Black Knight (film)
Encyclopedia
Black Knight is a 2001 American comedy film
starring Martin Lawrence
. The film was directed by Gil Junger
, whose experience was primarily with television sitcoms. In addition to Lawrence, Black Knight had a supporting cast of Marsha Thomason
, Tom Wilkinson, Vincent Regan
, and Kevin Conway.
The film was released in November 2001 and went on to gross $39,976,235 at the worldwide box office
. The film was shot at various locations in North Carolina
. The two prime spots used in North Carolina were Wilmington, North Carolina
and Carolina Beach, NC.
) is an everyday slacker with a job at a crummy theme park called Medieval World, which is about to receive big competition from another theme park, Castle World. While cleaning a moat
surrounding the park, he finds a medallion in the moat and when he tries to retrieve it he gets sucked into the past. He awakes in an alternate universe version of England
, 1328, where he is first met by a drunkard named Knolte. He then searches for Medieval World, but he finds a castle that he thinks is Castle World, so he decides to check it out. The tenants of the castle believe him to be a French
Moor
, from Normandy
, because he tells them he is from Florence
and Normandie
, the notorious intersection in South Central Los Angeles where Reginald Denny was attacked by blacks during the Rodney King riots.
Jamal is soon taken in by the reigning king, King Leo (Kevin Conway). He is assumed to be a messenger from Normandy who the king believes to be bringing news of an alliance between England and Normandy. Although at first Jamal thinks that all the people around him are just actors in a theme park he changes his mind when he witnesses a beheading. He gives his name as Jamal "Sky" Walker after his high school basketball nickname, and, after gaining trust from the king by accidentally preventing his assassination
, Jamal is made a lord and head of security. While all of this is going on, Jamal finds out about the ruthless way the king came to power by overthrowing the former queen. He learns from Victoria (Marsha Thomason
), a chambermaid, and Sir Knolte (Tom Wilkinson
), a former knight of the queen who has become an alcoholic and whom he met when he first awoke there. Through their help and his own realization of the situation, Jamal soon understands he must help overthrow King Leo and help restore the queen to her throne. He manages to convince decimated rebels to gather their forces and overthrow the king.
After the Queen's reign is restored, Jamal is knighted by her and during the dubbing he awakes back at Medieval World surrounded by his co-workers and a medical team who saved him from drowning in the moat. After being saved Jamal's whole attitude changes and he helps his boss to make Medieval World better so that Castle World will not run them out of business. Later on, Jamal takes a walk around the new Medieval World and he meets a woman named Nicole (Marsha Thomason
) who looks just like Victoria. They talk a little and he asks her out to lunch. Unfortunately, Jamal forgets to get Nicole's number and when he tries to catch up to her, he accidentally falls back into the moat, and wakes up in Ancient Rome
, where he is about to be devoured by lion
s.
, where the "critical consensus" was stated as "Black Knight feels like a lazily constructed movie, filled with lame gags and constant mugging from Lawrence."
. This theme has been used for several other films in the past, including:
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring Martin Lawrence
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
. The film was directed by Gil Junger
Gil Junger
Gil Junger is an American director for Touchstone Pictures, most famous for 10 Things I Hate About You, his directorial film debut...
, whose experience was primarily with television sitcoms. In addition to Lawrence, Black Knight had a supporting cast of Marsha Thomason
Marsha Thomason
Marsha Lisa Thomason is an English actress, who is known in the United States for playing Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC series Las Vegas, for her recurring role on ABC's Lost as Naomi Dorrit, and for playing FBI agent Diana Berrigan on USA Network's White Collar.-Early...
, Tom Wilkinson, Vincent Regan
Vincent Regan
-Career:Regan was born in Swansea on 16 May 1965, the son of Irish immigrants. As a youth he moved to Ireland with his parents, but returned to Britain and attended St Joseph's College, Ipswich in Suffolk....
, and Kevin Conway.
The film was released in November 2001 and went on to gross $39,976,235 at the worldwide box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
. The film was shot at various locations in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The two prime spots used in North Carolina were Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
and Carolina Beach, NC.
Plot
Jamal Walker (Martin LawrenceMartin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
) is an everyday slacker with a job at a crummy theme park called Medieval World, which is about to receive big competition from another theme park, Castle World. While cleaning a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
surrounding the park, he finds a medallion in the moat and when he tries to retrieve it he gets sucked into the past. He awakes in an alternate universe version of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 1328, where he is first met by a drunkard named Knolte. He then searches for Medieval World, but he finds a castle that he thinks is Castle World, so he decides to check it out. The tenants of the castle believe him to be a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Moor
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
, from Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, because he tells them he is from Florence
Florence Avenue
Florence Avenue is a west-east street in Los Angeles County that starts off as Mills Road at Janine Drive in Whittier. At Telegraph Road, it changes to Florence...
and Normandie
Normandie Avenue
Normandie Avenue is one of Los Angeles County's longest north-south streets. With a stretch of about 22.5 miles , it lies between Vermont Avenue and Western Avenue, starting off north of Franklin Avenue. At Wilshire Boulevard, the Metro Purple Line intersects at an underground subway station. ...
, the notorious intersection in South Central Los Angeles where Reginald Denny was attacked by blacks during the Rodney King riots.
Jamal is soon taken in by the reigning king, King Leo (Kevin Conway). He is assumed to be a messenger from Normandy who the king believes to be bringing news of an alliance between England and Normandy. Although at first Jamal thinks that all the people around him are just actors in a theme park he changes his mind when he witnesses a beheading. He gives his name as Jamal "Sky" Walker after his high school basketball nickname, and, after gaining trust from the king by accidentally preventing his assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
, Jamal is made a lord and head of security. While all of this is going on, Jamal finds out about the ruthless way the king came to power by overthrowing the former queen. He learns from Victoria (Marsha Thomason
Marsha Thomason
Marsha Lisa Thomason is an English actress, who is known in the United States for playing Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC series Las Vegas, for her recurring role on ABC's Lost as Naomi Dorrit, and for playing FBI agent Diana Berrigan on USA Network's White Collar.-Early...
), a chambermaid, and Sir Knolte (Tom Wilkinson
Tom Wilkinson
Thomas Geoffrey "Tom" Wilkinson, OBE is a British actor. He has twice been nominated for an Academy Award for his roles in In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton...
), a former knight of the queen who has become an alcoholic and whom he met when he first awoke there. Through their help and his own realization of the situation, Jamal soon understands he must help overthrow King Leo and help restore the queen to her throne. He manages to convince decimated rebels to gather their forces and overthrow the king.
After the Queen's reign is restored, Jamal is knighted by her and during the dubbing he awakes back at Medieval World surrounded by his co-workers and a medical team who saved him from drowning in the moat. After being saved Jamal's whole attitude changes and he helps his boss to make Medieval World better so that Castle World will not run them out of business. Later on, Jamal takes a walk around the new Medieval World and he meets a woman named Nicole (Marsha Thomason
Marsha Thomason
Marsha Lisa Thomason is an English actress, who is known in the United States for playing Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC series Las Vegas, for her recurring role on ABC's Lost as Naomi Dorrit, and for playing FBI agent Diana Berrigan on USA Network's White Collar.-Early...
) who looks just like Victoria. They talk a little and he asks her out to lunch. Unfortunately, Jamal forgets to get Nicole's number and when he tries to catch up to her, he accidentally falls back into the moat, and wakes up in Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, where he is about to be devoured by lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s.
