A fallen warrior rises against a corrupt and sadistic ruler to avenge his dishonored master in a sword-clashing adventure of loyalty, honor, and vengeance. Written by

Plot Synopsis:
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Bartok watches over his estate, a vassal kingdom to a great empire. Protecting the Bartok clan is Commander Raiden and his elite soldiers, who serve and protect Bartok. Raiden is surprised when Bartok tells him he is to be his heir, and gives him a sword. The empire has become corrupted and the evil minister, Geza Mott, humiliates Bartok by beating him with a stick for failing to provide an adequate bribe, until Bartok retaliateswhich is treason against the crown. Bartok is put to trial where he speaks openly of his disdain for what honour has become in the empire. He is sentenced to death and Raiden is ordered to execute his own master. Bartok's estate is divided and Raiden and the Bartok clan is disbanded. Geza Mott suspects Raiden will demand vengeance, and has his trusted warrior, Ito, watch Raiden to ensure there is no possibility of revenge.

A year passes and we find Raiden is now a drunk. Geza is still highly fearful of Raiden's wrath and demands half his father-in-law's troops to safeguard him while he completes construction of his newly fortified estate, more soldiers than the emperor's own security detail. Raiden's wife, Naomi, couldn't bear to be with him as he had fallen so low, with Raiden even selling his sword for more drink. When Bartok's virgin daughter is offered to Raiden in a whorehouse he shows no concern for her, but leaves the premises. Geza finally relaxes and stops watching Raiden. It is now revealed that Raiden and the Bartok clan soldiers sacrificed everything for the illusion of a complete defeat, and have been waiting for the right time to gather together and regain the clan honour by avenging their master's death.

Raiden's men have been working in secret, building up contacts and connections, and gathering intelligence about Geza's estate - even secretly altering his estate to help them in their cause. As Raiden's men infiltrate the estate, we find that Auguste secretly made a pact with Raiden to help him, in exchange for Raiden's help to free his daughter from her marriage to Geza Mott. Geza has always mistreated Auguste's daughter which, along with Bartok's execution, causes Auguste to see that his vicious son-in-law has no honour. Raiden and his men successfully infiltrate Geza's estate, are discovered, and Raiden's group has to face a large number of soldiers.

Raiden's men fall one by one as they enter deep into Geza's estate. Ito took responsibility for his complacency and duels with Raiden, but unfortunately Ito's sword fails and Raiden kills him. Raiden breaks into Geza's bedroom and decapitates him. With Geza dead, Raiden's surviving group rescue Bartok's daughter and tell her that Bartok's honour is restored. The Emperor discusses with his council how to deal with Bartok's soldiers, and they caution him against the risk of turning the people against the crown. They realise that the public view Geza's death a righteous one, and widely support the Bartok clan. The council strongly suggests that any judgement should restore their honour, rather than make them martyrs. Raiden asks that he be the only one executed for Geza's death.

The crown publicly admits the righteousness of the Bartok clan, but also reminds the crowd that killing a high council member is still the same as an attack on the emperor and Raiden will be executed. Before his execution, Raiden charges Lt. Cortez to take control of the surviving Bartok clan. Once inside, he sees Naomi one last time to apologize for her suffering before making peace with his own life. Raiden lowers his head with his eyes closed, and as the executioner draws back his sword, Raiden's eyes suddenly open wide and the screen goes to black . . . leaving hope that he survived.

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Dobby Mon from Neverland
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I am compelled to write my first review after 4 years on IMDb due to the bad reviews by critics. First off, I completely enjoyed this movie. I loved the initial setting which took about an hour which others complained to be too long but I felt that laid a good foundation for the plot to continue.

The second half could've been better but I'm not complaining. This was much better than Ridley Scott's Robin Hood when compared to a medieval story. What lacked in this movie was more character development and overall depth to both the story and characters. The details of storming the castle are also just gone through quickly without any importance. I feel like this could've been a 3 hour saga of excellent medieval story had the director gone with it. A fully developed story with multidimensional characters would've been perfect. Both Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman gave wonderful performances and as someone who loves their movies I felt satisfied just to see them in these particular roles.

Overall, don't miss this one just because of some harsh critic ratings. I felt entertained and this is one movie which did not let me down at all when compared with other medieval stories of the past few years.

