In this blog post, I’ll revisit the film ‘Knight William’—which combines modern music, costumes, and sophisticated cinematography while drawing on the classic coming-of-age narrative of medieval chivalric literature—to examine its genre fusion, the charm of its characters, and William’s unwavering sincerity.

There Are No Knights

As the saying goes, “There is nothing new under the sun,” and all art—and people—are much the same today as they were 100 years ago. The stories they tell and the tones they convey are no exception. Therefore, it is variation alone—under the guise of “creation”—that allows us to fully savor the joy of the creator. Nothing could be created out of thin air without building upon the past. The film ‘Knight William’ can be said to have benefited greatly from this very aspect.
The film is set in the Middle Ages. Like any run-of-the-mill medieval chivalric tale, it is a coming-of-age story about a knight who loves a woman, seeks to change his fate, takes on challenges, and dreams of the outlandish—a film that follows his journey. It’s the kind of story that could easily be considered trite a hundred times over.
However, the film takes us by surprise right from the start. For example, the music that confidently kicks off the opening is Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” Even though we’ve just seen knights falling nobly to the ground accompanied by a majestic narration, the fact that 20th-century rock music appears so brazenly is a development that defies imagination. It’s as if the film is mocking audiences who turned it on thinking it was a tribute to chivalry. No, I mean any audience who recognized the medieval setting—regardless of whether it’s a tribute to chivalry or not!
As such, the film’s entire soundtrack consists of rock or fast-paced electronic music. This fusion isn’t limited to the film’s music alone. Such an anachronistic blend is present throughout the film. Even the costumes are designed to feel somehow modern. Toward the end, outfits that look almost like T-shirts pop up left and right, and even sheer fabrics—which are trendy these days—make an appearance. By then, that had already become part of the film’s unique charm.
In other words, the audience’s tolerance itself was broad from the very beginning. This puts the film in a very advantageous position. A certain degree of eccentricity isn’t seen as a mistake but becomes an integral part of the film’s unique character.
The same phenomenon is evident in the cinematography. While the story is classic, the shot design is highly sophisticated. The cathedral scene in the middle of the film, when William reappears to woo Josling, is truly impressive. The wide shot, which looks as if everything has been set up on a theater stage, moves only within a two-dimensional plane. However, this cinematographic technique does not detract from the film’s immersive quality in the slightest. On the contrary, the atmosphere that meticulously fills every inch of the frame captivates us. In addition, various sophisticated and experimental shot designs—such as high-angle shots, low-angle shots, and high-speed filming—play a significant role in making the film rich and varied.

Finding Ourselves in Classical Chivalry

Now, let’s turn to the story. I’m not sure if the spirit of chivalry blends well with the modern world. At least to me—though this may be because I’ve never actually lived in the Middle Ages—the spirit of chivalry itself feels no different from who we are today.
I see myself not only in this film but in all classical literature. The distinct setting of the Middle Ages actually leads us to perceive it as a fable. In this way, I saw myself in ‘Knight William’ as well.
Stories, by their very nature, are already a blend of various elements, so the term “fusion” doesn’t seem quite fitting. Of course, in terms of form, there may be orthodox narratives, experimental ones, or new narrative styles, but my logic is that human nature itself cannot be fused. People are already a fusion from the moment they’re born—so what’s the big deal!
And the genre elements in this movie aren’t connected in a ridiculous or implausible way. In short, after watching it, I don’t feel like I’ve been fooled by a fake. Occasionally, there are unnecessary exaggerations or omissions that feel like superfluous additions to the two-hour runtime, but I think we can overlook that to some extent. After all, good art isn’t defined solely by everything being perfectly in sync, is it?
And those minor flaws are more than made up for by the film’s incredibly vivid characters. Every single one of them is distinct. The utterly preposterous Sir William and the many characters who assist him form intricate relationships, and their distinct personalities provide plenty to enjoy.
Of course, this might be seen as a clichéd approach to character development, but even without a logical explanation, I found these characters utterly endearing. It’s not easy to pinpoint exactly why someone is simply “likable.”
Above all, even though it may seem unrealistic throughout the entire two-hour runtime, the sight of William steadfastly holding onto his sincerity still tugs at my heartstrings. What you’re born with doesn’t matter. No one was a knight from the start.