“First Knight” Review: A Flat, Joyless Camelot Romance That Fails to Ignite

First Knight

Directed by Jerry Zucker

Written by William Nicholson

Starring Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Sean Connery

Released July 7th, 1995

★☆☆☆☆ (1 out of 5 stars)

A Legendary Tale With No Magic

First Knight is a remarkably dull movie. Despite a starry cast and one of history’s most enduring legends, this 1995 adaptation turns the story of King Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere into a lifeless costume drama. Director Jerry Zucker (Ghost) misfires badly, straining for prestige at the expense of anything resembling fun.

Richard Gere is wildly miscast as Lancelot, playing the noble knight as a loutish drifter with a death wish. Sean Connery, meanwhile, does his best as an aging King Arthur—relegated to the sidelines in his own story. And poor Julia Ormond, stuck as Guinevere, is tasked with conjuring chemistry with both men but gets zero help from the script or direction.

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A Death Wish in Shining Armor

When we meet Gere’s Lancelot, he’s gambling and fighting for cash in a remote village. His secret to winning? He doesn’t fear death. He says so himself, shrugging off questions from a young admirer who wants to learn his moves. Lancelot isn’t brave—he’s just reckless.

Before he can even ride out of town, the village is ransacked by the film’s cardboard villain, Malagant (Ben Cross). The attack is a warning to Lady Guinevere of Lyonesse: surrender her kingdom, or watch it burn. With her father dead and her people unprotected, Guinevere accepts a marriage proposal from King Arthur to ensure their safety—an alliance of convenience cloaked in old affection.

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No Sparks, Just Smoke

Enter Lancelot again, just in time to rescue Guinevere’s caravan from an ambush on her journey to Camelot. It’s meant to be the start of a sweeping romance, but Gere and Ormond have the spark of a bad first date. Gere’s performance is especially disinterested—flat, disengaged, and lacking any hint of charm or passion.

He lets Guinevere go, but not before smugly promising that she’ll kiss him one day. When she arrives to meet Arthur, the film takes a bizarre detour—literally. We see rows of torch-bearing soldiers on a mountain miles from Camelot, with Arthur inexplicably waiting there. It’s meant to be grand, but just ends up confusing.

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A Director Out of His Depth

It’s hard to believe this is from Jerry Zucker, who co-directed Airplane! and The Naked Gun. Where those films thrived on comedic energy, First Knight is determined to be taken seriously—and suffers for it. It’s self-important and somber, draining the life out of a story that should pulse with romance and danger.

Even Ormond, a talented actress, is left stranded. Her Guinevere must sell two love stories but has no scenes with the emotional depth needed to make either one land. The movie doesn’t give her space to connect with either leading man.

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The Only Knight Worth Watching

Sean Connery is the sole bright spot. He brings gravitas, warmth, and a glimmer of joy to Arthur. You can tell he enjoys playing the legendary king and wants to lean into the emotional highs of the story. Sadly, Zucker keeps everything muted. Even when Arthur is betrayed, the film resists any hint of melodrama, as if “serious” means “emotionless.”

What we’re left with is a movie too stiff to be romantic, too grim to be fun, and too hollow to be moving. The material cries out for camp, flair, even a little swashbuckling absurdity—but First Knight refuses to give in. It’s all posturing, no passion.

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Final Verdict

First Knight isn’t just a misfire—it’s a lifeless slog through a mythic tale that deserves so much more. Great actors can’t save flat direction, dull writing, and a complete lack of chemistry. If only the filmmakers had allowed themselves to enjoy the fantasy, instead of treating it like a Shakespearean tragedy stripped of drama.

★☆☆☆☆ (1 out of 5 stars)

Catch the Conversation on Our Podcast!

We’re diving deeper into First Knight on the next episode of the I Hate Critics 1995 Movie Podcast! Tune in for our full breakdown of this bizarre, joyless Arthurian misadventure—and hear where it stacks up in the wild world of 1995 cinema.

Tags: First Knight review, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Sean Connery, 90s movies, Arthurian legend, Camelot movies, Jerry Zucker, bad romance movies, I Hate Critics Podcast, 1995 movies

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