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mytelecaster67 from Sweden
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Good actors and they did deliver. Good camera work and OK action scenes. Director has done a good job with what he had to work with. Unfortunately the whole story was thin. If filmmakers can take a comic book issue and make a good movie based on the story, I wonder, was this script written on the inside of a matchbook? The story begins and ends but that's basically it. It's boring, slow and unimaginative. It does not hurt to watch the movie, it's a pretty beautiful illustration but it leaves no lasting aftertaste. Do not pass this movie if you like the genre but save it for a bad weather day. Feels awkward to say that I give this movie 4 because it was well made so I rather put it that this movie lost 6 stars because it was boring.

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matt-208-23276
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I just watched this film and, honestly, I find the single review posted here to be wholly ludicrous - one star indeed.

There's a sizable group of talented actors and actresses in this film that give some very respectable performances. If fighting scenes are all you look for in a film like this then yes, it might feel boring to you. But for most others you'll find a well executed story that portrays honor in a time when honor was everything.

Production was accurate, continuity is good, and the story keeps you interested. It's not, by any means, a fresh story line - but there's a reason it's an old standard. Casting was well done, and Clive Owen, as always, does not disappoint. In fact, the entire cast did a commendable job and that can not be said for the majority of contemporary films.

So, to wrap up; if you're strictly an "action" viewer, you may not enjoy this movie. But if you enjoy a good story that isn't entirely predictable, you might just enjoy this film.

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estebangonzalez10 from Ecuador
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"The code was simple: Possess an absolute devotion to one's Master." Last Knights is Japanese director, Kazuaki Kiriya's third feature film, but his first one with well known Hollywood actors. What he attempts to do here is blend the familiar story of the 47 Ronin and adapt it to the Medieval world of knights. Why would you want to trade samurai soldiers for knights? I have no idea because it actually doesn't work. You have these men living by a code of honor similar to the samurai, but there is nothing fresh or unique about the idea because the entire story becomes completely predictable and generic. During this feudal world, Captain Raiden (Clive Owen) is completely devoted to serving the house of Bartok (Morgan Freeman), his wealthy and caring Master. Second in command is another loyal knight, Lt. Cortez (Cliff Curtis). These knights live by a strong code of honor and respect for their Master, but when Bartok is dishonored by the Emperor's corrupt adviser, Gezza Mott (Aksel Hennie), the knights are dismantled. Will the knights be able to rise again and avenge their Master or will they fall into despair and go back to their old ways? If you've seen any samurai movie you probably know what to expect. The greatest issue I had with Last Knights is its lack of originality. We've seen the film played out many times before and that makes the pacing of the film feel incredibly tedious because we know what is going to happen next. Kiriya tries to take his time establishing the setting and building the characters, but since we've seen this world before it doesn't do anything for the audience. Clive Owen is a fine actor, but he's even played this role before in King Arthur, a knight who is completely devoted to the cause. Morgan Freeman is one of those actors who you could close your eyes just to hear him speak and that is basically why he's in this, to narrate the introduction of the film and set the premise. Last Knights can easily be divided into three acts, the first being the introduction of each character and the injustice they must face, the second which takes up most part of the film centers on the build-up of each character, and the third part of the film and by far the most exciting is the climax where vengeance is coming. The problem is that neither the introduction or the character development manage to engage the audience and everything is taken way too seriously for us to be entertained by it. The characters are completely one dimensional. Only Clive Owen gets to play a meaty role, but everyone else is simply playing a stereotypical character in a film like this. And even watching Owen on screen you can't help but feel the familiarity of having seen him play this role before. The villain is perhaps the best example of how stereotypical the characters in this film are. You couldn't have Aksel Hennie play a more evil or sadistic man than he is here: he beats his wife, abuses people, accepts bribes from other noble men, and to top things off he hurts animals. He's also a coward who surrounds himself with thousands of guards and a heavy fortified home. That is what actually makes the final climax scene quite entertaining. The action is delivered quite well and it makes up for some of the tedious pacing during the first 80 minutes of the film. Is it enough to recommend the film? Not even close.

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quincytheodore from Indonesia
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It's odd that a medieval fantasy movie with respectable cast nearly flies off radar. Last Knights is not an epic tale, in fact the plot heavily resembles that of 47 Ronin and considering even Keanu Reeves' journey is inspired by multitude of per-existing works, this plot is unoriginal at best. The pacing is slow, creating a rather bloated runtime. Still, the cast as well as cinematography produce nice atmosphere, especially in latter half, just making Last Knights a moderately enjoyable popcorn flick.

