First of all, this review will contain, although a slight amount, spoilers for the 2nd FGO Camelot movie.
After a first movie that leans on the weaker side, we finally got the second and final movie of the 6th Singularity of Fate/Grand Order, Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot. As I said at the very beginning, coming after a rather disappointing first movie my expectations weren't at an all-time high, even with this Singularity being a personal favorite of mine regarding the Fate/Grand Order main story.
Regarding the technical aspects of the movie, I've to say that this is definitely a big upgrade comparing it to its predecessor in almost every aspect: the animation during fights might be among the top Fate as a franchise has ever seen, the soundtrack does its job fairly well, and the art and character design look better compared to previously in Wandering; Agateram. In my honest opinion, this movie is pleasant to look at, for both Sakuga appreciators or casual fans.
A big controversy regarding these 2 movies are the changes compared to the main game, Fate/Grand Order. As a quick summary, the game has more servants involved that are cut from the movies (like Tawara Touta or Hassan of the Hundred Personas), some of the characters that appear in the movie have different roles or purposes (for example, Sanzang's role in the game is to only break the main gate to the Holy City with her Noble Phantasm, and then disappear, rather than her having a fight against Mordred like we see in this movie). Are these changes a big demerit for these 2 movies? Apart that these movies are a movie adaptation of the theatrical release, FGO The Stage, and not the game per se, as I stand right now, I see them in an opposite light: I actually like some of the changes this movie specifically provides, not only because some of these changes make the movie's pace more dynamic without changing the overall story too much, but because it puts the focus (for better and for worse) on the really important characters of this entire movie: the Knights of the Round Table.
This movie, as I see it, revolves around the knights who were alongside Artoria Pendragon in her quest to bring peace to Britain, characters that we have already seen in other Fate-related works, like Lancelot in Fate/Zero; Gawain in Fate/Extra or Mordred in Fate/Apocrypha, or have been mentioned in the main source of arthurian legend in the Fate universe, Garden of Avalon, like Tristan or Agravain. As a curious fact, this movie provides the brief cameo of 2 other Knights of the Round Table that have been released recently in the gacha game, being Gareth and Percival. These characters will face their sins and regrets in a second attempt to reunite with their king and fulfill their duty, this time facing one of their own on the other side, Bedivere. And myself, a person who not only enjoys Fate's interpretation of the Arthurian myth, but enjoys the real myth as well, I can not be more pleased with this direction.
Obviously, this movie has its drawbacks. As I said previously, I did like some of the changes this movie provides, but I never said all of them. The first and most important in my honest opinion is that, even talking about it in a positive light before, putting too much focus on the KotRT makes the other characters have less of it and, as it suggests in the title of the movie, this is the story of Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight going from Singularity to Singularity, in a quest to save Humanity from its ultimate doom, that is, this is only a chapter of a bigger story. I would have appreciated more at least some connection to the overall FGO Story
Finally, this movie brings the end of the quest Bedivere has been for hundreds of years in an emotional conclusion: a final confrontation with his king, revealing to everyone that his arm is basically the Holy Sword Excalibur, as well as the truth that in reality, rather than a servant, he is a human just like Ritsuka. Bedivere is definetly the highlight of this entire movie, not only thanks to this conclusion and the great fight he has against Gawain, but also to what he represents: the humanity in the Round Table. Bedivere is, in contrast with his peers, a person who doesn't have the blessing of spirits like Lancelot, the blessing of the Sun like Gawain, mixed blood from other species like Artoria or Merlin, or even a demonic/holy weapon like Percival. He is just a normal human, struggling to fulfill his promise to his king. Indirectly, he represents humanity as a whole, enduring the hardships to arrive to his goal, fighting against unmovable walls in order to reach to his destination.
His final words, thanking Artoria for what she did in order to bring peace to Britain, mirrors those from Lancelot's in Fate/Zero: even with how it ended at the battle of Camlaan, the fact that peace could be even dreamed of during her reign was possible thanks to her. Her reign was not a mistake, but one full of hope. Bedivere after those emotional words, says farewell with the return of the Lion King's "humanity", stopping her plan and admitting defeat. The Singularity is solved thanks to the humanity of the most loyal of knights.
As a conclusion, I enjoyed this movie a lot, even with its flaws. I do encourage to both casual fans and even hardcore Fate fans that disliked the first movie to give this one a try.
Better than Babylonia as an adaptation? Obviously not.
A bad Fate/Grand Order movie? No.
Fate/Grand Order Paladin; Agateram is, in this spectator's humble opinion, a really enjoyable movie that is worth its time, and makes the Camelot adaptation worth watching only thanks to this second movie.
I'm sorry for the length of this review, and thank you for reaching the end of it. I will try to improve if I do more reviews in the future.
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