Jason Statham's "In the Name of the King" Is More Entertaining Than You'd Think
Jason Statham: the guy known for blowing up cars, taking on sharks, and saving the day with his trademark intensity. But we all know that no action hero is invincible – especially when it comes to movie choices. We're not talking a whole bunch of "worst Movies ever" but more "oh man, that movie was kind of a mess." And if you're a big fan of Statham, there's one film that might make you do a double-take and say, "Okay, yeah, I kind of want to forget I ever saw that one."
You probably already guessed where I'm going - the legendary, infamous "In the Name of the King". Made back in 2007, this film is about as far from Statham's "Fast & Furious" career highlight as you can get. It’s not a good movie, and nobody argues that, because “In the Name of the King" has an absolutely ridiculous 4% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Statham's lowest-scoring movie on the site, a fact that doesn’t exactly inspire trust. But is it the absolute worst? Or is it just that it happens to be a bad high-fantasy epic?
Why This Movie Isn't The Best… And Why It Might Just Be Fun!
You’re expecting something epic, right? A sprawling adventure through mystical lands, filled with cool characters. But in reality, "In the Name of the King" has got the most ridiculous storyline and baffling characters you’ve ever seen. Seriously, they throw you in the deep end with villains that pop out of nowhere, some questionable lore, and even some magic stuff that you really have to just go with – it's like watching a fantasy world from a very distorted funhouse mirror. It also doesn’t help that the special effects, with that hefty $60 million budget, just look cheap and make it so obvious that this whole “grand” fantasy world is not really that grand. It’s kind of hilarious how the movie has become one big meme – for instance, it's been said that this movie “feels like a big screen version of the cheap DVD releases from your local video store", making it just one big case of “what was the director thinking?”
Despite it all, there is a certain irony here, which might just make you smile! It might not be amazing movie, but it’s entertaining in that so-bad-it's-good kind of way. We’re talking non-stop action (Jason Statham really does know his way around an epic fight scene!) and dialogue that's so weird, it becomes almost poetic. And who could forget all the characters that just suddenly show up like they’re walking out of the "Game of Thrones" production with a slight case of amnesia?
Wait, Those Guys Are All In One Movie?
It is surprising what names make their way into "In the Name of the King," when you consider how terrible this film really is. Seriously, this thing had Ron Perlman, Ray Liotta, and even Burt Reynolds ( RIP)! It’s almost sad, to be honest. Not only is the casting really surprising but, if you really look at the action star’s past projects like those “Fast & Furious” Movies that had big names like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and the other guys, you have to realize that “In the Name of the King” was really one for the books! You don’t see a cast like this too often and yet… you're right back to wondering how they made the story so confusing.
Even Statham has had a good time with “The Transporter” and even managed to be funny with “The Spy”. His action career is actually pretty solid! He really is the ultimate badass, no question there. And it doesn't change the fact that he's been in so many different genres – not just those hard-hitting action films that have launched his career, but movies like "Snatch," “Mean Machine”, and even “London”. Yet for Statham, “In the Name of the King” has a really important spot. This is kind of where things got really wild for the guy.
How One Movie Can Affect A Superstar's Career
In a way, this movie could’ve sent him back to the "just do those cool action films” world. Before “In the Name of the King” Statham dabbled a bit with different movies like “Snatch”, but then, it was like “okay, let’s just get back to doing what we’re best at" and now he's pretty much stuck doing action after action, especially if you think about it from “The Transporter” era forward. I can totally imagine Statham taking a look at this movie and thinking “okay, let's keep things in the action lane, maybe that'll stop these awkward high-fantasy trips. ”
We’re also looking at this as the ultimate “this-should've-been-a-good-movie” example. And even when we have those great “The Lord of the Rings” movies out there, “In the Name of the King” just kind of says “that doesn't really have to be done with subtlety.” In a world where everything is just exploding and thrown at the viewers, there’s no room for that slower burn of the “LOTR” movies.
Don’t Throw This Movie In The Trash, It’s Kind of a Fun Mess
And then, there’s Statham's star power in a movie with one of the weirdest stories ever! I mean, yes, the script might have been insane and his character wasn't necessarily “the most profound” of all his characters. But seriously, even a terrible movie can be saved by someone who just knows what to do. Statham's the perfect action movie star – those fight scenes? Forget CGI, it's Statham’s energy and skills that carry it.
For those who like those strange and hilarious movie experiences, you're going to love "In the Name of the King". I mean, maybe we've all seen a few "terrible movies" but this is a movie that can stand out. The entire story is so insane it almost becomes delightful in a “can’t believe I’m watching this” kind of way. It's a film that just gives you that "I don’t want to look away even though I'm judging everything" kind of feeling, which in itself makes this movie entertaining.
It Might Not Be The "Best", but It Will Get You Talking
"In the Name of the King" might not be the perfect movie, but it certainly isn't forgettable! If you want to have a fun conversation about a really crazy film, “In the Name of the King” is definitely something to bring up. It’s the kind of film that just gets everyone talking, which means that no matter how much we want to make fun of the movie’s failings, it still holds a place in the world of "What Was Jason Statham Thinking?”.
It's also worth looking at the legacy of the movie – this is almost a guide for future fantasy films about what to do and, more importantly, what not to do. In the end, “In the Name of the King” has more to offer than a casual viewer might initially assume.
