Sony Picture's "A Knight's Tale" follows the same 'follow your dreams' theory that many films focus on, but adds just enough orginiality to the film's style to keep the audience entertained. The film follows a young peasant named William (played by "The Patriot"'s Heath Ledger), who poses as a knight when the knight who is supposed to compete in a nearby medieval jousting tournament dies unexpectedly (and to no one else's knowledge). Reinventing himself as Ulrich von Lichtenstein, William follows his father's guiding words, "If a man believes enough, a man can do anything... A man can change his stars," and wins the joust as the knight he always dreamt of becoming. It is then that William realizes he was born to be a knight and decides to continue to compete until he is the ultimate jousting champion, despite the fact he is competing under a phony name. His name doesn't matter to him though-- he is following his dream and living the life of a knight, both in skill and popularity.
As William continues to win match after match, it almost seems as though nothing will ever stop him from becoming the jousting champion... that is until a love interest named Jocelyn (played by newcomer Shannyn Sossamon) enters the picture. Now, William is not only competing for the championship, but also a fair maiden's love. But when the young lass surprises William by telling him the way to her heart is to lose to the man who is out for her hand in marriage, William must decide whether to lose his dreams and win the love of his life or become the undefeated knight he's admired from afar his whole life and lose his one shot at eternal happiness.
While the plot to "A Knight's Tale" is predictable and takes awhile to get moving, the film gives viewers an emotional journey that will make viewers cheer and cry. It entertains its viewers and ties in its numerous subplots nicely, leaving no questions unanswered and viewers satisfied by the film's end.
Young heartthrob Heath Ledger takes his first starring role as William with such ease that he makes it is easy to see this young Hollywood actor going much further than his competition-- including young-stars-of-the-moment Paul Walker and Freddie Prince, Jr. Ledger plays both the emotional peasant and testosterone-filled knight believably, and can transform from a wishful dreamist to a take-no-mercy competitor naturally. Unlike some actors that may look uncomfortable on a horse or sword fighting, Ledger seems born for the medieval times without ever losing his romantic essence that not only carries the love story throughout the film, but also Ledger's own persona after playing hopeless romantics of some sort in both "10 Things I Hate About You" and "The Patriot." Ledger uses his onscreen time as William well, proving to all those who thought he was just another pretty face that he can carry a film without the help of Mel Gibson.
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