The Sword in the Stone

Well animated yet thoroughly tedious, The Sword in the Stone details the early relationship between Arthur and Merlin – with a specific emphasis on the latter’s efforts at preparing the former for his rule as England’s King. Director Wolfgang Reitherman has infused The Sword in the Stone with an almost astonishingly deliberate pace that prevents the viewer from, at any point, connecting with the material, and there’s little doubt that the movie’s less-than-enthralling atmosphere is compounded by Bill Peet’s unapologetically episodic screenplay. The subsequent emphasis on Arthur and Merlin’s hopelessly dull exploits is nothing short of disastrous, as the film’s entire midsection seems to consist solely of one utterly pointless stand-alone sequence after another (eg Arthur and Merlin frolic through the forest disguised as squirrels, Arthur attempts to fly while transformed into a bird, etc, etc). The impressive animation and likeable characters are, as a result, rendered entirely moot, and it’s impossible not to wonder just which demographic the film has been geared towards (ie the lack of action will bore small children, while adults will find themselves rolling their eyes at the pervasive silliness on display). By the time Arthur finally does yank the sword from the stone, which, incidentally, doesn’t occur until the film’s closing minutes, The Sword in the Stone has certainly cemented its place as a truly forgettable entry within Disney’s animated body of work.

*1/2 out of ****