---
title: "The Green Knight"
year: 2021
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-green-knight"
fi1m_id: "the-green-knight"
imdb_id: "tt9243804"
tmdb_id: 559907
wikidata_id: "Q65091255"
fi1m_score: 78
critics_score: 81
critics_reviews: 28
published: "2026-09-30T21:07:02.320341+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-30T21:07:17.194257+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Green Knight (2021)

Directed by David Lowery · 2h 10m · MPA R · Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

## Identity

The Green Knight

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-green-knight
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-green-knight
- **IMDb ID:** tt9243804
- **TMDB ID:** 559907
- **Wikidata ID:** Q65091255
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9243804/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/559907, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65091255

**Fi1m score: 78** · Critics 81 from 28 reviews

*In a sentence:* A knight rides out to keep an appointment with his own beheading, and takes the scenic route

> David Lowery’s retelling of the medieval poem is slow, strange and beautiful more often than not, and Dev Patel carries it on a face that keeps failing to turn into a hero’s. The middle sags. Stay for the last twenty minutes.

## Synopsis

Christmas morning in a court the film never names. Gawain (Dev Patel), the King’s nephew, wakes in a brothel beside Essel (Alicia Vikander) and hurries home, past his Mother (Sarita Choudhury), who has a ritual of her own to attend to. At the feast the King (Sean Harris), with the Queen (Kate Dickie) beside him, asks him for a tale of his deeds, and he has none. Then the doors open and the Green Knight (Ralph Ineson), a towering figure with bark for skin, rides in with a game: any knight may strike him a blow, so long as he rides to the Green Chapel a year hence to receive the same. Gawain takes the King’s sword. A year later, a green sash from his Mother around his waist, he sets out to keep the appointment.

## Review

David Lowery has taken a fourteenth-century poem about a knight who owes a stranger a blow to the neck and must ride out to receive it, and made it slower, stranger and far less sure of its hero than the poem was. Gawain (Dev Patel) is a king’s nephew with no deeds to his name, and the film is about whether he can pick some up on the road. It is beautiful more often than not and in no hurry at all. We liked it a good deal, and we looked at our watch once.

The opening is the film at its most confident. Jade Healy’s court is a low timber hall lit by candles and a fire, and Andrew Droz Palermo lets the smoke sit in the frame so that faces come and go out of brown dark. Sean Harris plays the King as an old man with a cracked voice who asks his nephew for a story and gets none, and then the Green Knight arrives. Ralph Ineson is somewhere inside him, and what sits on the horse is a piece of design as much as a performance: bark for skin, a face like a split trunk, a voice that seems to come up from the floor. He creaks when he moves, and it is the most frightening sound in the film.

Patel is the reason the rest holds. He plays Gawain as a young man who wants the story of being a knight more than he wants to do anything a knight does, and the film keeps giving him chances to notice the difference. Malgosia Turzanska puts him in a yellow cloak, the brightest thing in a film of browns and greens, with his Mother’s green sash tied beneath it, and the cloak gets dirtier as the face above it gets older. Alicia Vikander, as Essel, the woman he sleeps with and will not marry, has two early scenes that tell us most of what is wrong with him.

The road is where the film earns its reputation and tries our patience. Barry Keoghan turns up on a battlefield of the dead as a grinning Scavenger, and he is funny and then frightening inside a single sentence. Erin Kellyman’s Winifred, in a cottage by a lake, gives the film its one properly ghostly passage. Later, in fog, Gawain watches giants walk across a valley, and Palermo holds them in one wide frame while Daniel Hart’s score drops to a hum of voices, and the film is briefly as large as it wants to be. Between these episodes there is a great deal of a man walking through country, and Lowery, cutting his own film, does not always know when a shot has said its piece. We were bored for a quarter of an hour and cross about it, because the film had already shown it could do better.

It does better again when Gawain reaches a castle whose Lord (Joel Edgerton) is too hospitable and whose Lady is played by Vikander a second time, which is not a mistake. Edgerton gives the Lord a warmth with something waiting under it, and Vikander gets a speech about the colour green, delivered almost without blinking, that is the best written thing in the film. What the household wants from Gawain we will leave you to find out. Hart’s music here turns to plucked strings and a choir, and for a while the film is as dangerous as a fairy tale.

