The Hindu Business Line : <I>King Arthur</I>: A medieval war <I>deja vu</I>

"HIS name is synonymous with wisdom and fairness. The name of his wife, magician and knights are household words. His sword symbolises righteous power, his capital city is an icon for earthly protection. But with all this name recognition, we still aren't sure that he actually lived."

So goes the introduction to King Arthur at www.brittanica.com, a view possibly shared by others, too, who studied what Encyclopedia Brittanica still refers to as `Arthurian legend.' Touchstone Pictures insists in the write-up for its film King Arthur, "Historians have thought for centuries that King Arthur was only a myth, but the legend was based on a real hero, torn between his private ambitions and his public sense of duty."

The film's story is bound to be a trifle surprising for those here familiar with the legend. "A reluctant leader, Arthur wishes only to leave Britain and return to the peace and stability of Rome. Before he can, one final mission leads him and his knights of the round table - Lancelot, Galahad, Bors, Tristan and Gawain - to the conclusion that when Rome is gone, Britain will need a leader to fill the vacuum. Britain needs a king - someone not only to defend against the current threat of invading Saxons, but to lead the isle into a new age."

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (whose earlier films include Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Black Hawk Down) and directed by Antoine Fuqua (of Training Day fame), King Arthur promises "thrilling adventure, edge-of-your-seat action and historical grandeur."

Which it certainly would had its time on celluloid been a few years back, say close to Brave Heart.

Sadly for Arthur the latest version of his story reaches theatres after films such as Lord Of The Rings trilogy portrayed the chaotic scenes of medieval war intensely and on a scale difficult to better. We have seen clashing armour, knights on horses, fiery arrows, martial art moves and heads rolling by the dozen - begging the question what else can make ancient war memorable? Where King Arthur scores is within the Arthurian space, unique among films on this legendary king for a likely truer depiction of its period and attempting to give character to his knights and opponents. The latter, however, falls short due to too many characters, the resultant packaging bordering on caricature at times like the pop quality to Arthur and his band or the Saxon villain, Cerdic, who reminds of a Hell's Angel in a bad mood.

Not to mention, the Christmas cake ending to a story otherwise set in bloody times. The film's Indian release is set for Friday, October 15.