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Last Knights (2015)

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Film Review: ‘Last Knights’

Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman star in this cut-rate, moderately engaging medieval actioner.

By Justin Chang

Justin Chang

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About 20 minutes or so into the bizarre European/Asian/Middle Eastern fusion cuisine that is “Last Knights,” Morgan Freeman delivers a speech as only Morgan Freeman can — the sort of blazingly eloquent, morally fiery declaration of principles that usually precedes a character’s righteous victory or his agonizing defeat. Freeman exits far too soon, but his presence is enough to momentarily jog your interest in this cut-rate, off-Hollywood debut for Japanese action helmer Kaz I Kiriya, starring Clive Owen as a medieval fighter who seeks to avenge his master’s death. Rapidly tilting into so-clever-it’s-stupid territory, the story hinges on the sort of dramatic plot twist that exists mainly to delay the inevitable bloodletting for as long as possible, though when it finally arrives, the mayhem is engaging enough on its own workmanlike terms. Following a brief theatrical window, the Lionsgate release should swing and parry its way into respectable VOD play.

He may be killing it on Cinemax’s “The Knick,” but Owen has floundered of late in his search for a big-screen vehicle worthy of his talents, and “Last Knights” doesn’t exactly buck the trend. Set in an unnamed empire governed by ancient feudal traditions and utopian racial politics, the story centers on Raiden (Owen), a skilled warrior who serves as loyal manservant and wise counselor to the nobleman Bartok (Freeman). Like other lords of the realm, Bartok is invited to pay his respects to a corrupt authority figure named Gezza Mott (Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie, fey and loathsome), but refuses to cough up the expensive bribe that is expected of him — an insult that leads to a physical altercation and ultimately earns Bartok a death sentence from the all-powerful Emperor (Iranian actor Peyman Moaadi, “A Separation”).

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It’s at this point that Bartok gives his deeply stirring speech: In full view of his prosecutors, he gravely rebukes himself and his fellow colleagues for having allowed Gezza Mott to abuse his power and extort money from others. It’s a rare instance of rhetorical force in the screenplay (by Michael Konyves and Dove Sussman), and Freeman plays his martyrdom moment to the hilt. In a particularly cruel twist of the knife, it’s Raiden himself who is forced to administer the fatal beheading, cutting down a master he’s grown to love the way a son loves a father. Not long thereafter, Bartok’s house is dismantled, his family is dispersed, and his men (a motley assortment of faces including Cliff Curtis, Giorgio Caputo, Val Lauren and Michael Lombardi) are dismissed. Raiden, racked with guilt and despair, sells his precious sword — a gift from Bartok himself — and falls into a wretched yearlong spiral of boozing and whoring, driving away his faithful wife (Ayelet Zurer) in the process.

Meanwhile, Gezza Mott locks himself away in his heavily fortified compound, yells insults at his personal bodyguard (Tsuyoshi Ihara), and is unable to shake the feeling that somehow, somewhere, his misdeeds are going to come back to haunt him. (Ye think?) Since it’s a foregone conclusion that the movie will end with Raiden and his men exacting bloody revenge, there’s something simultaneously exasperating and enjoyable about the lengths to which the filmmakers go in order to throw us off the narrative scent, patiently building to a revelation (if that’s the word) that borrows not just a narrative trick but a crucial image from the climax of “The Usual Suspects.”

“Last Knights” is a fairly ludicrous mystery and a so-so action movie, but it’s nonetheless been constructed with an earnest attention to detail that shouldn’t be taken for granted. The red herrings, for all their obviousness, are lined up with meticulous care. There’s a similar deftness to the staging of the combat sequences, which proceed methodically from one obstacle to the next as our heroes storm the castle, neatly immersing us in the logistics of how to lower a drawbridge and penetrate an enemy lair while evading detection for as long as possible. In its narrative structure and its climactic action, the movie means to impress upon us the value of collaboration and perseverance, as well as the pleasure of seeing so many seemingly disparate puzzle pieces coming together as a unified whole.

Unfortunately, it’s “Last Knights” that itself never fully comes together, as Kiriya — a proficient enough craftsman whose action chops were apparent in his 2004 debut, “Casshern” — fails to bring his vision of ancient times to fully coherent life. Admirably colorblind though it may be, the international casting (which includes the welcome presence of South Korean veteran Ahn Sung-ki as Gezza Mott’s wise father-in-law) somehow manages to seem at once calculated and arbitrary; the effect is that of an old-fashioned Europudding production with slightly more exotic garnishes than usual. Owen, though watchable as ever, never gets a compelling grip on a character who barely exists in two dimensions. And while d.p. Antonio Riestra effectively captures the mood of the picture (shot in the Czech Republic) with a steel-gray palette in scenic widescreen compositions, some of the f/x work is glaringly subpar: You’ve seen winter-themed screensavers with more persuasive-looking snowfall.

Reviewed at Lionsgate screening room, Santa Monica, Calif., March 10, 2015. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 115 MIN.

Production: A Lionsgate release of a Grindstone Entertainment Group presentation of a Luka production in association with Union Investment Partners, Timewise Investment and DMM.com. Produced by Luci Kim, Kaz I Kiriya. Executive producers, Kate Hong, Lee Jea Woo, Choi Pyung-ho, Keishi Kameyama, Hiroshi Matsumura, Kang Yeong-shin, Andrew Man, Jim Thompson, Bae Yong-kook, Russell Levine, Chip Diggins, Jay Stern, Barry Brooker, Stan Wertlieb, Nick Thurlow, Gary Hamilton. Co-producers, Kevan Van Thompson, Joyce Heeyoung Cho, Michelle Chubarov McIntosh. Co-executive producers, Ryan Black, Cha Won Chun, Samuel Yeunju Ha, Huh Soo Young.
Crew: Directed by Kaz I Kiriya. Screenplay, Michael Konyves, Dove Sussman. Camera (color, widescreen), Antonio Riestra; editor, Mark Sanger; music, Martin Tillmann, Satnam Ramgotra; music supervisor, Andy Ross; production designer, Ricky Eyres; costume designer, Tina Kalivas; visual effects supervisor, Seong Ho Jang; second unit director, Doo Hung Jung, casting, Tricia Wood, Deborah Aquila, Jennifer Smith.
With: Clive Owen, Cliff Curtis, Aksel Hennie, Peyman Moaadi, Ayelet Zurer, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ahn Sung-ki, Morgan Freeman.

