Last Knights

{{short description|2015 film by Kazuaki Kiriya}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox film | name = Last Knights | image = Last Knights poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Kazuaki Kiriya]] | producer = Luci Kim | writer = Michael Konyves Dove Sussman | starring = [[Clive Owen]] [[Cliff Curtis]] [[Aksel Hennie]] [[Peyman Moaadi]] [[Ayelet Zurer]] [[Shohreh Aghdashloo]] [[Ahn Sung-ki]] [[Morgan Freeman]] | music = Nicolas Neidhardt Satnam Ramgotra Martin Tillman | cinematography = Antonio Riestra | editing = [[Mark Sanger]] | studio = [[Grindstone Entertainment Group]] Luka Productions Czech Anglo Productions | distributor = [[Lionsgate Films|Lionsgate]] | released = {{Film date|2015|4|3|df=y}}<ref>https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Last-Knights#tab=summary</ref> | runtime = 115 minutes<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/last-knights-film |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210071733/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/last-knights-film |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 December 2018 |title=The Last Knights |date=2015-03-30 |publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |access-date=2018-12-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/last-knights/review/784052 |title=''Last Knights'': Film Review |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |date=2015-03-25 |access-date=2015-04-03 |first=Frank |last=Scheck}}</ref> | country = [[United Kingdom]] [[South Korea]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nicholson|first1=Amy|title=South Korea Wants to Dominate Pop Culture, and This Movie Is a Big Step|url=http://www.laweekly.com/film/south-korea-wants-to-dominate-pop-culture-and-this-movie-is-a-big-step-5464747|website=L.A. Weekly|access-date=13 July 2017|date=1 April 2015}}</ref> [[Czech Republic]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Last Knights: Morgan Freeman a Clive Owen točí v ČR|url=http://www.fandimefilmu.cz/clanek/2018-the-last-knights-morgan-freeman-a-clive-owen-toci-v-cr|website=FandímeFilmu.cz|access-date=13 July 2017|language=cs}}</ref> | language = [[English language|English]] | budget = $19.2 million<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fastlaneng.louisianaeconomicdevelopment.com/public/search/ent |title=Initial Certification Search|website=Fastlane NextGen|format=Type "Last Knights" in the search box |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref> | gross = $1.8 million<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2493486/|title=Last Knights|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=27 December 2021}}</ref> }}

'''''Last Knights''''' is a 2015 [[action film|action]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Kazuaki Kiriya]] and written by [[Michael Konyves]] and Dove Sussman, based loosely on (and [[Westernization|Westernizing]], for the most part) the Japanese legend of the [[forty-seven rōnin]].<ref name=NYPStewart>{{cite news|author1=Stewart, Sara |title=Freeman, Owen casualties of bloody bad ''Last Knights''|url=https://nypost.com/2015/04/01/freeman-owen-casualties-of-bloody-bad-last-knights/|website=New York Post|access-date=8 June 2015|date=2015-04-01|quote=Immersing the Japanese samurai legend of the 47 ronin — recently told in 2013's ''47 Ronin'' – in a gloomy, multiethnic ''Game of Thrones'' aesthetic}}</ref><ref name=TBNWZumpe>{{cite web|author1=Zumpe, Lee Clark |title=Kazuaki Kiriya's Last Knights falls short of expectations|url=http://www.tbnweekly.com/editorial/local_entertainment/movie_news/content_articles/040615_lemovies-03.txt|website=Tbnweekly.com|publisher=Tampa Bay Newspapers|date=2015-04-06|quote=If it sounds a bit familiar, that's probably because "Last Knights" mirrors the tale of the 47 Ronin.}}</ref> The film, a joint production between the UK, Czech Republic and South Korea, stars [[Clive Owen]] and [[Morgan Freeman]] in the lead roles. It centres on a band of warriors who seek to avenge the loss of their master at the hands of a corrupt minister.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kay|first=Jeremy|title=Clive Owen, Morgan Freeman to star in The Last Knights|url=http://www.screendaily.com/home/afm/clive-owen-morgan-freeman-to-star-in-the-last-knights/5048358.article|work=[[Screen International]]|access-date=2012-12-01|date=31 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ji|first=Yong-jin|title=Korean Capital and Crews Enters Hollywood Mainstream|url=http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/news.jsp?mode=VIEW&seq=2019|work=[[Korean Film Council]]|date=20 November 2012|access-date=2012-12-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lee|first=Hye-ji|title=Park Si-yeon, Ahn Seong-gi to Work with Morgan Freeman in Korea-funded Hollywood Pic|url=http://www.tenasia.co.kr/?construct=newContent&fz=news&gisaNo=2012111910103944810|work=10Asia|date=19 November 2012|access-date=2012-12-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Park Si-yeon Excited to Work with Morgan Freeman on ''The Last Knights''|url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/12/01/2012120100391.html|work=[[The Chosun Ilbo]]|date=1 December 2012|access-date=2012-12-01}}</ref>

The film had its limited release on 3 April 2015, by [[Lionsgate Films|Lionsgate]] and was released to [[video on demand]] on 30 June 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Last-Knights#tab=summary|title=Last Knights |work=The Numbers|access-date=22 June 2015}}</ref> The film was dedicated to the memory of actor [[Dave Legeno]], who died in 2014.

==Plot==  Commander Raiden is surprised when aging nobleman Bartok makes him heir to his kingdom, a vassal to a corrupt empire. When minister Geza Mott beats Bartok for failing to provide an adequate bribe, Bartok retaliates and is put to trial where he denounces the loss of honour in the empire. Raiden is ordered to execute his master Bartok, whose clan is disbanded and estate divided. Geza has his warrior Ito watch Raiden lest he seek revenge.