Lowery made [*A Ghost Story*](https://film.one/film/a-ghost-story) (2017), in which a man under a sheet watched time pass in a house, and this has the same patience and the same willingness to let a viewer walk out. A few critics found it cold, and we see why. Gawain is not easy to like and the film does not ask us to like him, only to watch him, and Patel is good enough that we did.

The last twenty minutes do something with the appointment at the Green Chapel that we will not describe, except to say that it moved us more than the two hours before it had prepared us for, and that it makes sense of the slowness. It is 130 minutes and a 15 certificate. See it in the dark, with the curtains drawn and the phone in another room. The frames are wide and the film is quiet, and both are lost with the lights on.

*Fi1m score 78, published 30 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics admire The Green Knight, and the praise clusters in two places. The first is the look of it: David Lowery’s slow, dreamlike telling, the landscapes, the colour, the long held shots, which reviewers describe as mythic and unsettling in equal measure. The second is Dev Patel, whose Gawain is widely credited with holding the strange story together as the character ages and hardens; more than one review calls it the best work he has done.

The reservations gather around pace and solemnity. Even admirers say the film asks for patience and is sometimes baffling. The spread is narrow at the top and thin at the bottom, with a single outright negative. Slant finds it only superficially daring and objects to how explicitly it resolves the poem’s mysteries. The Ringer calls it self-important and emotionally cold. The Wrap thinks the fussy presentation smothers the storytelling. Little White Lies, though positive, notes the loss of the poem’s nuance and queer subtext.

## Straight answers

**Is The Green Knight worth watching?**

*The Green Knight* is worth watching for anyone with patience for a slow, strange retelling of the medieval poem, and we scored it 78. Dev Patel carries it as a king's nephew who wants the story of knighthood more than the deeds, and the last twenty minutes justify the two hours before them. The middle sags, and we looked at our watch once.

**How long is The Green Knight, and what is it rated?**

*The Green Knight* runs 2h 10m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is an adventure and drama film.

**Where can I watch The Green Knight in the US?**

*The Green Knight* is streaming on Hulu and Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Green Knight, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Green Knight* is a 15 certificate: a film for adults and older teenagers, not children. It opens in a brothel, the Green Knight himself is a frightening piece of design with bark for skin and a creak when he moves, and there is a battlefield of the dead and a ghostly passage by a lake. It is quiet and unhurried rather than gory, but its dread is real.

**How does The Green Knight compare to Excalibur?**

*The Green Knight* is quiet and slow where [*Excalibur*](https://film.one/film/excalibur) is loud and full of bloodshed and sorcery, and both are as strange as each other. Lowery's film is the more intimate and the better acted, resting on Patel's face, while Boorman's is the more involving spectacle and sometimes loses its people in the telling. Choose Lowery for mood, Boorman for pageantry.

**What should I watch after The Green Knight?**

After *The Green Knight*, try [*Excalibur*](https://film.one/film/excalibur) (1981, Fi1m 79): Boorman’s Arthur is loud where Lowery is quiet, and just as strange. Then [*Marketa Lazarová*](https://film.one/film/marketa-lazarova) (1967, Fi1m 84): Czech medieval epic in snow and mud, as fierce as anything on film; and [*A Ghost Story*](https://film.one/film/a-ghost-story) (2017, Fi1m 84): Lowery’s earlier quiet one: a sheet, a house and the whole of time.

