Excalibur
Directed by John BoormanArthur fulfills his fate by bringing together the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot and unifying the country. However, this flawed monarch faces greater tests ahead in pursuit of love, the Holy Grail, and his nation's survival.
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Excalibur Ratings & Reviews
- Rob MacKinnonMarch 2, 2026This definitely improved for me upon a second viewing. The sudden leaps forward in time were no longer jarring and disorienting as I knew to expect them, and I noticed that they were all actually pretty well telegraphed if you’re paying attention. I was able to focus more on the story and performances (and what performances! - definitely larger than life), and I noticed the humour much more as well. As a result, I raised the rating by a full star!
- Shannon WardJune 26, 2025Great cast great retelling of Arthur as a myth and the first damn good fantasy movie I ever saw
- BradenMarch 1, 2026Blood, guts, sword and sorcery. Excellent. Incredible 4K restoration.
- MazinEdFebruary 18, 2026An almost perfect dark fantasy film done with epic flair and surreal imagery. I had the LOTR and GOT as the best in this Fantasy genre but now I’m adding Excalibur to the list. Of course there are others but I’m not going to name all of them here. The half-a-Star is taken off because I felt there were a few awkward amateur moments for some actors. These actors I speak of are top notch nowadays, but here they show early prototype acting. Other than that I really enjoyed everything in this film. I just can’t forgive myself for not watching this sooner in my life.
- YunejayJune 9, 20251. Stunning scenery, clever composition, thrilling soundtrack, and exquisitely designed sets. Old cameras come with their own texture, the highlights gleam brilliantly, and the overall image has a soft, delicate quality, almost like an oil painting. 2. The acting is solid, with a few touches of subtle humor here and there. 3. While the plot feels a bit linear and lacks dramatic highs and lows, the story is clearly told, which I appreciated as someone not too familiar with the Arthurian legends. 4. I especially love the two dance scenes, both deeply captivating. One at the beginning where Igraine entrances Uther, and one at the ball where Guinevere shines with her lively spirit. Two dances, two romances, and two generations of kings trapped by love.
- ZokkiieDecember 29, 2025Dark, epic, and totally over-the-top, but in a good way. The visuals are stunning, the mood is intense, and it really feels like stepping into a legend. A bit slow and cheesy at times, but that just adds to the charm
- carmen.s29November 13, 2025A bit slower moving than I remember. But still a pretty good movie. Some of the plot twists could be considered corny by today's standard. But that's alright with me because the movie takes me back to when I was younger.
- drbixlerOctober 13, 2025Campy but awesome!
- builde70July 25, 2025Still a classic to this day, and such beautiful cinematography.
Excalibur Trivia
Excalibur was released on April 10, 1981.
Excalibur was directed by John Boorman.
Excalibur has a runtime of 2h 21m.
Excalibur was produced by John Boorman.
Arthur fulfills his fate by bringing together the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot and unifying the country. However, this flawed monarch faces greater tests ahead in pursuit of love, the Holy Grail, and his nation's survival.
The key characters in Excalibur are King Arthur (Nigel Terry), Merlin (Nicol Williamson), Morgana (Helen Mirren).
Excalibur is rated R.
Excalibur is an Adventure, Fantasy, Drama film.
Excalibur has an audience rating of 8 out of 10.
Excalibur had a budget of $11M.
Excalibur has made $35M at the box office.