It has been five years since David Lowery released The Green Knight, his otherworldly and hauntingly beautiful take on a classic Arthurian tale. Starring Dev Patel as a headstrong yet unproven knight as he journeys to test his courage, this great fantasy epic quickly became one of the best films of 2021. With stunning visuals, a story that methodically builds tension, and some of the best production design in years, this unnerving epic is great from start to finish. Yet, there’s one scene that still gives me chills after all this time.
No, it’s not the various encounters with the Green Knight that bookend the film. Nor is it the strange and off-putting sequence with the Lord and Lady that tend to the young knight. Instead, it’s a brief yet unforgettable meeting with a young scavenger picking through the corpses of fallen soldiers.