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Review: ‘Last Knights’ Has Sword Swinging and Cape Twirling in the Name of Revenge

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By Manohla Dargis

April 2, 2015

“Last Knights,” a medieval-esque potboiler, features a lineup of pedigreed jaw-clenchers who can swing swords without letting their paychecks show too much. Among the nimblest is Clive Owen, who makes fast and furious with a sword in between uttering lines like “I’m Commander Raiden of the Seventh Rank” and “I follow you, my lord.” That would be his liege and ours, Morgan Freeman, whose job here is to gild the mold, as in: “During the long, dark period of the great wars, an elite class of soldier rose from battle. Their unbreakable code was simple.”

The code is as simplistic as announced and mostly involves men, honor, vengeance, cool-looking fights and the fantasy of the good death, the kind that ends with blood garnishing a scene rather than curdling the mood. The movie’s lineage can be traced to perennial favorites like the story of 47 Ronin, in which loyal vassals avenge their master; its reason for being doubtless owes something to “Game of Thrones,” with its tribal warfare, Shakespearean overtones and international appeal . Much as in 47 Ronin, Mr. Freeman’s character, Lord Bartok, insults a member of the corrupt court and pays a disastrous price, leading to various downwardly spiraling calamities: His palace is torched, his land seized and his people turned out. Commander Raiden, meanwhile, goes on an exceedingly long bender.

The Japanese director, Kazuaki Kiriya, establishes his action-flick bona fides soon after the movie opens with some deep-forest slicing, dicing, clanging and cape-and-blade twirling. Form shares the stage with function both in this inaugural match and in later fights, where the graceful arc of a cape, the metallic scrape of an unsheathing sword, the stillness of a face and even the pauses register as meaningfully as palpable hits. When Raiden freezes, catlike, after a whirling dervish move, the moment invokes those used in karate demonstrations. They look cool, but they also resonate. Or, as George Balanchine once wrote : “A pause, an interruption, is never empty space between indicated sounds. It is not just nothing. It acts as a carrying agent from the last sound to the next one.”

In classic B-movie tradition, the story is just the stuff that holds together the weapon fetishism and the battles, the costumes and the poses. With Bartok gone, Raiden and his no-longer merry men struggle to adapt to their new normal even as their foes, the emperor (Payman Maadi) and his villainous adviser, Geza Mott (Aksel Hennie), continue their reign of terror, which mainly seems to involve robbing the restless nobility. Geza Mott, as befits his wringing hands and headbanging moniker, also slaps around his wife, Hannah (Park Si-Yeon). There’s plenty of spousal abuse in this man’s world and even Raiden ends up spending his days and nights quaffing booze or stumbling through the streets, allowing his wife, Naomi (Ayelet Zurer), to suffer in dim, unflattering lighting.

Ms. Zurer’s casting is worth noting because she’s an age-appropriate foil for Mr. Owen, a fairly unusual occurrence, and because, as an Israeli, she’s part of the movie’s internationalism. Among the familiar faces are Mr. Maadi, who played the husband in the Iranian art-house hit “A Separation”; the Iranian-born actress Shohreh Aghdashloo; the New Zealand utility player Cliff Curtis; and the Korean-Japanese actor Tsuyoshi Ihara. Years ago, the largely disparaging descriptor Euro-pudding emerged for European co-productions that crossed borders in terms of their financing if not necessarily their stories. By contrast, global goulash like “Last Knights” — which was shot in the Czech Republic — is located in only one domain: that realm known as the international marketplace.

Its cast aside, “Last Knights” proves as square and blandly manly as an old “ Prince Valiant ” comic strip. Mr. Owen’s hairdo and the faint smile edging his lips are more fetching than anything about Val, and the movie’s violence is more explicit than in most vintage comics, but “Knights” also works by combining narrative simplicity with moral certitude and appealing graphics. When Raiden and his men go into battle, their jet-black horses look as if they’ve been obsessively-compulsively dyed to match their riders’ leathery accouterments. Yet what those riders do isn’t all that different from what happens in a “Prince Valiant” panel: “The men put their gear in order and carefully sharpen their swords.” As is often the case in genre cinema, everything is different and exactly the same.

“Last Knights” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardians). Bloody swordplay and one startlingly mobile beheaded body.

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Last Knights Reviews

Kiriya's film moves through well-known paths, creating a nice movie that doesn't exaggerate in its digital effects nor treats the viewer like a fool. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Apr 29, 2020

The only thing that might have saved this film from being a complete snooze-fest would have been some unintentional humour, but Last Knights doesn't even have the decency to be camp.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Dec 10, 2018

Last Knights is both better and worse than Outcast, aka That One With Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen and Truly Awful Haircuts.

Full Review | Sep 21, 2016

There's a distinct lack of excitement and sense of adventure that underlines Japanese director Kazuaki Kiriya's medieval-fantasy, Last Knights; a slow, puzzling and dreary sword-and-sandals action that is devoid of any energy.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Jun 2, 2016

[It] most specifically reminds one of those bland, abandoned fantasy films that seemed to just materialize from nowhere on video-store shelves in the late 90's.

Full Review | Original Score: D+ | Feb 23, 2016

It's crushingly dull and an utter waste of talent.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Dec 18, 2015

Serious to a fault, Last Knights is a two hour drama that hides a leaner, meaner 90 minute war machine.

Full Review | May 27, 2015

Combines elements of both the typical revenge plot thriller, and then the Game of Thrones inspired castles and brothels environment - offering absolutely nothing that we haven't seen before.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 15, 2015

This is an unrelentingly dour take on the fantasy genre, ditching the wizards, dragons and rampant nudity - aka, the fun stuff.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 13, 2015

A dreadfully boring slog that takes itself far too seriously.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 10, 2015

It's a drag, clichd and tedious, but hey, at least Owen and Freeman can make their rent this month.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Apr 3, 2015

This thing is so garbled and goofy it plays like a parody. Except it's not.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Apr 3, 2015

"Last Knights" is so thoroughly mediocre, so dully empty, that it's difficult to summon the enthusiasm to trash it. And yet, duty calls.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Apr 3, 2015

Once upon a time, filmmakers had the luxury of giving their genre movies time to breathe; you don't see much of that on a big scale any more. I loved this movie, warts and all.