A year passes and Geza, still fearful of Raiden, demands half his father-in-law Auguste's troops to protect construction of his newly fortified estate, and is promoted to First Councillor to the Emperor. The Emperor chides Geza for his paranoid behavior over Raiden who is now a drunkard. Raiden has sold his sword for drink, his wife has left him, and he is hated by his men for killing Bartok. Geza relaxes his watch on Raiden.

Raiden and the Bartok clan soldiers have sacrificed everything for the illusion of complete defeat, while preparing to avenge Bartok's death. Auguste, an old friend of Bartok, has made a pact to help Raiden in return for freeing his daughter from her abusive marriage to Geza. Raiden and his men infiltrate Geza's estate and face Geza's soldiers.

Raiden kills Ito in a duel; Ito's men surrender to him. Raiden breaks into Geza's bedroom and decapitates him as his men rescue Bartok's daughter.  The Emperor's council realises the public view Geza's death as righteous and widely support the Bartok clan. They caution him against the risk of turning the people against the crown. Raiden asks that only he be executed for Geza's death.

The crown publicly acknowledges the righteousness of the Bartok clan, but reminds the crowd that killing a high council member is the same as an attack on the emperor and Raiden will be executed. Raiden charges Lieutenant Cortez to take control of the Bartok clan. In flashback, he apologises to Naomi. Raiden lowers his head with his eyes closed, and as the executioner draws his sword back, Raiden's eyes suddenly open wide as the screen goes to black.

==Cast== * [[Clive Owen]] as Raiden * [[Morgan Freeman]] as Bartok * [[Cliff Curtis]] as Lieutenant Cortez * [[Aksel Hennie]] as Geza Mott * [[Dave Legeno]] as Olaf * [[Ayelet Zurer]] as Naomi * [[Shohreh Aghdashloo]] as Maria * [[Ahn Sung-ki]] as Auguste * [[Tsuyoshi Ihara]] as Ito * [[Park Si-yeon]] as Hannah * Hannah Rose Caton as Lilly * [[:it:Giorgio Caputo|Giorgio Caputo]] as Slim Tully * James Babson as Fat Jim * [[Payman Maadi]] as Emperor * Noah Silver as Gabriel

==Reception== {{expand section|date=October 2015}} On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 16% based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 3.3/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "As blandly unimaginative as its title, ''Last Knights'' revisits well-worn sword-and-sandal tropes without adding anything new—or interesting—to the genre."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/last_knights/ |title=Last Knights (2015) |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]] |access-date=May 4, 2022 }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 27 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/last-knights |title=Last Knights Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=2022-04-03 }}</ref>

Manohla Dargis of ''[[The New York Times]]'' said the film "proves as square and blandly manly as an old ''[[Prince Valiant]]'' comic strip."<ref>{{cite web |date=3 April 2015 |last1=Dargis |first1=Manohla |author1-link=Manohla Dargis |title=Review: 'Last Knights' Has Sword Swinging and Cape Twirling in the Name of Revenge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/movies/review-last-knights-has-sword-swinging-and-cape-twirling-in-the-name-of-revenge.html |website=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref>

Justin Chang of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote: "Last Knights is a fairly ludicrous mystery and a so-so action movie, but it's nonetheless been constructed with an earnest attention to detail that shouldn't be taken for granted."<ref>{{cite web |date=25 March 2015 |last1=Chang |first1=Justin |title=Film Review: 'Last Knights' |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/last-knights-film-review-1201459719/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] }}</ref>

Max Nicholson of ''[[IGN]]'' awarded it a score of 5.8 out of 10, saying "''Last Knights'' doesn't quite rise to the challenge, despite good leads in Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman."<ref>{{cite web |date=2015-04-02 |last=Nicholson |first=Max |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/04/02/last-knights-review |title=Last Knights Review |work=[[IGN]] |access-date=2020-07-11 }}</ref>

Tim Grierson of ''[[Screen International]]'' described the film as a conventional medieval action drama that relies heavily on familiar genre tropes such as themes of honor and revenge. While Clive Owen's performance as Raiden was praised for its gravity and believability, the film overall was criticized as generic and predictable.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grierson |first=Tim |last2=critic |first2=Senior US |title='Last Knights': Review |url=https://www.screendaily.com/last-knights-review/5084135.article |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=Screen |language=en}}</ref>

Claudia Puig ''of [[USA Today]]'' criticized ''Last Knights'' as a sluggish and overlong drama that squandered the talents of its strong ensemble cast. She faulted the film for its stilted dialogue, weak pacing, and unconvincing special effects, concluding that it lacked energy or originality.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Puig |first=Claudia |title=Clive Owen should have left 'Last Knights' behind |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2015/04/02/last-knights-review/70808268/ |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title|2493486|Last Knights}}

[[Category:2015 films]] [[Category:2015 action drama films]] [[Category:British action drama films]] [[Category:Czech action drama films]] [[Category:Films about capital punishment]] [[Category:Films about friendship]] [[Category:British films about revenge]] [[Category:Films shot in the Czech Republic]] [[Category:Lionsgate films]] [[Category:South Korean action drama films]] [[Category:English-language Czech films]] [[Category:English-language South Korean films]] [[Category:2015 English-language films]] [[Category:2015 British films]] [[Category:2015 South Korean films]] [[Category:English-language action drama films]] [[Category:Films about the Forty-seven Ronin]]