Review: Black Knight

There’s absolutely no reason why Gil Junger’s Black Knight should work.

Black Knight
Photo: 20th Century Fox

There’s absolutely no reason why Gil Junger’s Black Knight should work. You’ve seen it a million times; in fact, you’re going to see it again next month when Universal releases How High. Jamal Walker (Martin Lawrence) goes Medievel, teaching white folk in 14th-century England how to get their groove on. Jamal leaves South Central via the moat at the amusement park he works at, learning honor in the wake of the peasant revolution he spearheads against the evil King Leo (Kevin Conway). Thanks to Lawrence’s deft comedic abilities, Black Knight’s first half is a consistent hoot. Squeaky-clean Jamal hates Medievel grime but doesn’t mind the skanky women. Once Jamal lets the dogs out, though, plot kicks in and Black Knight loses its bearings. Jamal’s reconstructed ghetto does the boot camp thing and it’s only a matter of time before the film’s black knight returns to the present with a few convenient memento moris. New Yorkers will love the film’s best joke: riling up the dethroned queen’s forces (think Michael Bloomberg’s camp) against Leo (think Mark Green), Jamal “gives them the old Al Sharpton.” This black brother sways history, only this time it’s for the better.

Score: 
 Cast: Martin Lawrence, Jamal Walker, Tom Wilkinson, Greg Cooper, Kevin Conway, Erik Jensen, Dikran Tulaine, Daniella Alonso  Director: Gil Junger  Screenwriter: Peter Gaulke, Darryl Quarles, Gerry Swallow  Distributor: 20th Century Fox  Running Time: 105 min  Rating: PG  Year: 2001  Buy: Video, Soundtrack

Ed Gonzalez

Ed Gonzalez is the co-founder of Slant Magazine. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle, his writing has appeared in The Village Voice, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.