Amazon.com essential video: What kind of guy was the wizard Merlin, anyway? He lives a long time, raises a boy to be a king, props up a Utopian empire with his magic and wisdom, and then watches as it all crumbles under such banal forces as vengeance and betrayal. This four-hour miniseries re-tells the story of Camelot and King Arthur from the perspective of the magic man who sacrifices a great deal to guide mortals toward a better destiny. Sam Neill plays Merlin as an accessible, flesh-and-blood fellow of real passion, powerless to undo the spell of a rival (Rutger Hauer) who has virtually imprisoned Merlin's great love, Nimue (Isabella Rossellini), but gifted enough to counter the treachery of Morgan Le Fey (Helena Bonham Carter) and the wicked Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson). The battle sequences and special effects are striking and original, and it is great fun to see such art-house movie actors as Richardson, Carter, Neill, etc., in fantasy entertainment the whole family can enjoy. (An unrecognizable Martin Short must be singled out, however, for a wonderful, largely dramatic performance as Mab's sidekick, Frik.) Directed by Steve Barron (The Adventures of Pinocchio), Merlin is a nice bit of glossy revisionism of a beloved legend. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Merlin.....
Originally made as a TV miniseries, Merlin retells the famous legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard Merlin. Sam Neill stars in title role with co-stars Martin Short, Miranda Richardson, ... Read More
Rating: - A True Rarity
Merlin is a true rarity in mythological movies. That being a movie that actually follows the events of the myths. Showing the story from Merlin's point of view instead of Arthur's was brilliant. I found ... Read More
Rating: - A solid rendering -- full-screen version
For fantasy movie fans this one is a big winner. It's Merlin's story, told in retrospect by the old necromancer himself.
The casting is near perfect, the scenery and sets are superb, the cinematography ... Read More
Rating: - Merlin is a crowd pleaser
This movie is a timeless classic. This movie has an all star cast whose performances are just terrific. The effects even look believable for the critical 21st century eye.
Rating: - Debbie F.
Great,dependable service; return customer. Fast delivery. Always a pleasure buying from Amazon!! This is a great movie!! Highly recommended.
- Merlin.....
- A solid rendering -- full-screen version