Full Review | Apr 3, 2015

A movie this silly should be prefaced with an apology: "Um, about Last Knights ... "

Full Review | Original Score: 0.5/4 | Apr 3, 2015

Its cast aside, "Last Knights" proves as square and blandly manly as an old "Prince Valiant" comic strip.

Full Review | Apr 2, 2015

As predictable as the wrap-up of one of D.W. Griffith's moralistic epics. What's surprising is how much Last Knights feels as if Griffith's ghost could have directed it.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Apr 2, 2015

The movie's handful of action scenes are decent, but it's so overstuffed with exposition and dull plot points that it's hard to really care about the story or characters.

Full Review | Original Score: 5.8/10 | Apr 2, 2015

There isn't much in the movie that you can't see on cable TV, where the action is bloodier and more energetic, but there's something old-fashioned about Last Knights that's appealing.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 2, 2015

Cobbled together from memories of better movies, Last Knights makes a hash of sword-and-sandal clichés.

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‘last knights’: film review.

Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman headline an international cast in this sword-clashing tale of revenge and honor.

By THR Staff

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Last Knights Still - H 2015

“Only time will tell how we’re remembered,” intones Clive Owen in the new sword-clanging revenge epic in which he gets all medieval on our asses. Unfortunately, time—hell, not even the present—is likely to be kind to this misbegotten film which squanders the talents of not only Owen, enjoying a career resurgence thanks to his acclaimed turn in Cinemax’s The Knick , but also Morgan Freeman . The latter—spoiler alert—at least manages to exit the proceedings fairly early on. Filmed several years ago but only now getting a limited release in theaters and on VOD, Last Knights should have been left moldering on the shelf.

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Last Knights

Where to Watch

Clive Owen (Raiden) Morgan Freeman (Bartok) Aksel Hennie (Geza Mott) Payman Maadi (Emperor) Cliff Curtis (Lt. Cortez) Tsuyoshi Ihara (Ito) Ahn Sung-ki (Auguste) Park Si-yeon (Hannah) Noah Silver (Gabriel) Ayelet Zurer (Naomi)

Kazuaki Kiriya

A fallen warrior rises against a corrupt and sadistic ruler to avenge his dishonored master.

More about Last Knights

Clive owen and morgan freeman are the last knights of this humorless slog.

The heroes of Last Knights live by an ancient warrior’s code, which is another way of saying that they’re sullen, …

Flickering Myth

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Movie Review – Last Knights (2015)

April 17, 2015 by Gary Collinson

Last Knights , 2015.

Directed by Kazuaki Kiriya. Starring Clive Owen, Morgan Freeman, Aksel Hennie, Cliff Curtis, Dave Legeno and Ayelet Zurer.

Academy Award Nominee Clive Owen delivers an electrifying performance as a fallen warrior who rises against a corrupt and sadistic ruler to avenge his dishonored master, Academy Award Winner Morgan Freeman in this epic, sword-clashing adventure of loyalty, honor, and vengeance.

If Blockbuster was still a feature of the high street, you would find Last Knights at the bottom of the bargain bin next to a 90s Jennifer Lopez rom-com. Director Kazuaki Kiriya squanders a fairly impressive cast-who frankly look more interested in what they’re going to have for dinner than the source material-and creates a film impressively humourless, dull and painfully mediocre.

Morgan Freeman stars as Bartok, a wise leader with a hankering for motivational speeches, who after 20 minutes dies after all but teasing a corrupt minister (Aksel Hennie). Hennie does as any cliched dictator does and acts a bit of a dick. Enter Clive Owen who attempts to assemble a group of knights to enact revenge-although you have to swim through a sea of exposition, rubbish set-pieces and grossly uninteresting characters to create even the tiniest bit of enthusiasm to reach the half decent final action sequence.

Although these action sequences look as if shot in minutes, by students, off the M1. The cinematography only makes the situation greyer, and far more glum. Frankly, it’s impossible to care who lives or dies when you haven’t a clue who is fighting. Similarly, the editing-scattershot and lazy-worsens the occasion, stretching the film to what feels like a life time.

The characters are interchangeable, the action sequences tedious and the script dull (really, really, really dull). The Blockbuster bargain bin would be too much praise.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ / Movie: ★

Thomas Harris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pnc360pUDRI&list=PL18yMRIfoszFLSgML6ddazw180SXMvMz5

About Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a film, television and digital content producer and writer, founder of the pop culture website FlickeringMyth.com, and producer of the upcoming gothic horror feature film 'The Baby in the Basket'. He previously spent a decade teaching and lecturing in film and media, and is also the author of the book 'Holy Franchise, Batman! Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Screen'.

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Home > Last Knights Ending Explained

Last Knights Ending Explained
UPDATED: February 13, 2024

Last Knights, a film blending elements of medieval and samurai narratives, presents a gripping tale of honor, vengeance, and sacrifice. Directed by Kazuaki Kiriya and starring Clive Owen as Commander Raiden and Morgan Freeman as Bartok, the film draws inspiration from the Japanese legend of the 47 rōnin, tailoring it into a unique cinematic experience.

Introduction

Last Knights embarks on a journey through a feudal landscape, where the bond between a nobleman and his loyal commander is tested against the backdrop of a corrupt empire. When Bartok, an aging nobleman played by Morgan Freeman, faces humiliation and injustice at the hands of the corrupt minister Geza Mott, portrayed by Aksel Hennie, the story sets the stage for a profound exploration of loyalty and honor.

Plot Overview

The plot unfolds with Bartok’s refusal to bribe Geza Mott, leading to his brutal beating and subsequent trial where he openly criticizes the empire’s loss of honor. This act of defiance results in Bartok’s execution, carried out by his own loyal commander, Raiden, under the orders of the corrupt regime. The disbandment of Bartok’s clan and the division of his estate leave Raiden and his men in despair, setting the groundwork for a meticulously planned revenge against Geza Mott.

