Parents' Guide to

The Green Knight

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Sex, violence in knight's dreamlike, entrancing adventure.

Movie R 2021 125 minutes
The Green Knight Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 16+

Based on 10 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 16, 2022
age 15+

Takes its time to take you on the journey

This film is not what I expected, so that's good. It takes its tiiiiiiiime getting to the journey part which is where I thought we would start right off. It kind of La La Land's you a bit at the end, but Patel's performance is very strong as is Keoghan's and you want to know what is going to happen next. The choices are many and the ambiguity is fun (at least I think it is). It does not feel as deterministic as you think it will be. This film feels like it took a long time to film and that it cost a lot of money, but the cost is not as much as I thought and the quality is off the charts. Make more like this please.
2 people found this helpful.
jamesbondfan378
jamesbondfan378 Parent of 17-year-old
March 23, 2022
age 18+
It’s good loads of violence

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE GREEN KNIGHT, Gawain (Dev Patel) attends a Christmas celebration hosted by his uncle, the king (Sean Harris). The king asks to hear a story, but Gawain has none to tell. Suddenly, a strange being -- a tree shaped like a man -- enters. This "Green Knight" (Ralph Ineson) offers a game: Whoever dares to strike him with their sword wins his powerful ax, but then the striker must meet the Green Knight again in a year's time to receive a return blow. Gawain volunteers, and, with the king's sword, severs the Green Knight's head. However, the Green Knight simply picks up his head and rides off, laughing. A year later, Gawain realizes that he must keep his bargain or else face shame and dishonor. He rides off on an incredible adventure, facing bandits, giants, ghosts, enchantments, and more. And at the end of it, he must face the Green Knight once more -- and possibly lose his life.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10):
Kids say (8):

Many movies have been made around the legend of King Arthur and his knights, but none quite like this unusual, entrancing adventure, with its dreamlike touches, stirring movements, and quiet poetry. Prior to The Green Knight, writer-director David Lowery made a neo-Western, a children's fantasy about a dragon, an existential ghost story, and a true-crime story. This wide array of genres all showcased his special style: gentle, observant, and yet with a touch of the impossible. After Gawain's encounter with the woodsy title character in The Green Knight, Lowery lets us know that virtually anything can happen on Gawain's noble quest, and he fulfills that promise. Here, our hero can meet a cunning thief (a scene-stealing Barry Keoghan), a talking fox, a headless ghost, or a band of traveling giants.

All of it feels genuinely imaginative and surprisingly cohesive, perhaps touching a bit on the filmic styles of Kubrick or Malick but also diving into the uncharted unknown. Lowery even refrains from referencing the familiar names "King Arthur," "Guinevere," or "Morgan le Fay," deepening the film's dreamlike feel. Throughout, The Green Knight also wonders about the central purpose of Gawain's quest. Just what does honor actually mean, and what does it cost? What is the point of the Green Knight's game, if it has any point? And -- as Alicia Vikander's character, Essel, wonders -- why do we search for greatness, when goodness might be good enough?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Green Knight's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

  • Why must Gawain go on his adventure? What does he have to gain? What does he have to lose? How does he demonstrate courage?

  • What do you think the movie's ending means? What can we learn from Gawain's quest?

  • How are sex and nudity depicted in the movie? What values are imparted? Is sex here about love? Trust? Power? Why do you think so?

  • Is drinking glamorized in any way? Are there consequences for drinking? Why does that matter?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate