Cheap Merlin (DVD) (Sam Neill, Helena Bonham Carter) (Steve Barron) Price

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Customer Reviews of Merlin

Pap, but has at least minimum chortle factor.
I think they were trying to go for a cross between Excalibur and Legend, but it ended up like the Weather (ITV) and Changing Rooms, with excessive access to Miranda Richardson's mouth. The best bit in the entire film is when Rutger Hauer as Vautigan is about to attack Uther Pendragon's army, and says "Charge" like the end was inevitable (his career that is). Brilliant Rutger! I laughed my head off. I was looking for anything by Monty Python when I got this, and I must say, I wasn't entirely disappointed.
Maybe they were aiming this film at a younger audience, but wanted it to appeal to older viewers too, it just comes across as schizophrenic. The script is rubbish, nine year old children could write with more feeling, I think the 'legend advisor' may have had a hand in the writing as it sounds like a researcher's list of facts than realistic dialogue. But I did laugh, so it gets 2 stars. (Assuming that 1 star equals zero, as you're not allowed to rate that low).

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Jeez
This is a Fantasy story people, not a historical account! As a fantasy story it is chock full of fantasy elements, and as a story, the writer took liberties with the historical events. I think it is a good fantasy story and is worth watching/ reading

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"Another wasted effort" doesn't know their Merlin mythos!
A review complains about the extra characters in Merlin and complains that they do not exist in Arthurian Mythos well frankly there are dozens and dozens of Arthurian myths, legends and even myself who has been reading Arhtur myths for over 20 years has not read them all so I doubt they can have as well.
And interestingly enough they are actualy completely wrong about one of those characters. Nimue was most certainly a major portion of Merlin's life she is the woman who trapped Merlin in a spell of sleep and prevented him from helping Arthur before he dies. She was Merlin's lover in some tales and his nemesis too in others so obviously that other reviewer really doesn't know their Arthur mythos.
And here is the thing, folks should not compare this to the film Excalibur...Excalibur was about ARTHUR this film is called MERLIN people!!!
This is a wonderful film using element of Merlin's legends and making up a few new ones. This is a piece of fiction just like every thing else written about the wizard so how can it possibly be wrong when there is no Merlin nor is there one true text about his life. TH White wrote about Merlin differently than the old myths and legends as did John Steinbeck and Sir Thomas Mallory are their books then not worth reading? OF course not.
THERE IS NO ONE TRUE ARTHURIAN TEXT! It is myth and legend and the story can be told anyway a film maker or writter wishes. That is what creativity is all about not to copy someone elses story but to create your own vision.
This is a fabulous film well acted, directed and told and I've enjoyed it for years. Sam Neil is definitly an interesting version of Merlin..while I have a stronger liking for Nicol Williamson's Excalibur Merlin I still very much enjoy this one. And using Queen Mab from celtic myths and legends which some of the older Arthur tales sources are from was very creative.