The Kid Who Would Be King is a ray of Arthurian hope in these dark times. The film is written and directed by Joe Cornish who earlier wrote and directed Attack the Block (2011). It is about a teenage gang of outcasts taking on an alien invasion only they can stop. The new film is about young outcasts taking on a sorcerous invasion only they can stop. So I see a connection between the stories. I’m a tremendous fan of Arthurian stories in novels and film. The standout is John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981) which has some echoes here.
I rank King Arthur (2004) directed by Antoine Fuqua up there for the historical Arthur. Then, First Knight (1995) which is based on Chrétien de Troyes’ Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.” The construction of the Arthurian story is there, but given a modern day kid’s take, all centered around the story of a boy, his single mother, and his friends. The film begins with an animated telling of King Arthur’s story, it reminded me of a comic book artist, but has the classic children illustration which leads to the book, The Knights of the Round Table. We have the sorceress Morgana vows to return to a world without hope. King Arthur says that Excalibur will be there.
I rank King Arthur (2004) directed by Antoine Fuqua up there for the historical Arthur. Then, First Knight (1995) which is based on Chrétien de Troyes’ Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.” The construction of the Arthurian story is there, but given a modern day kid’s take, all centered around the story of a boy, his single mother, and his friends. The film begins with an animated telling of King Arthur’s story, it reminded me of a comic book artist, but has the classic children illustration which leads to the book, The Knights of the Round Table. We have the sorceress Morgana vows to return to a world without hope. King Arthur says that Excalibur will be there.
This moves from the attic with the book down to the kid, Alex Elliot (Louis Ashbourne Serkis), who has to hurry to school. Serkis is of course the son of Andy Serkis who is also known for fantastic films. He and the other kid actors are perfectly cast, Alex is an average boy who has to keep the hope, his values, when the world wants to take it all away. Alex is working on a science project, his planet rolls onto newspaper, and gets a message stuck to his sun. His mother, played by Denise Gough who was in Robin Hood (2010 and last year’s Colette, helps to fix the sun.
Alex checks his phone and sees that his friend Bedders has been texting him for help. He leaves his home at Malory Road, a nice nod to Sir Thomas Malory, writer of Le Morte d’Arthur. Alex rushes to Dungate Academy, Dungate is a village in Kent, England. He finds Bedders (Dean Chaumoo) hung upside down by the school bullies, Lance (Tom Taylor) and Kaye (Rhianna Dorris). Taylor was Jake in The Dark Tower (2017) movie. Dorris was Penny Parker in the Secret Life of Boys television series. Both characters are bullies, but still likeable. We also find why they are bullies and how they can become true knights.
Alex checks his phone and sees that his friend Bedders has been texting him for help. He leaves his home at Malory Road, a nice nod to Sir Thomas Malory, writer of Le Morte d’Arthur. Alex rushes to Dungate Academy, Dungate is a village in Kent, England. He finds Bedders (Dean Chaumoo) hung upside down by the school bullies, Lance (Tom Taylor) and Kaye (Rhianna Dorris). Taylor was Jake in The Dark Tower (2017) movie. Dorris was Penny Parker in the Secret Life of Boys television series. Both characters are bullies, but still likeable. We also find why they are bullies and how they can become true knights.
The coins fall from his pockets. Alex stands up for his friend, Lance pushes him down saying he is king, and Bedders thanks him for the save and tries to show him a magic trick. Bedders is plucky, but needs a little confidence. Later, Alex lets out his anger on Lance. He is given detention by Mrs. Lee (Noma Dumezweni). The actress was Miss Penny Farthing in Mary Poppins Returns (2018). Alex’s mother is troubled that he was in trouble at school. He gets detention and is threatened by Lance. Alex runs after detention and runs through a gate of a construction site.
Lance and Kaye corner him at the edge of a building and Alex falls! They leave him after the accident and Alex recovers on a hill of dirt. He finds a sword in a construction pillar and draws it out. Alex hears a police car and runs back to home with the sword. This switches to the underworld prison of Morgana, played by Rebecca Ferguson, she is lashed to a pillar with vines threaded over her body. Ferguson was in The White Queen (2013) tv miniseries, The Greatest Showman (2017), and Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018). Morgana is part seductress like Helen Mirren’s character in Excalibur and also ruthlessly hunting the kids finding their weaknesses. Her dark magic travels through the vines to our world.
