source: Arn: The Knight Templar

I do recommend this film - there are some great references to medieval life and a very good transition from one language to the next...not a typical Hollywood film where even Saladin will know Swedish or for some odd reason nuns in a convent would be speaking in very strong American accents...but that being said... Contains a bundle of trailer worthy moments, however, does not build on any proper story line. Cuts in and out of the story to include so many other and it sometimes leads to a failure in a good flow and leaves the viewer wondering. But that being said, wasn't bad...good acting...some decent action...but an advice to the screenwriters and directors for any future endeavors: the writer wrote three books for a reason Watch it...it won't kill you

This production tried so hard to be great in every way. It certainly has the visuals to justify the budget. The acting was a bit stiff, especially the main character. I understand that his options were much more limited than what we have today. Maybe it's a point the director wanted to make, but instead produced a cardboard character. I kept thinking I was watching some sort of soap opera. It wrung the heart strings too often. At times, it seemed to drag a bit. Having said that I must give this movie kudos for depicting life as it might have been. The endless struggles between clans, kings and religions is pervasive. Much of the costuming was accurately simple. I don't regret seeing this epic, but I won't be buying the DVD.

This is one of those movies that actually makes sense, touching and accurate tales of old that is not Hollywood bloated with special effects.

If you have read the books, you would be as disappointed as me. The production has cut every important parts of this epic story. And I can't believe that this is scandinavias most expensive production ever. This series doesn't do the books or the author any justice

I read the books. I saw the movie. I was not impressed but I had to see it through. I heard this movie had the largest budget ever in Swedish cinema. This means little, and I had low expectations. They were pretty much fulfilled. Same old, same old. The script is fairly faithful to the books, but lack cinematic power. It could just as well have been a teve series. The actor Arn himself is actually a good choice but still a terrible one. He is unknown and untainted but it also makes him extremely uninteresting. Hopefully we are used to him in the next part and start to care. He does a good job since he isn't very pretentious. I am sick as hell of the Swedish pretentious actor corps. The only other comment I have on other characters is about Stellan Skarsgards. He overplays compared to the other actors in the movie. I honestly don't know if it is he or they should change. Overall it leaves me with a feeling of two almost-wasted hours that I have to sit out while waiting for the sequel.

From the mind of Swedens best selling author, Jan Guillou comes the tale of young Arn, a nobleman's son brought up in a monastery, and later charged to do penance as a knight in the holy land. The acting can at times best be described as sketchy, and the pace is slow for a supposed action movie. The sound score is a never ending string and choir act that doesn't add much for me, I just sat there wondering when all the racket would end. At some points I pondered leaving the cinema, but like a car wreck it's hard to stop watching, that is probably the strength of the movie,it's not bad enough to drive you out of the cinema. All in all a mediocre book made in to a abysmal movie.

I absolutely love Sofia Helin, which is why i watched this. Also, i love historical dramas such as Vikings. I was disappointed with this movie, especially for a Scandinavian film. The story is generic and superficial. The characters are cardboard cutouts. They have no depth and there is nothing creative or original in the characters or scripts. For example, almost all Sofia does is display emotion and smile, looking stunning. It is a waste of the many fine actors and of all the money spent on it.

Very poor movie overall. It had its chance. Nice battle scenes, nice actors, nice effects and great costumes. But the music is slow and boring, as is the entire action. There is no plot, no suspense, the pace is slow, the actors are just staring and waiting a lot. Lots of scenes are completely unrealistic. And there is too much cheap usage of exaggerated pathetism and too many cheap clichés. The prince and the princess are good and pure, the villains are mean and stupid and say exactly the mean and standard lines they are expected to say.

Not even close to the actual events and the true story. Typical Western fabrication.