"Knights of Badassdom" hit a home run, then forgot what it was doing.
I was really digging this Spokane, WA filmed movie which I caught at its last local showing tonight at The Magic Lantern. That is until they killed off some of the best characters midway through the film. I could not believe my eyes. These characters had established so much gravitas, and so much potential to carry the film through the troubled, blood stained waters it was about to cannonball into, especially as Dinklage had eaten a bag of shrooms and hilariously trip out, complete with flowers in his hair.
Disclaimer: I get that Knights was meant to be campy and B Film whatever. But it had some really intelligent storytelling going full steam ahead till it decided to apparently just say FUCK IT, who cares about story" way out. I mean, they had some belly- laugh funny scenes! - rocking out in the auto shop, getting high and drunk in the Castle mansion (which my Grandma actually lived in for a couple years!), and the scenes hamming it up LARP style in the festival parking lot AKA The Fields of Evermore.
I was led to expect a similarly affecting climax and resolution, or at least a smart denouement, but everything devolved into mindless, disturbing blood and guts gore after the murder scene in the outhouse. It was hard to see a locally made film with so much potential, so many great actors, just fall apart in front of your eyes. I am starting to see now why it took them 4 years to release it.
I left the film trying to keep laughing the way I did during the first half, trying to give it an A for effort, but it was honestly more an "oh well, better luck next time" laugh. Next time you get an all star cast, don't blow it. Btw, the castle mansion that the main character lives in, pictured below, is really cool. i used to love visiting my grandma there when i was a kid. she lived in a little apartment on the top floor. check it out if u r in spokane. its at: 1323 w 8th ave. on the lower South Hill, near the excellent Huckleberries organic market cafe.
