History YMMV / KingArthurLegendOfTheSword

* NarmCharm: This is an Myth/{{Arthurian|Legend}} film with kaiju-sized war elephants, Knights of the Round Table who start off as a Myth/RobinHood-like gang with modern LondonGangster dialogue, Chinese [[EverybodyWasKungFuFighting kung-fu]] knights, cheap HighFantasy hijinks, slow-motion, Creator/JudeLaw MilkingTheGiantCow and a title character who started his career as a brothel bouncer. In other words, it is a completely unapologetical insanity that is hard not to enjoy one way or another.

* UnwillinglyUnsympathetic: Vortigern is using a supply of slaves to build his tower, including slave ''children''. Of course, [[BigBad he]] is ''supposed'' to come off as unsympathetic for that, the issue is how little Arthur and his men seem to be concerned by it. Their existence is mentioned once, ad one of the "supplies" that could be cut to hindrance Vortigern, not different from rocks or wood, and they are freed entirely for pragmatic reason.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56cnOkQFRwo "The Politics & The Life"]] from the official soundtrack. Halo fans will recognize it as the song for the "We are ODST" trailer for VideoGame/Halo3ODST

* NarmCharm: This is a Myth/KingArthur film with kaiju-sized war elephants, Knights of the Round Table who start off as a Myth/RobinHood-like gang with modern LondonGangster dialogue, Chinese [[EverybodyWasKungFuFighting kung-fu]] knights, cheap HighFantasy hijinks, slow-motion, Creator/JudeLaw MilkingTheGiantCow and a title character who started his career as a brothel bouncer. In other words, it is a completely unapologetical insanity that is hard not to enjoy one way or another.

** Creator/AidenGillen's character Goosefat Bill is linked to [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises Baneposting]], touted as the CIA man ''Bill'' Wilson's ancestor. To the point that the surname Wilson is attributed to him on sites like Wikipedia with people none the wiser.

* NightmareFuel: Both in-universe and out, [[spoiler:Vortigern's OneWingedAngel form when attacking Uther and his family. A towering BlackKnight with a skull-mask and a flaming cape, wielding a double scythe as a weapon. His voice is distorted to the point of being outright demonic, and even his movements seem... [[UncannyValley off.]] The way he emerges from the dark the first time or savagely taunts his nephew with an offer to "play" in the final battle make every scene with this form as nail-bitingly chilling as they are cool to watch.]]

** The reveal of [[spoiler:the Round Table]] gets a tad ridiculous when Arthur's men keep trying to guess what it is, even when it's obviously [[spoiler:a table]]. Wouldn't be as bad if Arthur didn't spell it out at the end of the scene.
--->'''Arthur''': [[spoiler:It's a table.]] [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment You sit at it.]]
*** They know what it is; they're just kidding Arthur about it.

* SpecialEffectFailure: Any time Arthur fights with the power of Excalibur, which highlights how plastic looking Arthur and his enemies look with all that CGI. The dynamic cinematography does not help.
** Some viewers have, however, praised it as adding a layer of surrealism whenever he activates Excalibur's powers.

* CaptainObviousReveal: The film seems as if it wants a big revelation that Vortigern murdered Uther when it was rather obvious from the beginning. The film draws this reveal out, so that it's not surprising at all when it finally happens.
** It's not supposed to be a surprise to us though, it's supposed to be a big revelation to Arthur, as part of his journey to become TheChosenOne.

* CriticalBacklash: As noted below, several viewers rushed to the film's defence after early critical reviews were so negative. Website/{{IMDB}} for example averages the movie a 6.8 rating.

* EightDeadlyWords: Accused of such in [[http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/king-arthur-legend-of-the-sword-2017 this review]] - namely that the film rushing through a lot of actions and events leaves it very hard to care about anything that's happening. Arthur's trip to the Dark Lands for instance should be a key part of his CharacterDevelopment, but it's glossed over.

* CaptainObviousReveal: The film seems as if it wants a big revelation that [[spoiler: Vortigern murdered Uther]] when it was rather obvious from the beginning. The film draws this reveal out, so that it's not surprising at all when it finally happens.

-->'''Arthur''': [[spoiler:It's a table.]] [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment You sit at it.]]

* WhatAnIdiot: Vortigern, Arthur said he has no interest in taking the throne from you and even suggested that he quietly leave the city. You don't have to make a grandiose spectacle out of executing him, you can just either listen to his advice and let him flee or just kill him in his cell without a fuss. Although Vortigern does make a point that Arthur is too ambitious to be out of his way for long.

** The frantic [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2LLS33eQvk "Growing Up Londinium"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLVtqVxZgYI "Run Londinium"]] tracks by Daniel Pemberton.

