Arn Magnusson (Joakim Natterqvist) is the central character in a trilogy written by Swedish author Jan Guillou. Arn The Knight Templar is the first in the series, which was adapted to screenplay format by writer Hans Gunnarsson. We are introduced to Arn as a young man about to set out on his own in the world. We learn that, as a child, Arn was left in the care of monks after surviving a serious illness. The child's priestly mentor struggles with the idea of raising a child to be a monk. He does not disapprove when he discovers a member of the sect teaching the young man swordsmanship. When Arn comes of age, he is sent back to his family armed with a special sword that his teacher carried in combat during the Crusades in Jerusalem.
Arn arrives back to his family just in time to intercede in a dispute between the prominent family in Gothia (pre-Sweden) and his father. The Svenkers are a warrior clan that finds battle to be the most suitable method for settling disputes. Arn settles the dispute with minimal bloodshed, but not without earning some new enemies. The situation is complicated when he falls in love with Cecilia (Sofia Helin), a beautiful girl who has been promised to a member of the Svenker family in payment of her father's debts. When it is discovered that Cecilia is pregnant out of wedlock with Arn's child, they are both ex-Communicated. Cecilia is sent to a convent for a twenty-year penance, while Arn serves his penance as a Knight Templar fighting to defend Jerusalem. Twenty years is a long time for the two to wait to be reunited...if Arn can survive long enough to return to his homeland.
What Arn The Knight Templar lacks in epic battle scenes it makes up for with great writing, strong character development and subtle thematic elements. While the story has an undercurrent of religious corruption, the theme does not undercut the rest of the story. I never felt like the religious themes were preachy or overdone. The relationships in the film involved well-developed characters that were rendered skillfully. I felt engaged by the characters in a story that splits time between the two leads. While the film travels back and forth in time and location, the transitions remain smooth and easy to follow.
I did not have any trouble accepting Natterqvist as the strong male lead. He had a gentle nature that seemed inherent to the character he was portraying. I also had no trouble with Natterqvist as a tactician or swordsman. However, I was a bit less convinced by his more intimate relationships. I did not feel the chemistry between Natterqvist and Helin, which was an important facet of the film. Helin was strong, even with limited dialogue. As a strong female lead, her performance was convincing to me. The performances were strongest when they were not directly tied to the love story, which was well written but feebly executed. Milind Soman had incredible presence on screen as the intelligent but formidable Saladin.
The version of Arn The Knight Templar I watched was rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America. This 133 minute epic had plenty of bloodshed, some strong language, adult themes and very brief nudity. There was also a brief scene involving the flogging of a female character. The setting of the film and the story itself probably will not appeal to younger viewers. While there is some gore at times, it is kept at a minimum, so I would not be inclined to limit viewing of this film. The war related violence was contextual and less explicit than most other similar films I have seen lately. Run time is two hours, nineteen minutes.
Arn The Knight Templar provided an interesting love story set in medieval times. The epic feel of the film, the strong character development and the subtle themes all added to my enjoyment of the film. There were a few times when the special effects seemed cheap, but the effects were mostly well done. The battle scenes were limited for a war-themed film. Overall, I enjoyed many of the qualities that this film had on display. The issues I had with the film were minor. 8/10.
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