Cast
- Martin LawrenceMartin LawrenceMartin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
as Jamal Walker/Skywalker - Marsha ThomasonMarsha ThomasonMarsha Lisa Thomason is an English actress, who is known in the United States for playing Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC series Las Vegas, for her recurring role on ABC's Lost as Naomi Dorrit, and for playing FBI agent Diana Berrigan on USA Network's White Collar.-Early...
as Victoria the Chambermaid/Nicole - Tom WilkinsonTom WilkinsonThomas Geoffrey "Tom" Wilkinson, OBE is a British actor. He has twice been nominated for an Academy Award for his roles in In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton...
as Sir Knolte of Marlborough - Kevin Conway as King Leo
- Vincent ReganVincent Regan-Career:Regan was born in Swansea on 16 May 1965, the son of Irish immigrants. As a youth he moved to Ireland with his parents, but returned to Britain and attended St Joseph's College, Ipswich in Suffolk....
as Percival - Daryl MitchellDaryl MitchellDaryl "Chill" Mitchell is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Dexter Walker on The John Larroquette Show, Leo Michaels on Veronica's Closet, and Eli Goggins on Ed....
as Steve - Michael Countryman as Phillip
- Jeannette Weegar as Princess Regina
- Erik Jensen as Derek
- Dikran Tulane as Dennis
- Helen Carey as The Queen
Critical reaction
The film garnered mostly negative reviews, receiving 13% on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, where the "critical consensus" was stated as "Black Knight feels like a lazily constructed movie, filled with lame gags and constant mugging from Lawrence."
Motion Picture Sound Editors
- Nominated for Golden Reel AwardGolden Reel AwardGolden Reel Award may refer to:* Golden Reel Award , presented by the Genie Awards to high-grossing Canadian films...
for Best Sound Editing - Music - Feature Film, Domestic and Foreign
Similar stories
The plot line of a modern individual being transported into the Middle Ages was used as the basis for Mark Twain's 1889 novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's CourtA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is an 1889 novel by American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The book was originally titled A Yankee in King Arthur's Court...
. This theme has been used for several other films in the past, including:
- Fox's 1921 silent A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
- The 1931 film A Connecticut Yankee, starring Will RogersWill RogersWilliam "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
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and Rhonda FlemingRhonda FlemingRhonda Fleming , is an American film and television actress.She acted in more than 40 films, mostly in the 1940s and 1950s, and became renowned as one of the most beautiful and glamorous actresses of her day... - Disney's 1979 Unidentified Flying Oddball (US title) / Spaceman and King Arthur (UK title), starring Kenneth MoreKenneth MoreKenneth Gilbert More CBE was a highly successful English film actor during the post-World War II era and starred in many feature films, often in the role of an archetypal carefree and happy-go-lucky middle-class gentleman.-Early life:Kenneth More was born in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the...
- The 1979 Bugs BunnyBugs BunnyBugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
special A Connecticut Rabbit In King Arthur's Court - A 1989 TV movie A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, starring Keshia Knight PulliamKeshia Knight PulliamKeshia Knight Pulliam is an American actress. She is most recognized for her childhood role as Rudy Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Currently, she appears as reformed con artist Miranda Lucas-Payne on the TBS comedy-drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Personal life:Keshia...
of The Cosby ShowThe Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992... - Disney's 1995 A Kid in King Arthur's CourtA Kid in King Arthur's CourtA Kid in King Arthur's Court is a 1995 film directed by Michael Gottlieb. It is based on the famous Mark Twain novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, transplanted into the twentieth century....
, starring Thomas Ian NicholasThomas Ian NicholasThomas Ian Nicholas is an American film actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and writer. Nicholas is best known for playing Henry Rowengartner in Rookie of the Year and Kevin Myers in the American Pie film series....
of American Pie - The 1998 A Knight in Camelot, starring Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
- The 2006 SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
episode Dunces and Dragons
External links
- Black Knight at Yahoo! MoviesYahoo! MoviesYahoo! Movies , provided by the Yahoo! network, is home to a large collection of information on movies, past and new releases, trailers and clips, box office information, and showtimes and movie theater information. Yahoo! Movies also includes red carpet photos, actor galleries, and production...