The Quest for Vengeance

As the narrative progresses, Raiden, initially portrayed as a fallen warrior succumbing to alcohol and despair, is revealed to have orchestrated a facade to mislead Geza Mott and his watchful eyes. The turning point comes when Raiden and the remnants of Bartok’s clan, with the support of Bartok’s old friend Auguste, launch a daring assault on Geza’s fortified estate. The ensuing confrontation is a testament to their unwavering commitment to avenge their master’s death and restore their honor.

Climactic Resolution

The climax of Last Knights is marked by intense swordplay and strategic warfare, culminating in Raiden’s face-off against Ito, Geza’s loyal warrior, and eventually Raiden’s decapitation of Geza himself. This act of retribution is met with widespread public support, forcing the empire to acknowledge the righteousness of Raiden’s cause, albeit with the harsh reality that Raiden must face execution for his actions against a high council member.

The Ending Unveiled

The film concludes on a poignant note, with Raiden accepting his fate and entrusting the future of the Bartok clan to Lieutenant Cortez. A final flashback reveals Raiden’s heartfelt apology to his wife, Naomi, signifying his peace with the sacrifices made. The closing scene, with Raiden’s sudden opening of his eyes before the screen cuts to black, leaves the audience pondering the true cost of honor and vengeance in a corrupt world.

Last Knights serves as a compelling narrative on the themes of loyalty, honor, and the relentless pursuit of justice against tyranny. Despite mixed critical reception, with Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic highlighting its struggle to bring new elements to the sword-and-sandal genre, the film’s dedication to storytelling and character development offers a riveting exploration of age-old themes through the lens of an action-packed medieval setting.

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Review: ‘Last Knights’ a pale ‘Game of Thrones’ wannabe

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Armor-clad hooey straight from the “Game of Thrones” imitation playbook, although decidedly less cynical than HBO’s wily political saga, the medieval-tinged adventure “Last Knights” will test your patience for speeches about honor, grim declarations of loyalty and pre-battle glowering.

Japanese director Kazuaki Kiriya’s handsomely straightforward but humorless tale, written by Michael Konyves and Dove Sussman, concerns a tight band of warriors led by Raiden (a suitably commander-like Clive Owen), who seek revenge for the unjust treatment of their master Bartok (Morgan Freeman), a principled lord openly defying the emperor’s corrupt minister (Aksel Hennie). The first hour is a wintry talkathon, while the second — set a year later and concerning plans for a climactic castle siege — plays like the dreariest feudal heist movie until the swordplay starts.

The most intriguing feature is the movie’s nation-blind casting, imagining a feudal world with faces and accents from South Korea, Norway, Japan and Iran. (Although the dialogue doesn’t always help a few of the English-as-second-language performances.) But even with this admirably international approach to fantasy roles, it’s noteworthy that none of the warriors or leaders — the ones who drive the story — are played by women, meaning a great actress such as Shohreh Aghdashloo is relegated to a few pained expressions as Freeman’s worried wife. “Last Knights,” as generic as it is, is nevertheless a Boys Club.

----------------------

“Last Knights”

MPAA rating: R for some violence.

Running time: 1 hour, 55 minutes.

Playing: At Sundance Sunset, West Hollywood.

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Last knights, common sense media reviewers.

Great cast is wasted in violent but dull revenge story.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie is mostly about revenge and deception.

The characters are sullen and violent and indulge

Heavy fantasy-style violence. Swords; bows and arr

A husband and wife kiss. A woman in a tavern is of

The main character is said to have overcome a drin

Positive Messages

Positive role models.

The characters are sullen and violent and indulge in vices like drinking and casual sex. On the plus side, at least they're a diverse bunch.

Violence & Scariness

Heavy fantasy-style violence. Swords; bows and arrows. A woman has bruises on her face (presumably from her evil husband). A woman is violently slapped. Characters are beaten. Neck-slicing. Beheading. Bloody wounds.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A husband and wife kiss. A woman in a tavern is offered to the main character at "half price." The main character kisses a woman who isn't his wife. Suggestions of nudity. Some innuendo.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

The main character is said to have overcome a drinking problem; he seems to return to it here, although this may be a deception. Several scenes of characters drinking in taverns.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Last Knights is a medieval action movie centered on revenge. There's lots of fighting with swords and bows and arrows, as well as bloody wounds, neck slicing, beheading, and some violence toward women. Some kissing is shown (the main character kisses a woman who isn't his wife), and there are suggestions of nudity and some innuendo. The main character is said to be a recovering drinker, and he seems to start drinking again, but it may be a deception (part of a secret plan). Some scenes take place in taverns, with social drinking. Though the cast is excellent (and notably diverse), the movie is quite dull; it reportedly sat on the shelf for a while before being released. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (2)
Kids say (1)

Based on 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In what appears to be medieval times, troubled warrior Raiden ( Clive Owen ) has been taken in by a kind and benevolent master, Bartok ( Morgan Freeman ). When summoned to see the emperor ( Peyman Moaadi ), Bartok not only refuses to give the ruler a bribe but also speaks out against the emperor's injustices. At the suggestion of the emperor's vindictive right-hand man, Geza Mott ( Aksel Hennie ), Raiden is forced to kill Bartok. Geza Mott expects Raiden to seek revenge -- and becomes obsessed by it -- but Raiden simply appears to be drinking the days away; news even arrives that he has sold his sword. But when Geza Mott finally relaxes his guard, Raiden and his men unleash their long-gestating plan.

Is It Any Good?

Directed by Japanese filmmaker Kazuaki Kiriya, LAST KNIGHTS starts off promisingly, taking place in a land where many different cultures comfortably interact. The cast comes from the United States, the United Kingdom, Iran, Israel, Norway, New Zealand, etc. -- but aside from appearances, the movie doesn't use its diversity in any meaningful way. Instead, it becomes a dreadfully boring slog that takes itself far too seriously.

For a while, the excellent cast helps keep things afloat with their performances; Freeman and Owen in particular seem to have a strong bond. But when Freeman leaves the story, things get terribly slow and creaky. The filmmakers try to keep Raiden's "brilliant" plan a secret from the audience so that it comes as a "surprise," but because it's a waiting game, it just gets dull. Then the final battle is a mushy, gray blur. It's a shame that good actors like Shohreh Aghdashloo , Cliff Curtis , Moaadi, and the others have so very little to do here. The audience has even less.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Last Knights ' violence . Is it thrilling or disturbing? What's the difference? Do you think all of it is necessary to the story?

