Excalibur

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Movie Info & Cast

Director:

John Boorman

Producer:

John Boorman, Edgar F. Gross, Robert A. Eisenstein

Release Date:

Apr 10, 1981

Runtime:

2hr 20m

Synopsis

Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.

Cast

  • Nicol Williamson
  • Nigel Terry
  • Helen Mirren
  • Nicholas Clay
  • Cherie Lunghi
  • Corin Redgrave
  • Paul Geoffrey
  • Patrick Stewart
  • Gabriel Byrne
  • Liam Neeson

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.8
116.1K
44.9K
36.4K
RATINGS 1.9K FANS
3.8
  • May 6, 2017

    Probably the best movie ever made that could also be considered a porn parody

    2.3K Likes
    David Sims
    David Sims
    Jul 21, 2018

    Maybe cramming the entire Arthurian legend into 2 hours was a bit much, but man, it looks cool as hell.

    2.1K Likes
    Patrick Willems
    Patrick Willems
    Nov 26, 2013

    Acid psych-out ambivalence toward the Arthur-as-Christ backbone of this story. Boorman laments some bygone pagan natural harmony. Almost a Judeo-Christian KWAIDAN by way of Hammer Studios, and brutally violent with an often clumsy physicality (appropriate for 60 pounds of…

    1.4K Likes
    matt lynch
    matt lynch
  • Jul 25, 2026

    We’re not big on sword-and-sorcery around here but I’ve always loved this movie.  Gorgeous to look at, larger than life, and every choice feels bold.  The 3rd Act gets dark…goes deeper.  MVPs Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren, naturally. The Arrow 4K is why some of us got…

    474 Likes
    carrieandtracy
    carrieandtracy
    May 28, 2022

    that this comes six years after Monty Python & the Holy Grail brimming with cocksure confidence & chintz & Wagner is really funny (and really admirable!). congrats to the mad lads of Camelot

    459 Likes
    fran hoepfner
    fran hoepfner
    Aug 18, 2018

    Excalibur is quite the beautiful disaster, a filthy feast of psychedelic sorcery & blood served up by Chef Boorman. Arthurian legend coming to life as a hypnotically wonderius vision at the hands of a crazy master... Magic, insane battles, eye candy images galore—Excalibur…

    444 Likes
    Ian West
    Ian West
  •
    Feb 11, 2026

    The last time I revisited this I signed off with a "where is the 4K?" because even in subpar compressed rips of the old out of print Blu-ray or beat up 16mm prints it was easy to tell this was one of the most mesmerizingly beautiful sword & sorcery movies ever made. Happy…

    404 Likes
    Josh Lewis
    Josh Lewis
    Jun 20, 2025

    one thing among many that i love about this movie is that it seems like the screenwriters had never seen a movie before in their lives

    384 Likes
    cameron fetter
    cameron fetter
    Apr 7, 2021

    "The future has taken root in the present." "When a man lies, he murders some part of the world." "I didn't know how empty was my soul, until it was filled." just a balls to the wall incredible script. nobody writes like this anymore

    322 Likes
    Emma Stefansky
    Emma Stefansky

Queue Community Reviews

82%
Community 1,559
❤️ LOVE
21%
👍 LIKE
61%
😐 MEH
12%
👎 DISLIKE
6%
Top Reviews
  • zxki
    zxki loved
    Excalibur

    The all-time greatest adaptation of 'King Arthur'. A dark fantasy titan with mythical aesthetics. I watched this 6 months ago and have non-stop thought of it ever since. So much so, I bought a Blu-ray exclusive. The cinematography, score, costumes, sets, casting, practicality, locations, editing,…

    🔥 2 1Y
    Brenda M.
    Brenda M. liked
    Excalibur

    Been a minute but great 80s, medieval, fantasy gold! If I remember correctly, a VERY YOUNG Liam Neeson.

    👀 1 3Y
    Alex
    Alex liked
    Excalibur

    7.5/10, this film had incredible cinematography and locations were perfect. While it’s a faithful adaptation of the King Arthur story and details the entirety of it, some of the characters & storylines could’ve been fleshed out more. That being said, HELL YEAH DARK FANTASY!

    2Y
  • Nick Dubberly
    Nick Dubberly loved
    Excalibur

    This film holds a special place in my heart, probably because I watched it when I was way to young to! The fight scenes weren’t as good as I remember. Once they all ride out of Camelot to “O Fortuna”, it’s pure cinema! I’m still glad it will be in my collection forever.

    6M
    Steven Natalie
    Steven Natalie loved
    Excalibur

    Is a great old-school fantasy movie I love not having a lot of CGI if any in it. A lot of big-time actors that are pretty young in this which is cool to see. Overall, if you’re looking for an old school medieval fantasy movie, this is a great one to watch.

    10M
    Adiee
    Adiee is "meh" on
    Excalibur

    Merlin’s stupid little cap thing pmo so much Anyways, I thought the last act was rly good, but they definitely needed to condense some of the middle. It also is pretty dated, but the costumes and music is still very nice.

    12M
  • Batman
    Batman is "meh" on
    Excalibur

    It has its charm but there were some scenes that were done quite badly, and it wasn’t because of the special effects of the time, but because of the script. Merlin is such a funny character

    1Y
    Da channel Fire
    Da channel Fire liked
    Excalibur

    i love these over the top 80s fantasy movies! this movie sounds really cool, like the armor sounds so heavy. I was surprised with how good this movie was.

    8M
    bstewart
    bstewart loved
    Excalibur

    Beautiful, one of the best looking medieval movies ever made. Feels mystical, dreamy, and puts you into a fantastical period of history

    1Y

Atom Users Reviews

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Metacritic

56
metacritic
Based on 10 Critics
7.7

USER SCORE (22)

Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Reviews
63

What a wondrous vision Excalibur is! And what a mess.

Metacritic review by Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
50

Mr. Boorman takes these myths very seriously, but he has used them with a pretentiousness that obscures his vision.

Metacritic review by Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
The New York Times
60

John Boorman's 1981 retelling of the Arthurian legends is a continuation of the thematic thrust and visual plan of his Exorcist II, though the failure of that bold, hallucinatory, and flawed film seems to have put Boorman into partial retreat.

Metacritic review by Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Excalibur (1981) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is Excalibur (1981)?
The movie is 2hr 20min long.
What's Excalibur (1981) about?
Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.
Who's the cast of Excalibur (1981)?
  • Nicol Williamson as Merlin
  • Nigel Terry as King Arthur
  • Helen Mirren as Morgana
  • Nicholas Clay as Lancelot
  • Cherie Lunghi as Guenevere
  • Corin Redgrave as Cornwall
  • Paul Geoffrey as Perceval
  • Patrick Stewart as Leondegrance
  • Gabriel Byrne as Uther Pendragon
  • Liam Neeson as Gawain
Who's the director behind Excalibur (1981)?
John Boorman directed Excalibur (1981).
Who produced Excalibur (1981)?
John Boorman, Edgar F. Gross and Robert A. Eisenstein produced Excalibur (1981).