Raiden (Clive Owen) is a commander with a dark past, he was taken by his lord Bartok (Morgan Freeman) and granted opportunity to lead the knights. As a man of integrity Bartok openly opposes Minister Gezza Mott (Aksel Hennie), this doesn't end up well for him as he loses his land and riches, amongst other things. Thus the tale of coping and possible vengeance begins. The premise is far too predictable, more so if you have watched 47 Ronin, the screenplay almost mirrors one another.

Clive Owen has the rugged commander look, but he doesn't seem engaging. I can't help but seeing the solemn Keanu Reeves' persona as neither of them barely exhibits any meaningful expression. Morgan Freeman is as dependable as ever, he's charismatic and does pretty much what one expected. As for the villain, Aksel Hennie performs admirably. He does seem corrupt, conniving and slightly paranoid. The script gives him ominous vibe that audience would love to hate.

Supporting cast is oriented towards the mix of European and Asian, props for the casting department to pull off the eclectic assemble. They also have some experience in action movies and TV shows overall, so it's not all obscure faces. The setting puts emphasis on hybrid culture, architectures and costumes appear to be from ancient Persia with an oriental touch. It's a quaint atmosphere and presents a few lavish set pieces. Cinematography uses grayish filter for most of these areas and outfits, in exception of certain characters or definitive environment which are more vibrant.

While it looks presentable, the plot may deter some audiences. Its script tries to engage with intriguing lines, and it's mildly successful. Unfortunately, the film spends more than half of its runtime stuttering to find its rhythm. This is made worse by the outdated screenplay, the plot devices are not only foreseeable, they are also heavy-handed in execution.

The last act fares better as it offers more polished action sequences, although there is no surprise twist to be had here. Last Knights is made from tired elements of the genres, it doesn't do enough for a fascinating spectacle. However, with a presentable graphic and production design, it's barely sufficient for a light watch.

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davish_wulf-1 from Portugal
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Far away, in the land of Fog, there is no color to be found, except a pinkish red here and there and lots of gold tones in the Palace of a wuss landlord, that looks like a Chinese guy, with the face of a Swedish with a wig. In this far away land, people have no past or bother to tell it anyway, except for a drunkard of a leader, who commands a bunch of swordsmen mercenaries, with a honor code. Now this swordsmen must have found the secret of the ultimate sword, because the swords both seem Oriental and Occidental at the same time and have no hand-guards... who needs them? Milleniums of evolution in sword-making must have resulted in this ultimate weapon, a sword without a hand-guard...

Now to put a story in one page, wuss landlord manages to get the drunkard's master killed, ordered by a Hindu looking puppet Emperor. Drunkard goes away in shame, pretends to drink his life away but in the end gets his revenge, together with his nameless, multi-raced warriors. Oh they have a name, I just don't think i cared, or listened. Characters in Fog land are bland, without history or soul, just like pictures in a book, a black and white book where every race comes around, Oriental, Occidental, you name it.... i wonder what the cultural roots are in this land, did they all come from a multi-race Pandora box?

In the end, I could care less if the drunkard died, if the wuss was going to have another panic attack, if there was honor or not involved... the movie lacks spirit, soul, charisma & interest.

It seems in Fog land, after climbing a wall, you can immediately attack from the sky, make impossible moves during fights and brandish weapons like toothpicks.

Clive seems to have fallen from Arthur, but alas, his acting skills together with Freeman's usual charisma can't hold a candle to a lousy script, terrible character development and movie pace.

Fantasy or reality, Oriental or Occidental, even the swords don't seem right.... movie tries to do everything and accomplishes anything but sheer boredom.

2 Stars for Freeman +1 for the achievement of getting this fine actor in such a lousy picture.

Next.... in color please

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sajjadzaidi
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A "historic" piece about knights, castles, emperors and power struggles, starring the likes of Morgan Freeman, Clive Owen and Cliff Curtis. Sounds pretty amazing. Except, it is a confusing mess of the most overused clich�s.

Clich�d and wooden dialog, predictable storyline and overused effects. Everything is shown as pure good or pure evil. Complete waste of Freeman's talents. Little to no character development.

I get that it's a fictional place and time, but the main aim of the whole movie appears to be political correctness rather than telling a good story. Randomly putting people of different races in different roles, then randomly assigning them costumes and weaponry from different cultures is not political correctness.

