Merlin: The Return

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Merlin: The Return
Directed by Paul Matthews
Written byPaul Matthews
Based onArthurian legend
Produced byElizabeth Matthews
Paul Matthews
Starring Rik Mayall
Patrick Bergin
Craig Sheffer
Adrian Paul
Tia Carrere
CinematographyVincent G. Cox
Edited byPeter Davies
Music byMark Thomas
Production
company
Allumination
Distributed byPeakviewing Transatlantic Plc
Release date
  • 22 December 2000 (2000-12-22)
Running time
90 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Box office£20,868 (UK) [1]

Merlin: The Return is a 2000 British fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Paul Matthews. The film stars Rik Mayall, Patrick Bergin, Craig Sheffer, Adrian Paul, Julie Hartley, and Tia Carrere. [2] It tells the story of Merlin and King Arthur in modern times. [3] [4]

Contents

Plot

For 1,500 years, the powers of Merlin (Rik Mayall) have kept the evil Mordred (Craig Sheffer) and his mother Morgana (Grethe Fox) captive in another world. When a present-day scientist (Tia Carrere) stumbles upon the gateway between this world and the one Mordred is imprisoned in, it is up to a recently re-awakened King Arthur (Patrick Bergin), Merlin and Lancelot (Adrian Paul) to stop Mordred from returning, [5] but Arthur seems more interested in slaying a large truck monster.

Cast

Reception

Critical reception for the film was mostly negative; [6] [7] [ improper synthesis? ] Michael Thomson of the BBC wrote, "It's almost as if director Paul Matthews had accepted a bet to make the worst possible film." [8] Time Out London commented that the film was "indifferently directed" but was "a harmless adventure". [9] Total Film, in summing up the film, wrote, "It's a word that has some might/It starts with `Sh'/And rhymes with kite...". [10]

References

  1. ↑ Mettler, Erinna; Wickham, Philip (31 December 2004). "UK Box Office for UK Feature Films Released in 2000". The Stats: An Overview of the Film, Television, Video and DVD Industries in the UK 1990–2003 (PDF). British Film Instituteyear=2006. p. 235. ISBN   1-84457-017-7.
  2. ↑ "Empire's Merlin The Return Movie Review". Empire Online. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  3. ↑ Peterson, Amy (2004). Mythology in Our Midst: A Guide to Cultural References. Greenwood. p. 114. ISBN   0313321922.
  4. ↑ "Review: Merlin the Return". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  5. ↑ Mark Deming (2008). "Rovi Review: Merlin: The Return". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  6. ↑ Harty, Kevin J (2010). Cinema Arthuriana: Twenty Essays. McFarland. pp. 26, 201, 209. ISBN   978-0786446834.
  7. ↑ "Merlin The Return". Entertainment.ie. 5 April 2001. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Review: Merlin: the Return". BBC. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "Review: Merlin: The Return". Time Out London. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  10. ↑ "Review: Merlin The Return". Total Film. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
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