MovieChat Forums > Camelot (2011) Discussion > Merlin Portrayal

Merlin Portrayal

posted 9 years ago by CLAYmation1987
10 replies | jump to latest

I just finished watching this show on HULU with my wife and I am not sure if this topic has been discussed yet or not so I apologize if it already has.

I feel that the way they portrayed Merlin in this series was the best adaptation of the character yet! I love the fact that he is not portrayed as an elderly bearded guy with almost supreme magical power. In this, he is "young", struggling with his powers, and tormented by personal demons that they don't really delve into enough.

I would literally watch an entire show based on this character alone with the Arthur legend as sort of a side note. IMO, the best part of the entire way they portray the character is the way he is sort of creating the legend as it is happening. He had a horrible experience with getting the sword for Arthur that ended in a girls death, and turned that into the legend of the Lady of the Lake. I am not sure exactly how he was involved with the Sword of Mars, but they alluded to the fact that he was involved with the creation of that legend also.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the unique portrayal of Merlin in this show and hope that another show/movie uses it as a model in the future.

[–] nightshade201 9 years ago

I would have enjoyed the character more if they didn't try and go against the original story so much. I couldn't be rooting more against Merlin after he killed two people in cold blood for a sword. Having him disappear to get beaten up to punish himself didn't save the character for me. He's still a murderer.

[–] CLAYmation1987 9 years ago

I agree that he is still a murderer, but the genius of it IMO is that he takes those tragic and messed up situations and turns them into "Legend" to enhance the King Arthur tale that he is manipulating.

[–] pol-edra 9 years ago

Yes, that was the whole point. To the modern viewer who knows of the medieval literature, this "true story" taints the legend, by making it into the product of a manipulative Merlin who is not so much an enchanter as a campaign-manager. That is the whole point of "truth behind the legend" stories: to tell you that everything you thought you knew is a lie. Without that, there really wasn't much left of interest in this show.

"Occasionally I'm callous and strange."

[–] CLAYmation1987 9 years ago

Fair enough. I happen to enjoy this type of story telling since so many medieval and modern war epics ARE inflated by rumors and legend. I enjoy stripping it back and seeing the true "way that it happened". To each their own I guess....

[–] spiderslion 9 years ago

You should read Mary Stewart's Crystal Cave series. Very well written from Merlins pov, starting from his childhood

[–] CLAYmation1987 9 years ago

Thanks for the recommendation! I am a book fan before I am a movie/TV show fan and will definitely look up that series.

[–] mlaiuppa 8 years ago

I agree.

He's also one of the strongest actors in this.

[–] tiger01 8 years ago

Yea, I think the whole direction of the show was certainly an interesting take on the legend, making Merlin less grand and very flawed to even making Arthur rather unlikable and colored very grey as well. Joseph Fiennes did a wonderful job in my opinion and even though he always takes a backseat to his brother, he is still a fine actor in his own right. He was certainly not the problem with this show in retrospect.

[–] moon_queen 8 years ago

@ CLAYmation1987 if you have Netflix, I suggest watching Merlin. I have not seen Camelot, so I cannot compare them, but if you like the idea of young Merlin, then you and your wife will, hopefully , like this version.

[–] parkerzielinski 8 years ago

Merlin and Camelot are very different shows.