This review looks at the Gospel according to Matthew Briody as he looks at The King of Kings.
A story two thousand years in the making is told through an unconventional lens in Seong-ho Jang’s The King of Kings. This is, of course, about Jesus, but delivered via something of a fresh take. For starters, the movie is animated and caters to children and families.
Tracing Jesus’ life from his birth all the way to his final moments, the plot covers most key events that are found in scripture, all narrated by Charles Dickens (Kenneth Branagh) to his son, Walter (Roman Griffin Davis). The screenplay is based on a children’s book that Dickens actually wrote about the life of Jesus. Penned for his own children, Dickens would read it every year at Christmas. The Life of Our Lord was not published until 64 years after Dickens’s death.
While this is Jang’s first time co-writing and directing a film, his background in film and animation stretches back over twenty-five years. Jang began his career as a storyboard artist in his early twenties and later became a pioneer in introducing VFX to South Korean cinema. His accomplished career includes working on notable films such as Joint Security Area, Tidal Wave, Sector 7, and Last Knights. He has also contributed to international projects, including the TV series Spartacus.
The opening scenes feature Dickens reciting A Christmas Carol to the audience of a London theatre. After Walter derails the recital, Charles takes him home with the rest of the family. Dickens’s wife, Catherine (Uma Thurman), suggests that Charles tell Walter about the life of Jesus Christ (Oscar Isaac). As Walter is obsessed with kings, and Catherine insists Walter should hear about the ‘King of Kings’.
Chronologically covering Jesus’s life means there are appearances from a number of biblical figures. These are voiced by multiple well-known actors, whose roles range from the more memorable to blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos. As King Herod, Mark Hamill plays the villain convincingly, clearly comfortable with voice acting after his years of experience. In another antagonistic role, Ben Kingsley’s High Priest of Israel, Caiaphas, comes across as equal parts sinister and menacing. In opposition to Jesus and his beliefs, Caiaphas’s scheming adds a level of intrigue.
While the villainous roles stand out in the film, Forest Whitaker’s brief vocal appearance as the disciple Peter is surprisingly forgettable, unless you really know your disciples. Meanwhile Navan local Pierce Brosnan has the least amount of dialogue as Pontius Pilate.
Despite the noise, some performances still shine through. Branagh is charming in the role of Dickens, bringing the same level of wit and humour that he did in the animated film The Road to El Dorado. Oscar Isaac already played Jesus’s father, Joseph, in The Nativity Story. Now, taking on the role of Jesus. He now takes on the role of Jesus and imbues the character with wisdom. His gentle yet firm voice captures the qualities that drew people to follow Jesus.
Roman Griffin Davis is impressive as Walter Dickens. While he is a useful way to draw in younger viewers and make the film more accessible, his questions and interruptions wear thin as the film progresses. There is a specific scene involving Walter’s cat, Willa (Dee Bradley Baker), going missing that stops the narrative from progressing altogether. The film falls short on the animation front too, with some very cheap-looking character design.
However, that didn’t seem to be an issue for audiences. Released during Easter to contend with the mega-hit A Minecraft Movie, The King of Kings took the number two box office spot in the US, managing to take in $19.3 million in its opening weekend.
The term ‘preaching to the converted’ is most apt here. Overall, the film is something that would surely be enjoyed by Christian viewers who are already invested in the subject matter, especially parents who want to teach their children about religion. However, a secular audience are likely to struggle. While this certainly isn’t for everyone, The King of Kings has its own kind of mass appeal and carves out a distinct space in the world of animated faith-based storytelling.
The King of Kings is available to screen online now.