### Reviews we read (28)

- **Radio Times**, Ann Lee (5/5): Ann Lee praises the film as a sublimely weird medieval fantasy and calls Dev Patel’s performance career-best. She singles out Patel’s portrayal of Gawain as the film’s standout. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-idchrr/the-green-knight/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (92/100, inferred): Chang finds the film a richly mysterious, moving triumph that transforms an old legend into vital mythmaking. He especially praises Dev Patel’s performance and the film’s ravishing imagery. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-07-29/review-the-green-knight-review-dev-patel)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (A-): Ehrlich praises the film as a hypnotic, deeply imaginative Arthurian adaptation that embraces the source poem’s contradictions. He especially singles out David Lowery’s dreamlike visual storytelling and the film’s striking finale. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-green-knight-review-1234653532/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film a stunning, mysterious experience, praising its visual brilliance and metaphysical grandeur. He particularly singles out the beautifully rendered landscape and the haunting imagery of Gawain’s quest. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/sep/24/the-green-knight-review-dev-patel)
- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (90/100, inferred): Newland finds the film spellbindingly beautiful and praises its cohesive, richly imagined visual world. She also commends its thoughtful challenge to masculine ideals and the stories men tell about themselves. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/green-knight-film-movie-review-sir-gawain-dev-patel-king-arthur-1214153)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (90/100, inferred): Brody praises the film as a visually daring, apocalyptic revision of the Arthurian legend, while arguing it exposes the violence and misguided ideals beneath heroic knighthood. He especially admires Lowery’s cinematic imagery and long, striking shots, which make the journey both wondrous and unsettling. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-green-knight-reviewed-david-lowerys-boldly-modern-revision-of-a-medieval-legend)
- **Empire**, John Nugent (88/100, inferred): The critic calls it a remarkable, major work, though its slow, atmospheric approach asks for patience. He singles out the cinematography and landscape for their exceptional beauty. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-green-knight/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Brian Tallerico (3.5/4): Tallerico finds the film a striking, unconventional adaptation with a dreamlike, meditative power. He particularly praises its visual atmosphere and Dev Patel’s performance. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-green-knight-movie-review-2021)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (85/100, inferred): Rooney finds the film a quietly dazzling, boldly unconventional fantasy that rewards viewers willing to surrender to its strangeness. He especially praises Dev Patel’s magnetic performance and the film’s sumptuous visuals. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/dev-patel-in-david-lowerys-the-green-knight-1234987039/)
- **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (B+): Dowd finds the film a striking, atmospheric reinterpretation whose sustained art-house portentousness sometimes wears thin. He especially praises its mythic imagery and visual craftsmanship, while noting the payoff in Gawain’s coming-of-age journey. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/dev-patel-david-lowery-and-a24-give-arthurian-legend-1847362082)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (4/5): Strong praises the film as a bold, haunting vision, while noting that it loses some of the poem’s nuance and queer subtext. She singles out Dev Patel’s performance and the film’s richly considered visuals as highlights. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-green-knight)
- **Time Out**, David Hughes (4/5): The review praises the film as a spellbinding new take on Arthurian legend. It singles out Dev Patel as terrific in the lead role. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-green-knight-2021)
- **Vulture**, Alison Willmore (80/100, inferred): Willmore finds the film a ravishing, unsettling meditation on the search for meaning and direction. She especially praises Dev Patel’s convincing transformation as Gawain ages and hardens. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-green-knight-movie-review-dev-patel-and-david-lowery.html)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (70/100, inferred): Gleiberman finds the film accessible, moving, and somberly majestic, though at times baffling and slow. He praises its ravishing, enigmatic journey and its solemnly moving treatment of Gawain’s confrontation with death. [Read](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/the-green-knight-review-dev-patel-alicia-vikander-david-lowery-1235026883/)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The available page identifies this as a review but does not reveal the critic’s verdict. The standfirst describes Patel’s quest as part of a cultish rendition of the fable, but offers no specific praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-green-knight-review/5161904.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The review text could not be accessed, so its verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or criticism can be verified. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/29/movies/the-green-knight-review.html)
- **Film Comment**, Beatrice Loayza (63/100, inferred): Loayza presents the film as a digestible, sensation-driven coming-of-age narrative rather than a straightforward chivalric tale. The visible text offers no specific praise or complaint beyond that characterization. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-the-green-knight/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Keith Watson (2.5/4): Watson finds the film haunting but ultimately only superficially daring and enigmatic. He praises its intoxicating color grading and eerie cinematography, while criticizing how explicitly it resolves the source poem’s mysteries. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-green-knight-review-david-lowery/)
- **/Film**, Hoai-Tran Bui (10/10): Bui finds the film hypnotic, seductive, and a strikingly original take on the sword-and-sorcery genre. She especially praises Lowery’s painterly visual artistry and Dev Patel’s charismatic, sensual performance. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/582815/the-green-knight-review-a-mesmerizing-sexy-epic-that-feels-unlike-anything-youve-seen-before/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A): Goldberg calls the film a marvelous, life-affirming achievement that rewards viewers willing to engage with its challenges. He particularly praises Dev Patel’s sympathetic performance and Lowery’s surreal visual storytelling. [Read](https://collider.com/the-green-knight-review-dev-patel/)
- **Consequence**, Clint Worthington (90/100, inferred): Worthington calls the film a mournful, distinctive adaptation and an easy candidate for one of the year’s best. He especially praises Dev Patel’s vulnerable performance and the film’s mesmerizing cinematography. [Read](https://consequence.net/2021/07/the-green-knight-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4.5/5): The critic calls it one of the best films adapted from Arthurian lore and finds its strange, mysterious vision spellbinding. He particularly praises the sumptuous design and elegant framing, along with Dev Patel’s charismatic, nuanced performance. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-green-knight-review-king-arthur-movie/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (90/100, inferred): Kermode calls it an astonishing, daring work and the finest Arthurian film since Excalibur. She especially praises the rich colours and striking compositions that make its landscapes feel mythic. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-green-knight-2021-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **Polygon**, Robert Daniels (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it one of 2021’s best films and the finest Arthurian adaptation, despite some pacing issues. The review especially praises its dazzling visuals and Dev Patel’s career-defining performance. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22594354/green-knight-review/)
- **Paste**, Brianna Zigler (9.0): Zigler finds the film a haunting, spellbinding reckoning with honor, nature and humanity’s vulnerability. She especially praises its lush cinematography and Dev Patel’s magnetic performance. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/david-lowery/the-green-knight-review)
- **NME** (85/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a beautiful, frightening, uncompromising watch that feels distinctive, though it may not appeal to everyone. They especially praise Dev Patel’s performance for anchoring the surreal story and conveying Gawain’s transformation. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/the-green-knight-review-dev-patel-3053431)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (45/100, inferred): Nayman finds the film striking and ambitious but ultimately too self-important and emotionally cold. He praises its eerie visual grandeur, especially the haunting sequence with the giants. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2021/08/03/movies/green-knight-movie-review-king-arthur-sir-gawain-david-lowery)
- **The Wrap** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film visually striking but ultimately frustrating and less compelling than its unusual premise. They single out the cinematography and costume design for praise, while faulting the fussy presentation for weakening the storytelling and emotional connection. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/the-green-knight-review-dev-patel-david-lowery-alicia-vikander/)