Does the main character seem to have a drinking problem? How can you tell? What impact does that have on the story?

Does the movie seem to be taking place in the real world? How do various cultures interact in this movie? Did you notice any stereotypes ?

What's the appeal of stories that take place in "medieval" times?

Movie Details

In theaters : April 3, 2015
On DVD or streaming : June 30, 2015
Cast : Clive Owen , Morgan Freeman , Aksel Hennie
Director : Kazuaki Kiriya
Inclusion Information : Black actors
Studio : Lionsgate
Genre : Action/Adventure
Run time : 115 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : some violence
Last updated : June 12, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

LAST KNIGHTS

"fighting medieval corruption".

What You Need To Know:

(B, H, L, VVV, S, AA, MM) Light moral worldview about duty, honor, justice as hero fights corruption in a fictional kingdom, but in a humanist setting with no reference to religion or God though not Anti-God content, either; one obscenity; strong and brief very strong violence includes fighting, arrows kill men, swords, and a couple decapitations, plus it’s implied the villain beats his wife; a scene of implied adultery and prostitution turns out to be faked for a spy’s benefit; no nudity; alcohol use and drunkenness; no smoking or drugs; and, bribery, corruption.

More Detail:

LAST KNIGHTS is a medieval adventure story set in a fictional time in a fictional world about a knight out to revenge his murdered master, who rebelled and spoke out against corruption in the emperor’s court. It’s an interesting, compelling adventure, but its positive elements are only light overall, and there’s some very strong violence as the hero and his fellow knights overturn the powerful villain in the emperor’s court, who was the source of the worst corruption.

The movie opens with Raiden’s master Lord Bartok (played by Morgan Freeman) being ordered to the empire’s capital to pay homage to the Emperor’s new minister, a corrupt man by the name of Gezza (“Geeza”) Mott. Mott has instituted a system of bribes for noblemen like Bartok, but Bartok chafes at the system. Instead of a nice bribe, Bartok arrives at the capitol with an empty box for Mott, which, of course, infuriates Mott.

Bartok is put on trial for treason. Instead of apologizing, he condemns the Emperor’s new minister and his corruption, adding that the corruption taints the whole empire, including the Emperor. The Emperor orders Raiden himself to behead Bartok right then and there, and all of Bartok’s property is seized. Raiden hesitates, but Bartok orders him not to rebel against the order.

Now without a master, Raiden is devastated by what happened. Though he’s married to a wonderful, loyal woman, he takes up gambling, drinking and womanizing – the things he did in the past before Bartok pulled him out of the gutter. Or, so everyone, including his wife, thinks. Raiden’s actions, however, are all part of a plot with Bartok’s other former knights to fool Mott and the Emperor, infiltrate Mott’s reinforced castle, separate Mott from his men, and mete out justice to Mott. Will Raiden and the knights succeed in their plan?

LAST KNIGHTS has a straightforward, compelling story, with some elaborate sets that give the movie plenty of visual atmosphere. Clive Owen as Raiden, Morgan Freeman as Bartok and the rest of the cast do a good job keeping viewers focused on the characters and how their actions fit into the story. The plot to infiltrate Mott’s castle seems far-fetched, but it plays out in an exciting way that holds your attention. The audience wants Raiden and his friends to succeed.

Though LAST KNIGHTS is something of a morality tale, it’s set in a strange medieval world that’s become corrupt. So, it’s a story about duty, honor, loyalty, and justice. That said, there are plenty of swords and arrows, including some very strong violence such as decapitations. Also, although Raiden really isn’t cheating on his wife, there are a couple scenes suggesting that’s what he’s doing, because the villain has sent spies to track Raiden’s every movement. It’s clever how the filmmakers reveal the opposite, but there’s some brief salacious innuendo before that happens.

All in all, therefore, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution for LAST KNIGHTS.

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Last Knights Review

17 Apr 2015

112 minutes

Last Knights

Clive Owen and (for a while) Morgan Freeman figure in this knights-and-honour pudding, which is surprisingly watchable rubbish. The atrocious script has much to jeer, the action’s so-so, and the multinational cast brings back memories of Sean Connery’s Scot Spaniard in Highlander. (An ‘Emperor’ is played by Iranian actor-director Peyman Moaadi from A Separation.) Yet Last Knights has mild interest if you dodge the spoiler-heavy trailer, especially in the drama’s focus on the paranoid fears of the villain (played by Norway’s Askel Hennie). Directed by Japan’s Kazuaki Kiriya, don’t expect the bright sumptuousness of his Casshern or Goemon, but the pale, papery look works quite well.

Movieman's Guide to the Movies

Review: last knights bd + screen caps.

Last Knights (2015)

REVIEW NAVIGATION The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall

Genre(s): Adventure, Drama Lionsgate | R – 115 min. – $19.99 | June 30, 2015

** Click Here to Purchase Last Knights on Blu-ray from Amazon.com **

THE MOVIE – 2.25/5

Last Knights is a direct-to-video adventure drama that has a respectable (enough) cast but a really ho-hum screenplay and thinly written characters making for a dull and downright forgettable flick. That said, and for whatever its worth, it is better than the Uwe Boll-directed fantasy adventure so there’s that going for it…

Raiden (CLIVE OWEN) is the commander of an elite army serving their master, Bartok (MORGAN FREEMAN), who watches over his estate, a vassal kingdom within a vast empire. The empire is looked over, in service of the emperor, by a cabinet minister named Geza Mott (AKSEL HENNIE), whose sole purpose is to take bribes from the masters of their respective estates.

Bartok, called in by the emperor, no longer wants to play ball and gives Geza a cheap “gift” which is not well received. For Bartok’s efforts, Geza beats up on the old man, who is dying of some ailment anyway, and in defense, manages to strike back whereupon he’s caught, arrested and presented before the Emperor (PAYMAN MAADI). He’s to answer for his crimes, which he admits, before making a passionate confession to those in the audience about the corruption within the kingdom. But his pleas fall on deaf ears and the Emperor decrees Bartok is to die and, as suggested by Geza, he should die by Raiden’s sword; given to him by Bartok in making Raiden heir to his estate having no living son. Of course Raiden is reluctant but ultimately fulfills the order given to him by his master.

