Movie Review: Knights of Badassdom (2014)

Yearning for some Peter Dinklage before the new Game of Thrones season starts? Missing Summer Glau because Firefly was cancelled? Interested in the learning to identify doom metal and power ballads? Then check out Knights of Badassdom, a low-budget cheeseball of a movie that affectionately pokes fun at LARPers (Live Acting Role Players, you know, the people who dress up like old-timey knights or fantasy creatures and go in-character for funsies)! Best to go in with no expectations and an open mind; this movie plays well only to a particular type of audience.

Knights of Badassdom covers the misadventures of a trio of best friends who go to a LARP event and accidentally summon an actual demon. Their nerd cred is firmly established by then. Viewers unfamiliar with the rules of LARPing get some of the basics through the other characters' teaching Joe (Ryan Kwanten), who is only there because he was drugged and brought along by his well-meaning friends. Speaking of drugs, Hung (Dinklage) does a lot.

The LARPers have foam weapons and gamely whap at each other with them, although one of the main characters, Eric (Steve Zahn), also has "non-regulation" actual steel weapons, which shockingly become important later on. Cousins Gwen (Glau) and Gunther (Tom Hopper) are minor supporting players, alas, even though they seem a lot more interesting than the three leads who are intent on running away from real life. Still, Glau kicks ass, as expected from the latest poster child of Waif Fu.

This movie is a horror-comedy, so expect blood splatters and whatnot. I did laugh at the transformed version of the demon, and I'm not sure if that was intended by the filmmakers.

Anyway, if you're a fan of any the actors in this film, or LARPing, you'll probably get a kick out Knights of Badassdom. Others need not apply.

This post brought to you by water. Water: used by Aiel when they're being especially solemn!