A demystified take on the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
In 400 AD, the Roman Empire extends to Britain and the Romans become impressed with the fight skills of the warrior Sarmatian people, which are spared, but have to send their sons to serve Rome in the cavalry for 15 years. Only after these services, these knights are free to return home. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have their last mission before achieving their freedom.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Roman Empire is stretched across many nations, including Britain. In their conquest for more land, the Romans went into Sarmatia where they fought the very brave Sarmatian cavalry. The Romans, impressed by the Sarmatian's weaponry and fighting skills, included them into their army as knights. After 15 years of serving and fighting for the Roman Empire the Sarmatian Knights, lead by Arthur/Artorious Castus, are about to receive their freedom as the Romans are leaving Britain. But the Knights must carry out one final order before they are free. A Roman priest and his family, especially his son Alecto, must be rescued from the invading Saxons. But there is another danger lurking on the road to freedom--the Woads, British rebels who hate the Romans.—Andreas Furumo
This original portrayal of "Arthur", as opposed to the mystical elements of the tale in past Arthur films, uses names and other elements from the traditional, medieval, Catholic Arthurian cycle in a very different, yet historically less implausible, almost realistic plot. Around 400 AD, the Roman empire, stretched across many nations, from Arabia to Britain, collapsed and skirmishes over power broke out in outlying countries. The conquering Romans become impressed with the weaponry and fighting skills of the warrior Sarmatian people, which have to send their sons to serve Rome 15 years in the cavalry before these knights may return home. Arthur is Artorius Castus, whose future Knights of the Round Table, eager to achieve their freedom, are charged by bishop Germanius with one final task before their discharge: a Roman estate tyrant and his family, especially adolescent son Alecto, who is selected for a great future in Rome, must be rescued thereto from the invading Saxons, whose ruthless warrior-king orders his conquering tribal army to pillage and burn entire villages down. But there is another danger lurking on the road to freedom--the Woads, Celtic Britton rebels who hate the Romans, lead by the 'magician' Merlin, who however realizes Rome is no longer the main threat and offers Artorius a novel alliance after sparing his life in an ambush.—KGF Vissers
In the 5th century AD, the declining Roman Empire is withdrawing from Britannia, where the native Woads, led by Merlin (Stephen Dillane), stage an insurgency. A group of Sarmatian knights (Romans had fought the Sarmatians 200 years ago, and were impressed with the fighting abilities of their cavalry and incorporated them into the Roman army, to serve generation after generation) and their half-British Roman commander Artorius Castus, known as "Arthur" (Clive Owen), have fulfilled their duties to Rome and are preparing to return home (every Sarmatian only had to serve for 15 yrs and could go back home then).
Arthur himself plans to continue his career in Rome until Bishop Germanus (Ivano Marescotti) orders them (after Arthur and his men have saved the Bishop's convoy from a horde of Woads sent by Merlin to south of the wall) (The Woads are emboldened by the Roman withdrawal from Britain and hence their raids are increasing) to complete one final mission: evacuate an important Roman family from north of Hadrian's Wall (Built 300 years ago to protect the Roman empire from the native fighters of the North), saving them from an advancing army of invading Saxons, led by the ruthless Cerdic (Stellan Skarsgård) and his son, Cynric (Til Schweiger). Alecto (Lorenzo De Angelis), the son of the family patriarch, is a viable candidate to be a future Pope. The Saxons know about Alecto and go after him, as his ransom can pay for the entire campaign.The Sarmatians are not happy that Romans are abandoning Britain to the Saxons as they will kill everyone to the south of the Hadrian's wall. Plus, the order from the Bishop came on the last day before they were to be given their discharge papers.
Arthur and his remaining men - Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd), Tristan (Mads Mikkelsen), Galahad (Hugh Dancy), Bors (Ray Winstone), Gawain (Joel Edgerton), and Dagonet (Ray Stevenson) - reluctantly accept the mission. Lancelot is not happy with Arthur for choosing to accept a Christian mission. He says that there will always be a battlefield and this cycle will never be over.
On the way, Arthur's team is ambushed by a group of Woads. The knights are cornered but withdraw after a bugle call from Merlin. Merlin does not want Arthur dead.
Arriving at their destination, they find that the Roman patriarch Marius (Ken Stott), who refuses to leave, has enslaved the local population, enraging Arthur (Arthur believes in the principles of equality and all men being born free). He discovers a cell complex containing a number of dead Woads and two tortured survivors - a young woman named Guinevere (Keira Knightley) and her younger brother Lucan (Johnny Brennan). Arthur frees them and gives Marius an ultimatum - leave with them willingly or otherwise be taken prisoner. He and his knights commandeer the homestead and liberate its exploited people. The convoy flees into the mountains with the Saxons in pursuit (they are only 1 day behind and Cynric has been sent to cut their path to the Hadrian Wall, so Arthur's men take a road to the East to try and get behind the Saxon lines).
Hotly pursued by the Saxon army unit led by Cynric, Arthur's group takes refuge in the forests during the night. Lancelot has feelings for Guinevere, but he can see that Arthur is interested in her. Arthur pursues Guinevere in the forest, and she leads him to Merlin. Merlin proposes that Arthur lead a joint Roman & Woad army against the Saxons.Marius leads an attempted coup but is slain by Guinevere. With Marius dead, his soldiers pledge allegiance to Arthur.
Arthur learns from Alecto that Germanus and his fellow bishops had Arthur's childhood mentor and father figure, Pelagius (Owen Teale), executed for his beliefs. This further disillusions Arthur from the Roman way of life, a process that matures when Guinevere and Merlin remind Arthur of his connection to the island of Britain through his Celtic mother.
Arthur leads the pursuing Saxons, led by Cynric, through a pass crossing a frozen lake. As battle ensues, Dagonet sacrifices himself to crack the lake ice with his ax, disrupting the Saxon advance. The knights safely deliver Alecto and his mother to Hadrian's wall and are officially discharged. The Saxon reach Hadrian's wall that night, led by Cerdic.
Arthur, having concluded that his destiny lies with his mother's people, decides to engage the Saxons despite Lancelot's pleas to leave with them. The night before the battle, he and Guinevere make love and on the following day, Arthur meets Cerdic under a white flag of parlay, vowing to kill him. He is soon joined by Lancelot and his fellow knights, who decide to fight. In the climactic Battle of Badon Hill, the Woads and knights whittle the Saxon army (merlin brings innovations like catapults and ditches filled with oil, that are set alight). Guinevere engages Cynric, who overwhelms her. Lancelot aids her and kills Cynric but is fatally wounded. Cerdic kills Tristan before facing off against Arthur, who kills the Saxon leader, condemning the invaders to defeat.
Arthur and Guinevere marry, and Merlin proclaims Arthur as king of Britain. United by their defeat of the Saxons and the retreat of the Romans, Arthur promises to lead the Britons against future invaders. Three horses that had belonged to Tristan, Dagonet and Lancelot run free across the landscape, as the closing narrative from Lancelot describes how fallen knights live on in tales passed from generation to generation.
