Joe Cornish may or may not be one of those names that you’re familiar with in the entertainment world. From a movie perspective, he came out of nowhere with a little-know film called Attack the Block (2011). Anyone who has seen that movie would have a tough time convincing me that it wasn’t a fun worthwhile experience. With a small budget and little exposure, feature because a great example of what someone with a free mind and fresh perspective could create. Thanks to this movie, you all know who John Boyega is. From there, Cornish went onto pen Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man (2015) which we needn’t dwell on since we all know how that’s done, but that’s about it from a success standpoint. Now he’s the man behind The Kid Who Would Be King, which he wrote and directed. Let’s find out if he’s found the sweet spot to people’s imagination once again.
Young Alex (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) is having a tough go at it at school, especially with his best friend Bedders (Dean Chaumoo) being in the crosshairs of the school’s bullies. After standing up to a couple of older and bigger adversaries, Lance (Tom Taylor) and Kaye (Rhianna Dorris), Alex stumbles across a sword in a stone. From that moment forward, Alex is about to learn of his true destiny. There are dark forces at work and the only thing that can stand in the way will be Alex and whomever he can convince to join him in his quest to vanquish evil. Along the way, Alex will forge new friendships, align himself with the unlikeliest of allies and unlock centuries-old secrets. He must embrace his true self if Britain is to be saved.
The Kid Who Would Be King is basically the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table re-imagined in today’s time but with children at the story’s center rather than adults. No worries, the mythical Excalibur and the wondrous wizard known as Merlin are also present and accounted for. Director/writer Joe Cornish seemingly has fun morphing this story into a functional version that can be enjoyed while set during modern times. There are even dragons, so there’s no need to worry about anything being left out.
Louis Ashbourne Serkis is the centerpiece of this family-friendly adventure fantasy and he is just fine for what this movie needs. The other young actors such as Dean Chaumoo, Tom Taylor, Rhianna Dorris and Angus Imrie are all solid and bring a good sense of screen presence. Assisting in the “more marketable names” category are Rebecca Ferguson and Patrick Stewart. These two veteran actors give credibility and a little experienced polish to The Kid Who Would Be King. Let’s not be fooled though, it’s all about the young actors.
Since The Kid Who Would Be King is not meant to be a true mythical story, it’s kind of fun going though and seeing what creative liberties that Joe Cornish takes to blend the traditional stories with what is present before audiences today. There are many parallels with the original tales and those familiar with the stories will appreciate it. New audiences will not be lost as this plot works for those individuals as well.
The Kid Who Would Be King should be semi enjoyable enough for its younger adolescent demographic with the biggest hurdle being that of its runtime. Two hours is a long time to expect younger audiences to sit still while staying engaged with this type of film. There are a few laughs to be had as well as some cool action sequences geared towards teens and younger. Parents may find this journey to be less enjoyable and likely a bit cumbersome. They can’t all be winners and this could have ended up being much worse that it was. Count your blessing. You can endure this magical quest in theaters now.
