MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Knights Of Badassdom’

Film: Knights Of Badassdom 
Starring: Ryan Kwanten, Steve Zahn, Peter Dinklage, Summer Glau
Director: Joe Lynch
Writers: Kevin Dreyfuss, Matt Wall

If you met me it would be quite obvious that I love two things: metal and horror. If you got to know me you would learn that I am also a fan of the fantasy genre. Wizards, dragons, knights, and barbarians intrigue me. If you really got to know me you might find out that I play Dungeons and Dragons. Sure, I could just throw a fantasy themed video game on and get my fix that way but there is something more rewarding about actually using your imagination to create the world and your character. Now there is a movie that combines all my loves right in one convenient place and that movie is Knights Of Badassdom.

Knights Of Badassdom revolves around a group of LARPing friends and their former buddy who moved on to focus on his music career in a metal band. For those scratching your head at LARPing, that stands for Live Action Role Playing or Dungeons and Dragons except acted out on a battlefield on the weekends. You know, like in Role Models or that YouTube video where that kid is throwing beanbags while yelling “Lightning bolt!” Anyway, one of the LARP guys uses a real magic spell book he got on the internet and accidentally summons a demon in the middle of their game and a bloodbath ensues.

Action, romance, comedy, and a bit of gore, Knights Of Badassdom has it all. The fake battles are choreographed perfectly which makes you forget that they are obviously using foam swords (because it is a LARP, not because they are props). When the demon gets summoned, she starts tearing out hearts (literally) so there is some gore for the horror fans out there. Need a hot chick? Summer Glau is the female lead. Guys more your thing? Ryan Kwanteen is here doing his best dopey pretty boy act that you may recognize from True Blood. Round off the cast with Steve Zahn and Peter Dinklage and there are plenty of laughs to be had.

At this point you may be wondering why you have not heard of this film before and that is because it is most definitely a B-movie. The special effects and overall feel is in the realm of cult classic, not a big studio movie. Some of the acting is a bit stiff but the driving metal soundtrack and quick editing does its best to keep the pace up and the focus off of the film’s shortcomings.

Knights Of Badassdom is one part Army Of Darkness, one part Dungeons And Dragons, and one part heavy metal for a full B-movie of fun and awesomeness. With an all-star cast and a little bit of something for everyone, this movie manages to overcome its B-movie drawbacks with A-movie entertainment value. Mark my words, Knights Of Badassdom will go down as a cult classic.

Score: B

Review written by: Justin Proper

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One Response to “MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Knights Of Badassdom’”

  1. All-I-Do-Is-Netflix says:

    This looks like a movie I will to death. Thanks for the review good sir.