themselves crossing their fingers, hoping for William to win.
“A Knight’s Tale” feels like a lighthearted, romantic “Gladiator” with a happy ending, and it is sure to be one of the best movies of the year.