Fast forward a year, after he disbands and disavows his army, Raiden is reclusive and a drunk, apparently unable to cope with what he had done. The others in his former unit have spread across the lands taking any jobs available while Geza, already paranoid, orders his closest guard (TSUYOSHI IHARA) to follow Raiden and the others making sure they were not conspiring against him for revenge.

Last Knights has a half-decent story going for it, it’s just a shame it doesn’t amount to very much and despite its respectably lengthy 114-minute running time, the character development is wanting and Clive Owen, albeit not a terrible actor (was great in Closer ), doesn’t exactly exude charisma, though he’s not given a whole lot to work with. Morgan Freeman makes his now normal cameo-esque appearance and does provide at least some weight to a mostly unknown cast, but he’s gone within 20 minutes. Cliff Curtis isn’t all that bad but plays the thinly written best friend/sidekick role we’ve seen countless times. Oh and the villain, I haven’t seen one so cowardly or laughably un-scary since Loki in the Marvel movies.

Directed by Kaz I Kiriya, marking his English debut following stints as a stills photographer, the action sequences also were on the bland side. As with the acting, I didn’t think the sword fights were terrible so much as it was incredibly forgettable; heck even after only a few minutes upon the film’s conclusion I could not recall one fight scene. Not one.

Last Knights is the type of movie where it’s no wonder it didn’t receive a major, or even minor, theatrical distribution, destined to be forgotten on home video before in a year’s time will probably air on SyFy and the like.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.25/5

This release comes with a semi-glossy slip cover . Inside is a slip with a redemption code for the Digital HD copy.

Behind the Scenes of Last Knights (22:03; HD) goes over the origins for the movie and has some generic on-set interviews with members of the cast and crew chatting about the characters and other elements.

A Look at the Special Effects of Last Knights (5:04; HD) breaks down the VFX and how they were accomplished.

Interviews with the Cast and Crew (TRT 33:34; HD) – Here we get extended comments from a variety of those involved including Director Kaz Kiriya (6:50), Morgan Freeman (2:59), Clive Owen (4:52), Cliff Curtis (3:20), Payman Maadi (4:10), Tsuyoshi Ihara (2:34), Dave Legeno (4:30) and Director of Photographer Antonio Riestra (4:19).

Theatrical Trailer (2:33; HD)

VIDEO – 4.25/5

Last Knights charges onto Blu-ray presented with a 2.40 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. The video shown isn’t outstanding but showcases good detail throughout while colors aren’t terribly bright but instead muted in keeping with the film’s darker tone. I didn’t notice any major flaws like aliasing or pixilation though some banding is present.

AUDIO – 4.0/5

Surprisingly, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track isn’t exactly the most robust lossless track I’ve come across. It’s not terrible mind you offering good dialogue levels and the action scenes do show some depth but it’s nothing I’d call resounding or amazing which, for a newer release, is disappointing.

OVERALL – 2.75/5

Overall, Last Knights might’ve had a good story at its core but it’s a really forgettable film with one-dimensional characters and acting that at best was average if not a bit spotty while the action scenes are rather mundane and blasé. The Blu-ray released by Lionsgate isn’t much better though the video/audio transfers are decent enough and at least there are some bonus material to peruse.

Brian Oliver aka The Movieman Published: 07/10/2015

Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers .

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Last Knights

Academy Award nominee Clive Owen (Best Supporting Actor, Closer, 2004) delivers an electrifying performance as a fallen warrior who rises against a corrupt and sadistic ruler to avenge his dishonored master, Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman (Best Supporting Actor, Million Dollar Baby, 2004), in this epic, sword-clashing adventure of loyalty, honor and vengeance.

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

"We have planned, we have sacrificed, we have waited for the right moment and now we will restore the voice of our people."

Medieval fantasy movies are all the rage at the moment, in large part due to the ever increasing popularity of 'Game of Thrones.' When you have one success, it spawns a million imitators, this is to be expected. It's like when some pizza joint comes up with a new flavored crust, everyone comes up with their own new take on old material. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's an absolute train wreck. Then you have a movie like 'Last Knights' that barrows a piece of recorded history and casts it into a world that reflects the Feudal systems of old. Something new, something old, but still a lot of fun.

Commander Raiden (Clive Owen) is a man that has earned the absolute dedication and respect of his men through years of service and honorable deeds. He owes elegance to the head of their clan, Lord Bartok (Morgan Freeman) who is aging, ill, and exhausted from seeing other noblemen like himself forced to pay tribute to a man who doesn't deserve that level of respect. Gezza Mot (Aksel Hennie) is that man - who also happens to sit beside the Emperor (Peyman Moaadi) and holds sway over the leader's judgement. As Gezza Mot sets to construct the most secure palace to "protect the emperor" he is also taxing the nobles and therefor their citizens to the brink of starvation and ruin. Only Lord Bartok speaks his mind and defies Gezza Mot's tyranny.

Found guilty of treason, Bartok is sentenced to death by the Emperor. Under the suggestion of Mot, his executioner is to be Raiden. If Raiden doesn't kill his master not only will he and his men be put to death, but Lord Bartok's family will be forced into a life of slavery. At first he refuses, but under his master's urging - he performs this deed. With his honor and pride shattered Raiden drifts into a life of becoming a slobbering drunk as his men have been stripped of their ranks and cast out.

Not believing a man of Raiden's rank and pride to be so easily broken, Mot commands the leader of his private army Ito (Tsuyoshi Ihara) to follow Raiden and his men. If they dare to plot any form of revenge it would be deemed an act of insurrection against the Emperor and all would be put to death. As time passes Raiden remains a drunkard alienating his wife while his men find new work as blacksmiths and dock workers. While they appear to have moved on, in secrete they meet under the leadership of Lt. Cortez (Cliff Curtis) to plot their revenge. They infiltrate the castle as workers and groundskeepers recording every last detail, noting the weaknesses, and biding their time until it's the right moment to strike.

