I'm glad you got to see it- I really liked it as well. In some ways, I consider it a better movie than KoH (and I loved KoH but it was Hollywood all the way, I see that now) - its the little things like the disparate languages, situations and the people seem to be more...realistic. Maybe there were highly idealistic knights like the one O. Bloom portrayed but it just seemed too pat for me; Arn felt real, he had real impulses and he was an honorable man, it just wasn't seen as such by his own people or the era. I liked how he took his 20 years of training and fighting as a Templar to aid his people in getting their freedom back from the Sverkers...
Y'know, it is supposed to be a trilogy, at least the books were...so I'm looking forward to the next one! Man, I would LOVE to be in a movie about knights!!!
Speaking of which, did you know that there are two Arthur 'remakes' slated to be made? One is supposed to be a remake of Excalibur and another, to be directed by Brian Singer, is supposed to deal with the gathering of the knights of the Round Table. No casting calls as of yet, I'll keep you posted if I hear anything.
If we ever have a gathering to watch the movie, I'll bring the sword so you can check it out...its a real beauty.