Don't Believe the Hype

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

.....What with his accident, Guest House Paradiso, and this, it was a low point for the funny,an, and after this, the only way was up.The dark forces of Mordred are pitted against the mythical sorcery of Merlin. Mordred and his mother Morgana have been imprisoned in another world for the past 1500 years while Merlin's magical powers kept them at bay. However, in the present, a scientist accidentally finds the gateway to the other world and is about to release Mordred into 20th Century life. Arthur is reawakened from his slumber and together with Merlin, tries to find a way to stop Mordred from re-entering this world.....To say the film is bad would be an understatement. I have seen some turkeys in my time, but this is below the children's film foundation standards, and seeing the likes of Bergin, Mayall, and even Sheffer, utter an inane script and perform against horrible CGI skeletons.But that's not the bad part, the child actors are skull scraping lay bad, and Tia Carrere, once brilliant in Wayne's World and True Lies, is the pits, the absolute pits.But for such a dog of a movie, it must have mystical powers, because I couldn't take my eyes off screen for a second.On the plus side, it's the best Stonehenge based movie featuring Merlin in the present ever made.I will give it that.

but coming close to it.This film has possibly on of the worst, and slowest, sword fights in the history of cinema. It was that bad, it looked as though the editor had used footage of a dress rehearsal, instead of the real scene.Add to this appalling accents, dodgy over the top acting, and cheap sets that looked like early Dr Who/ sixties Star Trek.If you're an adult watch John Boormans "Excalibur". If you have kids watch the Sam Neil mini-series.But avoid this at all costs.

Wow. I don't think I have ever been so torn as I have been watching "Merlin The Return". Rik Mayall, Adrian Paul, and so many others put in absolutely wonderful performances.However, there were 2 MAJOR points that made this utterly disasterous.1) The American Kid. There are some scenes that's he's good in. Most, he is just... BAD to be kind.2) The "Modern Day" characters about town. The main ones they focused on (including the kids) seemed too accepting of Merlin and his appearing. Someone could of said "he appeared out of nowhere", and someone else laugh it off. If perhaps it was established better that Merlin was known as "the town nutter" (a little extra dialog could of killed that one) and only one person believed he was really Merlin (say the girl or her mother), then there could be a better believability. Also, everyone seemed to be a bit nonchalant when Merlin uses his magic and then Mordred comes through the gateway the first time.Yet through the holes, lies a pretty darn good story for the most part, and some solid acting and swordplay. Really a fun movie.I gave it 5 out of 10, because of the distractions, but it's still a very fun movie, though better for kids than adults (and that could of easily been fixed).

Merlin The Return is a good family film with great special effects!Rik Mayall plays a very good 'Merlin' and brings a funny element to the film!It is a good all round film for children of all ages!