Amazon.com essential video: What kind of guy was the wizard Merlin, anyway? He lives a long time, raises a boy to be a king, props up a Utopian empire with his magic and wisdom, and then watches as it all crumbles under such banal forces as vengeance and betrayal. This four-hour miniseries re-tells the story of Camelot and King Arthur from the perspective of the magic man who sacrifices a great deal to guide mortals toward a better destiny. Sam Neill plays Merlin as an accessible, flesh-and-blood fellow of real passion, powerless to undo the spell of a rival (Rutger Hauer) who has virtually imprisoned Merlin's great love, Nimue (Isabella Rossellini), but gifted enough to counter the treachery of Morgan Le Fey (Helena Bonham Carter) and the wicked Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson). The battle sequences and special effects are striking and original, and it is great fun to see such art-house movie actors as Richardson, Carter, Neill, etc., in fantasy entertainment the whole family can enjoy. (An unrecognizable Martin Short must be singled out, however, for a wonderful, largely dramatic performance as Mab's sidekick, Frik.) Directed by Steve Barron (The Adventures of Pinocchio), Merlin is a nice bit of glossy revisionism of a beloved legend. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Merlin.....
Originally made as a TV miniseries, Merlin retells the famous legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard Merlin. Sam Neill stars in title role with co-stars Martin Short, Miranda Richardson, Helena Bonham Carter, Isabella Rossellini, Rutger Hauer, John Gielgud, and Lena Headey. It was directed by Steve Barron and produced by Dyson Lovell. In my opinion, it has to be the best movie I've ever seen telling the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, even though it deviates from the more traditional approach to the myth. Judging from the movie, it is plain to see that ... Read More
Rating: - A True Rarity
Merlin is a true rarity in mythological movies. That being a movie that actually follows the events of the myths. Showing the story from Merlin's point of view instead of Arthur's was brilliant. I found that the movie only slightly altered very few times, but stayed true to the legend of King Arthur. This is a wonderful movie filled with magic, knights, and a little comedy here and there.
Rating: - A solid rendering -- full-screen version
For fantasy movie fans this one is a big winner. It's Merlin's story, told in retrospect by the old necromancer himself.
The casting is near perfect, the scenery and sets are superb, the cinematography is terrific, and the story continuity is quite coherent, (the latter of which is a big problem in the subsequent "Merlin's Apprentice").
Merlin is "all good" in a time and place where nefarious scoundrels in leadership abound. He doesn't always immediately seize upon the right answers to various dillemmas as they arise but he's always first devoted to the wellness of mankind, ... Read More
Rating: - Merlin is a crowd pleaser
This movie is a timeless classic. This movie has an all star cast whose performances are just terrific. The effects even look believable for the critical 21st century eye.
Rating: - Debbie F.
Great,dependable service; return customer. Fast delivery. Always a pleasure buying from Amazon!! This is a great movie!! Highly recommended.
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