By Tyler Ruth ’16

“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is a film that is a part of a collection of TV shows, movies and theatrical plays.  Monty Python, the British comedy group that stars in these works, are known for their satirical and surreal humor.  The comedy that they utilize in their work is very polarizing.  In “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” they rely a lot on slapstick and goofy self-referential humor

The sole plot (if that is what one would call it) of the movie is that Arthur is on a mission, doomed to fail, to find the Holy Grail.  His unlikely comrades of serfs, knights, monsters and nobles all do their very best to help with the mission, but in their efforts all they create are ridiculous situations with loads of gags.

The movie does not move in the typical dramatic structure of most other films.  The viewer can’t really pick out a climax, the most one could do is approximate a beginning, a middle, and a very, very abrupt end.  There is no tension at all, just one big parody of life in medieval times.

It is not a good movie.  Sure, the spoofs on Arthurian legends are amusing, but that is all it is.  The jokes do not really add to anything, as they are spliced in at times and never build up to a pivotal plot point.

“Holy Grail” suffers from a condition that is common to many other movies: it is better remembered than it actually is when seen.  The nostalgia this movie has built up is probably a big reason why it is regarded so highly.  If one had never heard of Monty Python, they would think this movie was as pointless and inane as any Adam Sandler movie.

If one is looking for an actual complex comedy, with witty and clever jokes, this is not it.  Rather, “Holy Grail” is for someone who wants simple jokes, quick laughs, and a movie that does not require thinking.