## Details

- **Director:** David Lowery
- **Director:** David Lowery
- **Writer:** David Lowery
- **Cinematography:** Andrew Droz Palermo
- **Editor:** David Lowery
- **Music:** Daniel Hart
- **Production design:** Jade Healy
- **Costume design:** Malgosia Turzanska
- **Producer:** David Lowery, Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston
- **Cast:** Dev Patel as Gawain; Alicia Vikander as Lady / Essel; Joel Edgerton as Lord; Sarita Choudhury as Mother; Sean Harris as King; Kate Dickie as Queen; Barry Keoghan as Scavenger; Erin Kellyman as Winifred
- **Runtime:** 2h 10m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 30 July 2021
- **Genres:** Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
- **Budget:** $15 million
- **Box office:** $19 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6ksY8xWCY

## Where to watch in the US

- Hulu: streaming, uhd
- Disney+: add-on, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, sd
- Apple TV: rent $4.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, uhd
- Apple TV: buy $4.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-30.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Excalibur* (1981), Fi1m 79: Boorman’s Arthur is loud where Lowery is quiet, and just as strange. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/excalibur.md)
- *Lancelot du Lac* (1974): Bresson strips the Round Table to clanking armour and blood; the anti-spectacle.
- *Marketa Lazarová* (1967), Fi1m 84: Czech medieval epic in snow and mud, as fierce as anything on film. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/marketa-lazarova.md)
- *Valhalla Rising* (2009): Refn’s silent Norseman walks into fog and myth, and takes his time.
- *A Ghost Story* (2017), Fi1m 84: Lowery’s earlier quiet one: a sheet, a house and the whole of time. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-ghost-story.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-green-knight