Sam Neill, Helena Bonham Carter, Miranda Richardson

What kind of guy was the wizard Merlin, anyway? He lives a long time, raises a boy to be a king, props up a Utopian empire with his magic and wisdom, and then watches as it all crumbles under such ban...( read more  read more... )al forces as vengeance and betrayal. This four-hour miniseries re-tells the story of Camelot and King Arthur from the perspective of the magic man who sacrifices a great deal to guide mortals toward a better destiny. Sam Neill plays Merlin as an accessible, flesh-and-blood fellow of real passion, powerless to undo the spell of a rival (Rutger Hauer) who has virtually imprisoned Merlin's great love, Nimue (Isabella Rossellini), but gifted enough to counter the treachery of Morgan Le Fey (Helena Bonham Carter) and the wicked Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson). The battle sequences and special effects are striking and original, and it is great fun to see such art-house movie actors as Richardson, Carter, Neill, etc., in fantasy entertainment the whole family can enjoy. (An unrecognizable Martin Short must be singled out, however, for a wonderful, largely dramatic performance as Mab's sidekick, Frik.) Directed by Steve Barron (The Adventures of Pinocchio), Merlin is a nice bit of glossy revisionism of a beloved legend. --Tom Keogh

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69% liked it

50,381 ratings

PG, 182 min.

Directed by: Steve Barron

Release Date: April 26, 1998

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DVD Release Date: September 18, 2001

Stats: 1,661 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,661)


  • May 28, 2008
    One of my favourites for years. The acting is brilliant, with stars like Sam Neill, Helena Bonham Carter and Lena Headey. It's nice to see the King Arthur tale from a different point of view.
  • January 8, 2008
    I like that they explored merlin as a druid, rather than a wizard - and brought queen mabb into it.
  • October 13, 2007
    I loved it on t.v., but it's been too long, I need to see it again.
  • July 10, 2007
    I used to think this movie was much cooler than it actually is. Still a decent one to watch b/c the story is classic.
  • June 12, 2007
    A nice fantasy revolving around merlin. Good cast and a good script.
  • November 5, 2009
    This is originally a television mini series which can now be watched as a full length long movie. Basically we watch the rise and fall of Camelot through the eyes of the wizard Merlin. Merlin played by Sam Neill was great in this. With a good story and great supporting cast makes...( read more) for a solid fantasy movie. This was a nice fresh look on a classic legend. Worth a watch for fantasy movie fans.
  • October 22, 2009
    I've seen. no other comment
  • October 18, 2009
    pretty cool movie about the wizard Merlin. the setting is Medieval times. it's a really good movie.
  • October 3, 2009
    I loved it. Throughout this whole, long movie, I was never bored. I loved the love of Merlin and Nimue.
  • September 1, 2009
    suka bangat ni ceta...

    ceta sal magic2...but still ad unsur jenaka..tHen ttg relationship ant manusia

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Merlin Trivia


  • In Disney's Sword and The Stone what does Merlin call the Greatest force on Earth?  Answer »
  • What movie has the characters by the names Iceman, Wolfman, Merlin, Cougar, Viper, Sundown, Jester, and Slider?  Answer »
  • What actress starred in the following roles?... 1. I played Morgan Le Fey in 'Merlin: The Old Ways' 2. I slept with Brad Pitt in 'Fight Club' 3. I was an ape along side Tim Roth in 'Planet of the Apes'  Answer »
  • Arthur: Merlin! Merlin, I swallowed a bug! Merlin: Oh, well, what's wrong with that? After all, you are a fish. Instinct, you know. Arthur: But you said I have no instinct. Merlin: Oh, I did. Well that's neither here nor there. What movie is this from?  Answer »

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