Merlin: The Return
Merlin: The Return is a 2000 British fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Paul Matthews. The film stars Rik Mayall, Patrick Bergin, Craig Sheffer, Adrian Paul, Julie Hartley, and Tia Carrere. The film chronicles the story of Merlin and King Arthur. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 22 December 2000. Story. For 1500 years, the powers of Merlin (Rik Mayall) have kept the evil Mordred (Craig Sheffer) and his mother Morgana (Grethe Fox) captive in another world. When a present-day scientist (Tia Carrere) stumbles upon the gateway between this world and the  one Mordred is imprisoned in, it's up to a recently re-awakened King Arthur (Patrick Bergin) Merlin and Lancelot (Adrian Paul) to stop Mordred from returning. Reception. Critical reception for the film was mostly negative; Michael Thomson of the BBC wrote, "It's almost as if director Paul Matthews had accepted a bet to make the worst possible film." "Time Out London" commented that the film was "indifferently directed" but was "a harmless adventure". Total Film, in summing up the film, wrote, "It's a word that has some might/It starts with `Sh'/And rhymes with kite...". Merlin