David Michôd’s “The King” is a riveting coming of age story of a reluctant king. Filled with fantastic performances, a menacing soundtrack and lavish visuals, this is a somber and intense film. Though it tends to rush in certain places and can be overlong, ultimately the film comes together to represent something much more powerful than the sum of its parts.
Certainly, due credit needs to be given to Timothée Chalamet who absolutely steals the show in every single scene. It is through him that you really begin to understand the fierceness of King Henry the V coupled with his extreme sense of vulnerability and innocence. We see how his good nature makes him an outsider to the kingship and a direct contrast to selfishness of his father, and how his uneasy thrust into the position of king challenges who he is.
He is aided in his journey by the William Chief Justice (Sean Harris) and Sir John Falstaff (Joel Edgerton). And watching Henry interact with these two characters provides a lot of the dramatic heft of the film, and it’s these interactions that really soar. You feel the tension and unease present in these scenes as you question each one of their loyalties, and watch their words and movements carefully. Many have found this film to be slow, but I was really encapsulated by what was happening on the screen between those characters involved.
Not to mention, we are also introduced to some extremely lavish imagery and battle-sequences, my favorite being the siege sequence at night. The cinematographer is the great Adam Arkapaw, whose work in “Macbeth” still takes my breath away. And the score by Nicholas Britell, who had previously scored “Moonlight”, comes through with a brooding score that fits the environment of the film perfectly.
Going into the film though, I didn’t really have any expectations for it. I had enjoyed Michôd’s previous work “War Machine”, another character study film, but I wasn’t exactly eager to see this. And after seeing the trailers, it reminded me a lot of “Outlaw King” and there are certainly sequences which are very similar (like the ending battle sequence), but I would overall say I enjoyed “The King” more, though I have to admit the imagery in “Outlaw King” still reins supreme.
I also really enjoyed how modern this film was. From the dialogue, to the themes of masculinity in politics and power, this is a film that feels embeded in the current flow of things. Don’t get me wrong though, this is a richly textured film briming over with exquisite costumes and medival detail, but there is a certain familiarity to the themes being dealt with that made it hit a little closer to home.
However, what I really enjoyed in this film was the way it all came together. This is certainly one of those films whose ending leaves you thinking deeply about what you had just seen, and is a fantastic display of how well developed these characters are. I wouldn’t want to spoil anything about it, but it’s an ending that hit the nail on the head, making this a much better film than it would’ve been without it. Most especially due to an absolutely fantastic late performance by Lily-Rose Depp as Catherine, who really excels in imbuing her character with a quite and subtle strength.
A lot of the criticism this film has received was due to how loosely it played with historical events and the source material of Shakespeare. And Though I love Shakespeare, and I believe the criticism the film received for being unfaithful is valid, I must admit that this aspect of the film didn’t really bother me that much. I enjoyed the film for what it was, and I wasn’t really going into it expecting an adaption of Shakespeare or an incredibly accurate tale. I just wanted to see a well-made medieval film, and that’s what I got and then some.
Though the beginning of the film, especially Henry’s ascension to power, feels rushed and certain scenes can feel overlong. And I wasn’t particularly a fan of Pattinson’s portrayal of The Dauphin of France, unfortunately it was a little too funny for me to take even slightly seriously. At the end of the day, I really enjoyed watching “The King”, and if you’re a fan of political or medieval dramas, this will certainly hit the spot.