If this story starts to sounds at all familiar, that's because in a nutshell it's ' 47 Ronan ' set in a fantasy land with knights instead of samurai and a much more diverse and international cast. Does it work? At first, no - it's beginning is very clumsy at setting up the world we're seeing. However, when the plot kicks in and Morgan Freeman's character Lord Bartok is betrayed and Raiden must pretend to have sold his soul to shame, the movie switches gears and becomes a very entertaining and satisfying revenge thriller. Directed by Kazuaki Kiriya from a script by Michael Knoyves and Dove Sussman, the film while not completely successful, is taut enough to hold the audience's interest, keep you guessing, and features some wildly entertaining sword battles. It wisely takes its time, lets its plot develop and holds some surprises to the very last minute to keep things fun.

As 'Last Knights' starts to unfold and one begins to take stock of the cast; at first this wide range of diversity of screen can seem a tad silly - but then it all of a sudden starts to feel natural and make sense from the point of view that this really is a fantasy film and not in the least bit historically accurate. I think my surprise about this coms from the fact that so much of 'Last Knights' maintains the look and feel of Clive Owen's earlier outing in ' King Arthur ' that I felt like this movie could have been a sequel to that film.

Overall the cast is strong here. Where it could seem like a number of people starring in this film are in it for a quick pay check, they're actually very committed. Morgan Freeman initially was an odd choice but once his character gets rolling and you start to see his motivations unfold, it makes more sense and he provides a much needed weight to the dramatics. Aksel Hennie is a real stand out as Gezza Mot - he just has a knack for playing a wormy power hungry tyrant who is driven insane by his own obsessions. Then you have Clive Owen, the man's always does his best and here he's in fine form. The guy can play to themes of honor and respect and deliver a rousing speech with the best of them. It's always stumped me that he's never really become a big leading man, but at the same time, smaller movies like these often give the guy a meatier role to chew on.

'Last Knights' may not be the greatest movie ever made, but it was thoroughly entertaining. When I first saw a trailer for this movie, I probably laughed a bit more than I should have. It just looked silly, so when I sat down to watch this one, I was ready to either be completely bored or rolling on the floor. Amazingly, neither happened. Once the film gots going and allowed its quieter moments to fill the screen and let the revenge plot unfold - the movie proved to be a fun way to spend two hours. Ironically enough, 'Last Knights' also manages to be more historically accurate than '47 Ronin' on a number of points! I don't see everyone liking this one, it does take a stretching of some suspension of disbelief, but for those capable of such a task, I think they'll have a good time of it.

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

'Last Knights' arrives on Blu-ray thanks to Lionsgate and pressed on a Region A locked BD50 disc. Housed in a standard case with slip cover, the disc opens to a string of trailers for other Lionsgate Blu-ray releases before reaching the animated main menu. The disc also comes with a Digital HD Ultraviolet code.

Video Review

'Last Knights' is an often stunning looking Blu-ray that's equally confounding at times. As an overall, the 2.40:1 1080p image is beautiful and pleasing, but is kicked back a notch because of stylistic color timing choices. Color, for the most part is just fine allowing for some nice pop here and there against a backdrop of muted grays and snowy whites. Where this transfer has some trouble is when the look of the film mimics so many other fantasy and post apocalyptic films of late where color grading is employed to desaturate the film to the point that it may as well be black and white. When colors aren't being tinkered with, detail and black levels can have a real vibrancy and dimensional pop to them. When colors have been stripped away, the detail levels lose their potency leaving people to look like they've been smeared with grease paint while black levels shift to being a bit to contrasty and lose their sense of depth. Thankfully there aren't too many scenes that are like that, but there are enough to be distracting. Overall this is a beautiful looking transfer that offers a lot of HD wonder, but at the same time, it's got a couple issues keeping it from being a perfect score.

Audio Review

With a boisterous English DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track 'Last Knights' gets all the honor and respect it deserves. Considering on the surface this film is a mindless action flick with swords flying and CGI arrows zipping around, in actuality there is a lot more quiet intrigue and plotting going on. With strong dynamic range, this track perfectly captures the action packed moments with beautiful imaging that deftly moves about the channels while also maintaining the subtle intricacies needed to make an important conversation stand out. Levels are perfectly balanced so things never go out of control. There is plenty of separation from sound elements so effects, dialogue, and the score never fight over each other.

Special Features

Behind The Scenes of Last Knights Featurette: (HD 22:03) the cast and crew talk about what attracted them to the film, the fast shooting schedule, and working with swords.

A Look At The Special Effects of Last Knights : (HD 5:04) A quick before and after comparison of various effects shots.

Cast and Crew Interviews: Director Kaz I Kiriya, Morgan Freeman, Clive Owen, Cliff Curtis, Payman Maadi, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Dave Legeno, DP Antinio Riestra, talk about their various roles in the film and the production. Pretty much the best of these interviews is used in the Behind the Scenes featurette.

Trailer Gallery: (HD 9:07) A string of trailers for various Lionsgate releases.

Final Thoughts

I like it when a movie surprises me. I honestly expected 'Last Knights' to be a goofy wannabe historical action adventure film that just couldn't get a theatrical release. Thankfully I was wrong as this flick turned out to be very entertaining and is a lot better than I was made to believe that it could be. As a Blu-ray, it has a strong A/V presentation with a couple decent extras. Since I can see this only appealing to a few, I'm calling it worth a look.

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Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, transformers: the last knight.

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“Transformers: The Last Knight” opens and closes with chaos. The first scene features bodies flying everywhere as flames pierce the sky in Michael Bay ’s reimagining of the Knights of the Round Table, in which Merlin’s magic is a gift from the alien robots so many know and love. The last scenes, and this is no spoiler if you’ve ever seen a Michael Bay movie, feature bodies flying everywhere as metal and flames pierce the sky. In between, there’s a bit of mythology, some running and screaming, a ton of slo-mo, a dash of racism, a great actor wasted in a character who could have been named “Exposition Dump,” and so much incoherent noise that you’ll want to bang your head on the seat in front of you just to get some rest.