Lance and Kaye corner him at the edge of a building and Alex falls! They leave him after the accident and Alex recovers on a hill of dirt. He finds a sword in a construction pillar and draws it out. Alex hears a police car and runs back to home with the sword. This switches to the underworld prison of Morgana, played by Rebecca Ferguson, she is lashed to a pillar with vines threaded over her body. Ferguson was in The White Queen (2013) tv miniseries, The Greatest Showman (2017), and Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018). Morgana is part seductress like Helen Mirren’s character in Excalibur and also ruthlessly hunting the kids finding their weaknesses. Her dark magic travels through the vines to our world.
Alex has Bedders over to work out what is the sword and he uses Google to translate the writing on the sword’s guard. He dubs his friend a knight. The next day, walking out of Stonehenge is very much naked teenaged boy, played by Angus Imrie. He was in the Stephen Fry series Kingdom, an episode of Father Brown, and was also in the drama, Pond Life (2018). This is the young Merlin who seems to be so driven on his mission that he is eccentric in dealing with normal life which is fun. His magic has gestures, called sigils, that have click, pops, and snaps instead of just waving around fingers. Merlin goes to a shop and uses his magic to get the shopkeeper’s Led Zeppelin shirt.
Then, he hypnotizes police officers to take him to London. Alex and Bedders return to school and find a new classmate, Merlin calling himself Martin in a too short school outfit, and he stares at Alex at every class. Alex tells Bedders that Martin is too strange and they need to stay away from him. At night, Morgana calls up a burning, undead knight to take the sword. These creatures are so monstrous they may frighten younger children. Alex finds that his mother is missing during the battle. Time is stopped at night when Morgana sends her knights and only Alex and his knights can stand against them. Excalibur doesn't seem to have any powers, it doesn't cut through the burning blades of the undead knights.
Then, he hypnotizes police officers to take him to London. Alex and Bedders return to school and find a new classmate, Merlin calling himself Martin in a too short school outfit, and he stares at Alex at every class. Alex tells Bedders that Martin is too strange and they need to stay away from him. At night, Morgana calls up a burning, undead knight to take the sword. These creatures are so monstrous they may frighten younger children. Alex finds that his mother is missing during the battle. Time is stopped at night when Morgana sends her knights and only Alex and his knights can stand against them. Excalibur doesn't seem to have any powers, it doesn't cut through the burning blades of the undead knights.
Later, Bedders picks up a construction sign to use as a shield. This figures in later on in the film. Alex manages to dub Lance and Kaye who are of course Sir Lancelot and Sir (really Lady) Kay. The Alex and Bedders team find out that Merlin can take his adult form as Sir Patrick Stewart. He was of course Leodegrance in Excalibur (1981) besides playing Jean Luc Picard in television (including the upcoming series) and film, as well as Charles Xavier, lastly in Logan (2017). Merlin sneezes into owl form or his adult form which is a cameo, but allows Stewart to play a wizard like his colleague, Sir Ian McKellan. The battle takes Alex to Tintagel and Glastonbury Tor, places well known in Arthurian legend.
Alex is on a quest to find his father and finds an answer with his aunt Sophie played by Genevieve O’Reilly who was Mon Mothma in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). They have to race to defeat Morgana before the eclipse when she will finally enter the real world. There is a greenish tint to her powers that is a nod to the harsh, green light in Excalibur. Merlin has to train the knights, using his powers of metal duplication to give swords to other knights, and this is something that has Bedders practicing. I have been to Glastonbury Abbey, a rumored place of King Arthur’s Tomb and a place for the Holy Grail, a sequel? I hope the film’s Chivalric Code inspires young people and all audiences. This is an excellent movie to start off the new year! Hail King Alexander and His Knights!
Alex is on a quest to find his father and finds an answer with his aunt Sophie played by Genevieve O’Reilly who was Mon Mothma in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). They have to race to defeat Morgana before the eclipse when she will finally enter the real world. There is a greenish tint to her powers that is a nod to the harsh, green light in Excalibur. Merlin has to train the knights, using his powers of metal duplication to give swords to other knights, and this is something that has Bedders practicing. I have been to Glastonbury Abbey, a rumored place of King Arthur’s Tomb and a place for the Holy Grail, a sequel? I hope the film’s Chivalric Code inspires young people and all audiences. This is an excellent movie to start off the new year! Hail King Alexander and His Knights!
Four Construction Signs out of Five!
#TheKidWhoWouldBeKing, #JoeCornish, #LouisAshbourneSerkis, #RebeccaFerguson
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