Black Knight (2001)

14% of critics liked it
(96 reviews)
46% of users liked it
(154,261 ratings)

Screenwriter Darryl Quarles follows up his smash hit Big Momma's House (2000) with another raucous Martin Lawrence collaboration. Lawrence stars as Jamal Walker, an employee at a medieval-themed mini-golf course who wakes up in 14th century England after a blow to the head. Jamal has soon allied… More Screenwriter Darryl Quarles follows up his smash hit Big Momma's House (2000) with another raucous Martin Lawrence collaboration. Lawrence stars as Jamal Walker, an employee at a medieval-themed mini-golf course who wakes up in 14th century England after a blow to the head. Jamal has soon allied himself with a peasant girl and a broken-down ex-knight to defeat the evil King Leo (Kevin Conway) and his bullying minion, Sir Knolte (Tom Wilkinson). In the meantime, Jamal busts some modern dance moves on the medieval dance floor and encounters such intriguing residents of the period as knaves, peasants, archers, jousting knights, maidens, a princess, and even a giant. Black Knight (2001) is the sophomore directing vehicle of longtime television producer Gil Junger, who joins Lawrence in replacing the team originally attached to this comic vehicle, director F. Gary Gray and star Chris Tucker. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Gil Junger
Written By: Darryl Quarles, Peter Gaulke, Gerry Swallow
Genres: Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 21, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Apr 16, 2002
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
A single fish-out-of-water joke told over and over again.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
Martin Lawrence [stars] as a theme park worker who falls into a scummy moat and surfaces in the Middle Ages -- perhaps in search of people who would find his humor fresh and original. No such luck.
Claudia Puig, USA Today
Tedious and predictable.
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice
Paint-by-numbers cliché-fest.
Joe Leydon, Variety
Black Knight isn't awful, strictly speaking, just tepid and predictable.
Jay Carr, Boston Globe
A time-travel comedy that doesn't go anywhere we haven't been before.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Martin Lawrence amuses in raunchy comedy.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Lawrence relies on his usual act as the hip black guy surrounded by square white men.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
The first 23 minutes of Black Knight (yes, I timed it) are easily the most effective...
Mark Palermo, Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
If Army of Darkness was remade by members of the KKK, the results would likely approximate Black Knight.

Read all 10 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Marc L

While it's not one of the best comedies I've ever seen, it's still really good. Some nice fight scenes, some great humor, a good script for a comedy. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it deserves a bit better than 14%. Granted, there were a few scenes that weren't… More
While it's not one of the best comedies I've ever seen, it's still really good. Some nice fight scenes, some great humor, a good script for a comedy. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it deserves a bit better than 14%. Granted, there were a few scenes that weren't that funny. The extremely forced "Dance to the Music" scene in the castle was probably the films lowlight. Most of the other jokes at least bring a smile though. Also, the film seems to take a little to long to get to it's point. Luckily there is some good. Most of the jokes were actually pretty funny, and one or two were laugh out funny. It seems to be less of a great script as it is funny actors. I guess this was before Lawrence started to get really unfunny with movies like "Rebound", becuase he actually does a really good performance. For a comedy, the plot is pretty cool. You'll have to see the movie though. I think it was a parody of "A Kid in King Arthur's Court" and a really good one. Over all, is it amazing? No. But it's enjoyable, and a good movie to see if you have a Martin Lawrence obsessed friend/girlfriend/boyfriend.
Lady D

More comical than expected, lots of predictability, but a light hearted, easy watching, no brainer
Jason O

Previews made it look hilarious, but watch it and you'll see how misled they were.
Anthony L

Martin Lawrence shows us that only through understanding will we defeat evil in all its incarnations. What a load of bollocks! Crap film, avoid at all costs.
moon r

how this ever got greenlighted i'll never know. lawrence is jerry lewis, only he's african-american, get it? maybe you don't. so give him a minute and he'll explain it to you, and he does. over and over. "it's a black thang!" more racism per… More
how this ever got greenlighted i'll never know. lawrence is jerry lewis, only he's african-american, get it? maybe you don't. so give him a minute and he'll explain it to you, and he does. over and over. "it's a black thang!" more racism per minute than any kkk rally i've ever been invited to, with all the "comedy" stolen from french icon, mr. jerry lewis. gag me with a spoon.
Josh L

Just plain dumb fun. Nothing that will blow you away, but it's amusing.
EightThirty .

Pretty cool, Full of laughs XD
Candy R

Funny movie about a man who ends up going back to medieval times.
Bobby H

This is tied for my favorite Martin Lawrence movie! It's one of the funniest movies I've seen , of all time.
xGary X

A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court variant in which Martin Lawrence restores the rightful king of medieval england by teaching a bunch of foppish white people how to be an idiotic, unfunny, irritating black stereotype. The DVD cover is as funny as it gets.
Joseph E

Off color humor at it's best! I don't know what it is about Black Knight that makes it so good. Well no, it wasn't hilarious. It wasn't great, and one of the best film.s ever. Maybe because it's intentions are good. It was well minded, and was fueled by… More
Off color humor at it's best! I don't know what it is about Black Knight that makes it so good. Well no, it wasn't hilarious. It wasn't great, and one of the best film.s ever. Maybe because it's intentions are good. It was well minded, and was fueled by courage, both onscreen and off. "Black knight is not Martin Lawrence's best film, nor is it the best film for anyone involved, but it's sweet hearted nature, and good intentions let you see beyond all that is bad, and see what is special, and different about it."
Deb S

I loved the movie "Bad Boys" and I usually find Martin Lawrence funny and clever but this was a script that lacked any direction. The movie starts off very awkwardly with Lawrence, who travels back in time to the middle-ages and is mistaken for a royal person. Yes, this… More
I loved the movie "Bad Boys" and I usually find Martin Lawrence funny and clever but this was a script that lacked any direction. The movie starts off very awkwardly with Lawrence, who travels back in time to the middle-ages and is mistaken for a royal person. Yes, this movie could have been done much better but then I realized it's a COMEDY and therefore not meant to be taken seriously to begin with. It was fairly amusing Not immensely funny, but still entertaining.
Brandon K

This movie is legendary beyond human comprehension.
Yinalí R

This movie was funny.
Christopher B

Oh my God, I've seen this! It has been erased completely from my memory until now! DAMN YOU FLIXSTER!