After two sequels that took the fun spirit of the “ Transformers ” and turned them into something with the artistic depth of a Monster Energy Drink, Bay appeared to reboot the franchise with the relatively solid “ Transformers: Age of Extinction .” He found one of our most charismatic leading men in Mark Wahlberg , gave him an awesomely perfect name like Cade Yeager, filled out a better-than-average supporting cast, and provided major set pieces across the world, including leveling a bit more destruction at Chicago. “AoE” suffered from Bay Bloat (165 minutes!) and some of the other technical problems of the previous sequels, but it offered hope.

Hope dies during "Transformers: The Last Knight." From the very beginning, this is an incoherent mess. Cade’s daughter and her boyfriend—both memorable characters from the last film—are gone, the daughter written off with a couple of horrendously manipulative beats about her being at college and Yeager being on the run. He can save the world but he can’t see his daughter. Whatever, fine, but also gone are Stanley Tucci (other than a brief cameo as Merlin in the opening scenes) and Kelsey Grammer . The villains of the first film are replaced here by a purely CGI enemy named Quintessa ( Gemma Chan ), an interstellar being who wants to use the home planet of the Transformers to destroy Earth by basically crashing them into one another. She’s such a cartoonish, poorly designed villain that she never feels like a real threat.

I’m getting ahead of myself. “The Last Knight” picks up relatively where the last film left off. Optimus Prime is headed back to his home planet to tell the universe to leave Earth alone. Yeager is now in hiding, as being a massive alien robot is still against international law, and he's still aligned with the remaining Autobots. He’s “in hiding” in the biggest auto field in the Midwest, but those kind of logical leaps are easy to let slide in a summer blockbuster when it’s working. He has a new assistant ( Jerrod Carmichael ), is working on repairing Bumblebee, and gets a spunky preteen sidekick who feels like the character sitcoms used to add late in their run when everyone knew the original kids got too old (think Sam on “Diff'rent Strokes”). And then pretty much all of the set-up—including any sort of immigration analogy about the fear of foreigners represented by the hunted Transformers—is thrown out. There’s a point in the script when you can literally tell when it was handed to a different writing crew. It starts as one movie and then, bizarrely, takes a hard-right turn to England and becomes something else entirely.

You see, Yeager found a talisman on a dying transformer, and that relic ties him to the long and storied history of the aliens. As these films have grown in budget, Bay has piled on more and more mythology, and I think the reason this is billed as the final chapter is because there’s literally nowhere else to go. Through remarkably expository scenes courtesy of Sir Anthony Hopkins and John Turturro , we learn that people have known about the Transformers for centuries and that notable geniuses like Mozart and FDR helped keep their existence a secret. In return, the robots gave the human race gifts, including the Transformer watch that killed Hitler. No, I’m not making that up.

Weaving the mythology of these killer cars into world history isn’t a bad idea, and reflects the tongue-in-cheek pleasure these movies could have been (I’d watch the heck out of “Bumblebee vs. The Third Reich”) but it’s all so thinly and poorly handled here. Before you can truly enjoy it, we’re back with the revelation that Cade now has a connection with the Transformers (because of the talisman and because of some other nonsense I couldn’t begin to explain) and his new gorgeous friend Vivian ( Laura Haddock ) is the only one who can wield Merlin’s staff, a necessary skill to save the Earth .

You’re saying, “How could a movie that weaves together metal dragons, Merlin’s staff, Sir Anthony Hopkins and world-killing aliens be all that bad?” Because it’s just not fun. More than any film Bay has made, "The Last Knight" is incoherent to the point of parody. Action scenes are poorly choreographed, dialogue is weaker than ever, and plot twists make no sense. At one point, the leads are on a submarine and I couldn’t for the life of me tell you why. Not only is it transparent that no one involved bothered with the plot—Wahlberg has never given such a lazy performance as he does here—but the editing and effects are stunningly shoddy. There’s no geography to any of the scenes, so you can’t tell what the heck is happening. At least the last film had a few action set pieces that worked and the third film had the destruction of Chicago to wow viewers. This film does not have a single memorable action sequence in it. And it starts at such a ridiculous pitch that it has nowhere to go—Yeager is reintroduced shooting a robot in slow motion. Bay has always been willing to forego things like rising action or building tension to try and blast viewers to their seats from first frame to last. But it gets so exhausting to watch another movie that starts at 11 and then never varies the volume.

Here’s where the chorus of Critic-Proof Franchises kicks in. Michael Bay made this for fans of the franchise and not the notoriously-hard-on-it critics. Diehards will ignore that I liked the first film and parts of the third and fourth films (the second is still a cinematic abomination). I get it. We love to forgive the failures of franchises we adore. Even critics do that. But even fans of this series have to take a hard look at the outright, shocking laziness of this movie—one that does the bare minimum to get butts in seats. Even in bad action movies, there’s often a glimpse of artistic potential gone awry or attempts to entertain that just didn’t work. I began to actively try to find that here, to find a way to see how this went off the rails. I came to the conclusion that no one cared. There’s just so little effort to make sense or make it interesting, even for the fans. It was a contractual obligation and a paycheck. They could have called it “Transformers: Someone Needs a New Beach House.”

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Film credits.

Transformers: The Last Knight movie poster

Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)

Rated PG-13 for violence and intense sequences of sci-fi action, language, and some innuendo.

149 minutes

Mark Wahlberg as Cade

Gemma Chan as Quintessa

Jerrod Carmichael as Jimmy

Laura Haddock as Vivian Wembley

Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime (voice)

Frank Welker as Galvatron / Megatron (voice)

John Goodman as Hound (voice)

Ken Watanabe as Drift (voice)

John DiMaggio as Crosshairs (voice)

Jess Harnell as Barricade (Voice)

Josh Duhamel as Colonel Lennox

Anthony Hopkins as Sir Edmund Burton

Santiago Cabrera as Santos

John Turturro as Agents Simmons

Tony Hale as JPL Engineer

Michael Bay

Writer (story by)

Akiva Goldsman
Matt Holloway

Cinematographer

Jonathan Sela
Roger Barton
Adam Gerstel
John Refoua
Debra Neil-Fisher
Mark Sanger
Calvin Wimmer
Steve Jablonsky

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Film Review: ‘Last Knights’

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Reviewed at Lionsgate screening room, Santa Monica, Calif., March 10, 2015. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 115 MIN.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Plot Overview

The Quest for Vengeance

Climactic Resolution

The Ending Unveiled

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