Of all the films I’ve seen that have attempted to capture the youthful spirit of 80s Amblin Entertainment works, up to and including recent imitators like Super 8 and legit Amblin productions like The House With A Clock In Its Walls, The Kid Who Would Be King is easily the best and most accomplished in bringing that kind of magic on screen. It shouldn’t be that much of a surprise since this is brought to us from writer/director, Joe Cornish, who has finally made a follow up to his 2011 cult hit, Attack The Block, which combined clever and propulsive genre savvy filmmaking with socio-political underpinnings.
Despite this film being directed to kids, as opposed to Attack The Block’s embrace of an R-rating, Cornish continues to follow through on the sensibilities of his debut. It’s a part 80s throwback, part Harryhausen homage, part deconstruction of the Arthurian legend that takes fantastical elements and throws them in an urban setting where a young cast is in charge of saving the day. It also has broad allusions to Brexit, placing a thematic emphasis on unity, kindness, and the power of each individual to do good for the world. It doesn’t dig too deep into the Brexit parallels, but the overall film does feel like a direct rebuke to the worldview that informed the desire for Britain’s exit from the EU.
The story keeps things fairly straightforward. Alex Elliot (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) is just your average kid who randomly stumbles onto the sword in the stone one night after being chased by bullies. Although, he doesn’t realize what it is at first until a mysterious teenager appears, declaring himself Merlin (Angus Imrie), and warns Alex that he must gather the round table and train to face off against Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson) before she enslaves humanity.
There is a formulaic aspect to the film, but Cornish applying his sense of humor and deconstructionist impulses keeps things engaging, even as the general framework is familiar. The way it smartly plays with the genre, and the dynamic between the reap and fantasy, feels very timeless. Cornish is also unabashed in how he embraces the tone and style of this kind of movie. It doesn’t have the concern of appealing to all ages, or the ironic irreverence that you see in many modern (and western) family films. Cornish is devoted to making sure that the voice of the film speaks to kids on their level, never talking down to them, never feeling condescending, nor cringey.
It also helps that the collection of actors here are all charming and engaging. Serkis carries the film well, and he has a great rapport with Dean Chaumoo, who plays Alex’s best friend, Bedders. Tom Taylor and Rhianna Doris are great as the two bullies, who end up joining forces with Alex. Ferguson goes full ham as the villain. Angus Imrie is a joy as Merlin, and the brief moments where Patrick Stewart shows up as Merlin’s true form are equally fun. The actors are clearly committed, and they sell the fun and fantasy, but – most importantly – they also sell the heart, which really comes through in the scenes where Alex talks to his mother, who is played by a wonderful Denise Gough.
In a just world, The Kid Who Would Be King would also be a big hit, especially with the kids. Unfortunately, the studio unceremoniously dumping the film in late January almost ensures that it will take a while before it finds its audiences. However, once people do catch up with it, they’ll be sorry for not seeing it in theaters. The only thing that ever stuck out as a flaw was that it did feel its length at certain points, it’s not quite as economic as Attack The Block, but the indulgences never deterred my enjoyment. This is simply a great movie for kids, and it’s a joyous experience that charmed and delighted me from beginning to end. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait another eight years for another Joe Cornish picture.