Year: 2019
Director: Joe Cornish
Starring: Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Dean Chaumoo, Tom Taylor, Rhianna Dorris, Angus Imrie, Patrick Stewart, and Rebecca Ferguson
Tagline: Evil gets schooled
Starring: Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Dean Chaumoo, Tom Taylor, Rhianna Dorris, Angus Imrie, Patrick Stewart, and Rebecca Ferguson
Tagline: Evil gets schooled
Synopsis: While running away from bullies, Alexander finds a sword in a stone and pulls it out. Soon Merlin arrives to tell him it is up to him and his friends to save the world from the return of Morgana (King Arthur's evil half-sister).
Review
This isn't a widely known movie. Which is too bad, because it is really enjoyable and a good family film.
The story is a modern reimagining of the Arthur legends. The film even begins by recounting the applicable stories about King Arthur through an animated storybook sequence. Cut to the modern day world where history is about to repeat itself and a new hero must arise.
The film has a good story with some clever dialogue and relatable characters. It also has a timely message about working together. In his quest, Alexander enlists the help of two bullies who constantly pick on him and his friend. He sees their potential as allies and they slowly learn to get along and then work together. By the end, enemies have become friends. And because it is so tied up into the narrative, the moral never feels heavy handed. Each character also has their own arc where they have to learn and grow and overcome their weaknesses.
The actors playing the kids all do a good job. Young Merlin was a bit odd, but then that was what they were going for. His quirkiness worked for a medieval person in modern day Britain. But I found myself more drawn to Merlin when he was older and portrayed by Patrick Stewart.
It is fairly clear that The Kid Who Would Be King didn't have a blockbuster budget to work with. The visuals aren't bad, but they are limited. One interesting segment involves some obligatory training for the young heroes. It's like they weren't taught to wield a sword in middle school or something. What's fun about the scene is that they are fighting against, and being taught by, trees. Not talking trees, just moving trees with lots of branches. The animation at the beginning was also quite good.
About the only thing I didn't like about the movie was the musical score. It was merely adequate. The film deserved a more epic soundtrack. The one it got felt more like the temp track used while the real score was being written.
The film is rated PG for some action (mostly the destruction of flaming skeletons) and mild peril (mostly from flaming skeletons ... and a dragon). I don't recall any swearing. We do see young Merlin without clothes on. But it is from a distance and there is a convenient layer of low fog obscuring his behind.
Ultimately, The Kid Who Would Be King is a story about people (in this case kids) coming together to right that which is wrong and triumph over the things that would otherwise destroy our world. It's a timely message in a fun film. It may not be an instant classic, but it's worth watching.
*** Spoiler Section ***
The false climax and aftermath both worked and didn't work. It worked within the story itself. But if you'd seen any of the trailers, you knew some very important scenes hadn't yet happened.
Although I liked how the movie wrapped up -- it was quite fitting for the story and the moral -- I did want to know a bit more about the battle's aftermath. Was everything magically cleaned up? Don't any of the other school kids have a million questions?
The story is a modern reimagining of the Arthur legends. The film even begins by recounting the applicable stories about King Arthur through an animated storybook sequence. Cut to the modern day world where history is about to repeat itself and a new hero must arise.
The film has a good story with some clever dialogue and relatable characters. It also has a timely message about working together. In his quest, Alexander enlists the help of two bullies who constantly pick on him and his friend. He sees their potential as allies and they slowly learn to get along and then work together. By the end, enemies have become friends. And because it is so tied up into the narrative, the moral never feels heavy handed. Each character also has their own arc where they have to learn and grow and overcome their weaknesses.
The actors playing the kids all do a good job. Young Merlin was a bit odd, but then that was what they were going for. His quirkiness worked for a medieval person in modern day Britain. But I found myself more drawn to Merlin when he was older and portrayed by Patrick Stewart.
It is fairly clear that The Kid Who Would Be King didn't have a blockbuster budget to work with. The visuals aren't bad, but they are limited. One interesting segment involves some obligatory training for the young heroes. It's like they weren't taught to wield a sword in middle school or something. What's fun about the scene is that they are fighting against, and being taught by, trees. Not talking trees, just moving trees with lots of branches. The animation at the beginning was also quite good.
About the only thing I didn't like about the movie was the musical score. It was merely adequate. The film deserved a more epic soundtrack. The one it got felt more like the temp track used while the real score was being written.
The film is rated PG for some action (mostly the destruction of flaming skeletons) and mild peril (mostly from flaming skeletons ... and a dragon). I don't recall any swearing. We do see young Merlin without clothes on. But it is from a distance and there is a convenient layer of low fog obscuring his behind.
Ultimately, The Kid Who Would Be King is a story about people (in this case kids) coming together to right that which is wrong and triumph over the things that would otherwise destroy our world. It's a timely message in a fun film. It may not be an instant classic, but it's worth watching.
*** Spoiler Section ***
The false climax and aftermath both worked and didn't work. It worked within the story itself. But if you'd seen any of the trailers, you knew some very important scenes hadn't yet happened.
Although I liked how the movie wrapped up -- it was quite fitting for the story and the moral -- I did want to know a bit more about the battle's aftermath. Was everything magically cleaned up? Don't any of the other school kids have a million questions?
Quotable Quotes
- "Where did you learn how to drive?" "Mario Kart." -- Bedders and Kaye
- "We're the knights of the round table!" "You are such a nerd." Alexander and Kaye
- "All hail the king!" "Don't, it's just embarrassing." -- Lance (kneeling) and Alexander
- "We are history. They are the future!" -- Merlin to Morgana
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