Saw a movie!

Again!

Yesterday I downloaded "Arn - The Knight Templar", the movie based on the Jan Guillou books. I saw it when it hit the cinemas, and have since read the books (again), so now I wanted to see it! Again.

I am aware of the fact that the movie got a bit of mixed reviews when it came out, but I actually liked it. Maybe I'm not inclined to be very objective, but none the less. I love the period it is set in, the clothes they wear, the intricacy of how religion, politics and kinship worked back in those days - and I dig a good sword fight. I remember when I saw it the first time the actor who portrays Arn Magnusson really didn't sit well with me, might be mean to say so but in just kept occurring to me that he looked a bit... daft. But now that I've seen it again that vacant, slightly lost expression really was in it's place, when he was let out of the convent after being there his entire upbringing he was bound to feel utterly clueless in the "low world".

Some has also whined about the movie being too "simple" and straightforward in contrast with the books - but this is the case in almost any film based on a novel. It might be especially obvious in this case, because in the novels people, clans, squabbles for honor and the crown, religion and politics are so intricately woven together that it's sometimes hard to keep up. But that one of the reasons why I love the Knights Templar series. It is one of the best books I've ever read, because I love historical novels, and I do genuinely care about the people involved, which to me is a crucial thing - if I don't sympathize or am intrigued by the characters involved I simply give up on them.

And I don't really care how historically incorrect they are, either - Guillou himself classified them as fiction, not pretending at that any of his characters were real. But some of the characters in the books are based on people who they know lived back then, and there are many references being made to key persons. Even thought the details and the plots of these novels are fiction, the general story of how Sweden originally were three kingdoms with kings chopping each other's heads off left and right, are based on reality. I for one feel I learned quite a bit about the general outline of the creation of Sweden.

It's definitely a movie worth seeing either you like epic battle scenes or a good love story. But I do suggest to anyone who doesn't flinch at the thought of picking up a book to read it instead. It's got everything; history, humor, politics, love and war.