Ekkelins Knecht (2008)

Absolutely the worst movie.

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Winter 1373. The day-taller Konrad, who always dreamed of becoming a knight, buries his parents. He travels the land all alone and by accident he gets into the service of the knight Ekkelin Gayling, where he lives a good life and falls in love with the maidservant Agnes. When Ekkelins liege lords, the Counts of Hohenlohe, want to start a feud with the town of Nuremberg, Ekkelin plans a plot to offer them a cause. The plot fails and Ekkelin loses his castle. From that day on he and his servants and friends live as robber-knights, raiding traveling merchants. Konrad is loyal to his master and leaves the pregnant Agnes behind. After years of robbery Ekkelin is betrayed by one of his companions. By accident Konrad escapes the capture and execution of Ekkelin and his servants. He steals the armor of his master and takes revenge as Ekkelins doppelgänger.The story is based on true events. Ekkelin Gayling, or Eppelin von Gailingen is a historic person and some events shown in the movie happened really. Ekkelin and his deeds are still a well known legend around Nuremberg.I can recommend this movie to all fans of the medieval sujet. Although it is only a low-cost production (250.000€ for the whole film) the movie is a detailed and authentic depiction of the 14th century and its decline of knighthood, that can't be rivaled by any shiny Hollywood-movie like Kingdom of Heaven, which tend to glorify and romanticize the medieval era.The drama of Ekkelin, who goes to rack and ruins in the intrigues and political ambages of the powerful, Konrad, who has to learn that his naive agenda of honor, loyalty and knightly behavior doesn't exist any longer are depicted with so much love for details that you easily forgive the flaws of this movie (the plot has its lengths and some weak points, but hey, its only a semi-professional production)Keeping in mind that this movie was not produced for the big cinema, it shows a good effort to depict a long past time in a realistic way. Therefore I give 8 out of 10 stars. Worth watching if you have the opportunity.