Had to keep watching because of a friend who despite the obvious, couldn't guess how it would end. Would highly advise skipping this one.

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Theo Robertson from Isle Of Bute, Scotland
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A film starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman ? Hardly striking casting but Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman starring in ye olde merry days of Europe . Ah I've got it now Owen will be playing a medieval king and Freeman will be playing a character picked up from his travels , you can still have non-white characters in a movie set in Europe five hundred years ago . Oh hold on Morgan Freeman plays the king ! Add to this Indian and Asiatic cast members and you've got something that doesn't really work

I'm going to have to be very careful what I say here in case I'm picked up wrong but If you're casting a medieval movie and you've employed the united colours of Benneton there should be a good reason for this . In fact it's the perfect opportunity to make a screwball post modernist satire similar to BLAZING SADDLES with swords and one wonders how much fun Quinten Tarantino would have had with LAST KNIGHTS ? Here however there's not the slightest hint of self awareness , post modernism , irony or anything else hinting that the film is laughing at itself or its audience or its genre

This is the major failing of LAST KNIGHTS and I don't think I've seen such a serious , po -faced film for a long time , Each and every single scene is treated with absolute reverent seriousness , so much so you fear that anyone rustling sweet papers or coughing in the cinema will instantly be put to death . Someone somewhere behind the scenes seems to be under the impression the more serious a film is it equates to it being a better film . This is certainly not the case here otherwise it'd a serious contender for best picture at next years Oscars . I do concede it has more chance than FIFTY SHDES OF GREY of winning awards that's hardly an earth shattering prediction

Ignoring the suggestion that medieval Europe was a melting pot there is an annoying irritant that is far harder to ignore and that is everyone tends to speak in a different sounding accent . Some characters have oriental accents , some English accents , some American accents and some characters have generic European accents and when they're all speaking heavy sombre Shakespearian type dialogue it's hugely annoying and distracting . If you're doing a film like this at least have an exclusive classically trained Brit cast all speaking in the same accent or do the absolute opposite and have Samuel L Jackson ride in to town to chop off some mother effing heads with a mother effing sword . Now that would be a great film

Oh BTW can the people who worked on the film please stop registering with the site so they can write a glowing review saying LAST KNIGHTS deserved 10/10 . Thanks in advance

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Amrit Tamang from Germany
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First, I have to say that I did enjoy watching it. Perhaps it was seeing (spoiler alert!!!) the 2013 47 Ronin just the other day that gave the story a bit of a stale taste to it, though. It is pretty plain to see that the story follows the same historical template. The movie seems nicely directed and all the characters are well balanced. Peyman Moaadi really played the role of the emperor well but also Aksel Hennie did shine as the villain Gezza Mott. Especially the latter role might have easily been overplayed. The effects, props and makeup are well done, which is another point where such a straight forward movies, following a well-known story, may easily could have failed. We have good action and a solid story untainted by trashiness but also without any real surprise. There is the hero, Owen as Raiden, who (spoiler!!!) seems to become a drinker, which is however a scheme that is revealed only towards the last part of the movie. While it is nicely done, it is likely not come as a surprise.

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s3276169
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Last Knight taps into the fantasy sword and sandals genre. Its set in a fictional empire with a medieval style hierarchy of Emperors, nobles and knights.

The film has a samurai flavour too, with notions of honour and sacrifice for ones liege lord. The sets are excellent and the acting is fair. Where this film fails miserably is in the story telling department.

The enjoyable portions of this film take place in the first and last twenty or so minutes. What happens in between, can only be described as long winded and excruciatingly dull.

As a consequence, whilst I liked aspects of this film, I can in no way recommend it. Four out of ten from me.

Although not mentioned the story is a remake of the 47 Ronin (1941). Genroku Ch�shingura (original title)
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Dave Legeno's last film before his untimely death.
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sword and shield|

AKAs Titles:
(working title) - The Last Knights
(working title) - The Last Knights of AKO
Lithuania - Paskutiniai riteriai
Portugal - Os �šltimos Cavaleiros
Russia - �Ÿо�ледние �€�‹�†а�€и
Turkey (Turkish title) - Son Sovalyeler

Release Dates:


Certifications:
Australia:MA15+ (2015) / Philippines:R-13 / Portugal:M/12 / UK:12A / USA:R