* NarmCharm: This is a king Arthur film with kaiju-sized war elephants, Knights of the Round Table who start off as a Robin Hood-like gang with modern British gangster dialogue, Chinese kung fu knights, cheap high-fantasy hijinks, Guy Ritchie cinematography, Creator/JudeLaw MilkingTheGiantCow and a title character who started his career as a brothel bouncer. In other words, it is a completely unapologetical insanity that is hard not to enjoy one way or another.

* CaptainObviousReveal: The film seems as if it wants a big revelation that [[spoiler Vortigern murdered Uther]] when it was rather obvious from the beginning. The film draws this reveal out, so that it's not surprising at all when it finally happens.

* CaptainObviousReveal: The film seems as if it wants a big revelation that [[spoiler: Vortigern murdered Uther]] when it was rather obvious from the beginning. The film draws this reveal out, so that it's not surprising at all when it finally happens.

* MoralEventHorizon: Vortigan crosses by murdering his beloved wife Elsa specifically to gain more power.

** The reveal of [[spoiler: the Round Table]] gets a tad ridiculous when Arthur's men keep trying to guess what it is, even when it's obviously [[spoiler: a table]]. Wouldn't be as bad if Arthur didn't spell it out at the end of the scene.
-->'''Arthur''': [[spoiler: It's a table.]] [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment You sit at it.]]

* NightmareFuel: Both in-universe and out, [[spoiler: Vortigern's OneWingedAngel form when attacking Uther and his family. A towering BlackKnight with a skull-mask and a flaming cape, wielding a double scythe as a weapon. His voice is distorted to the point of being outright demonic, and even his movements seem... [[UncannyValley off.]] The way he emerges from the dark the first time or savagely taunts his nephew with an offer to "play" in the final battle make every scene with this form as nail-bitingly chilling as they are cool to watch.]]

** Maggie gets just three scenes - except a brief shot of her in prison in the climax - but Creator/AnnabelleWallis really makes her presence known; flattering Vortigan and acting as a spy for the resistance.

* SlowPacedBeginning: It's said by many reviewers that the film takes a long time to get going, and it's not until the decision to cut off Vortigan's trade, that the pace settles down.

** The resistance cutting off Vortigan's resources is a minor set-up of the second act turning point. It would have been quite interesting to show them slowly depriving him of any power or allies, but this is glossed over.
** Maggie's role as the spy for the resistance is downplayed. It's never shown how she managed to pass information to them, or how Vortigan figured it out for that matter.
** Vortigan's double cross of Mordred is also a very interesting possibility that is told entirely in second-hand, years after it happened.

* WhatAnIdiot: Vortigern, Arthur said he has no interest in taking the throne from you and even suggested that he quietly leave the city. You don't have to make a grandiose spectacle out of executing him, you can just either listen to his advice and let him flee or just kill him in his cell without a fuss.

* CriticalBacklash: As noted below, several viewers rushed to the film's defence after early critical reviews were so negative. IMDB for example averages the movie a 6.8 rating.

--> Arthur: [[spoiler: It's a table.]] [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment You sit at it.]]

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Igraine is killed off in the opening and not even given more than a passing mention afterwards. It would have been interesting to see her raise Arthur in the brothel as a FallenPrincess.

** Multiple reviews have noted that with a hero that gains superpowers from his sword battling a tyrant that wears the face of a skull, the movie makes for an entertaining adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/{{HeMan and the Masters of the Universe|1983}}''.
** And considering this is an Arthurian adaptation with more than a little video game and anime influence to its action style, this film can be said to be a live-action spiritual successor of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''--or, since Arthur is actually male in this storyline, a prequel episode to ''Anime/FatePrototype''. Vortigern is even Arthur's uncle and first enemy like in Fate and unlike the traditional legend.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Some fans have theorised that a lot of the negative reviews come from how different the film is from more traditional Arthurian myth retellings.

** The movie in general seems to have been an interesting and action oriented King Arthur video game that somehow transformed into a film.

** And considering this is an Arthurian Adaptation with more than a little Video Game and Anime influence to its Action style, this film can be said to be a live-action spiritual successor of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''--or, since Arthur is actually male in this storyline, a prequel episode to ''Anime/FatePrototype''.

* NarmCharm: This is a king Arthur film with kaiju-sized war elephants, British gangster dialogue, Chinese kung fu knights, cheap high-fantasy hijinks, Guy Ritchie cinematography and a title character who started his career as a brothel bouncer. In other words, it is a completely unapologetical insanity that is hard not to enjoy one way or another.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Some fans have theorised that a lot of the negative reviews come from how different the film is from the usual ''King Arthur'' story.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56cnOkQFRwo "The Politics & The Life"]] from the official soundtrack. Halo fans will recognize it as the song for the "We are ODST" trailer for Halo3ODST.