Actor Timotheé Chalamet stands among other royals as King Henry V in the Netflix original “The King” which was released on Nov. 1. “The King” is a striking and authentic historical movie with beautiful sets and well-choreographed battle scenes. Photo fair use of Netflix
This fantastic movie “The King,” based on a Shakespeare play is set in 1413 England and is directed by David Michôd.
The 2019 Netflix original “The King” is an intense and picturesque masterpiece. It depicts royal life in the 15th-century starring Timotheé Chalamet as King Henry V.
At the start of the movie, Young Henry, known as “Hal,” is a complete mess. He spends his nights drinking and partying with common people. His father (Ben Mendelsohn) is the king at the time, but he falls fatally ill. This leads to the first conflict: whether Hal or his younger brother will receive the crown. After a battle with another contender for becoming the king, Hal takes the English throne.
His father left the kingdom in disarray, which Hal is left to solve. Soon after he takes the throne, England declares war on France. The movie follows many intense battles and paints a vivid picture of medieval warfare.
Robert Pattinson plays Hal’s archnemesis, French prince The Dauphin, in a wonderfully loathsome manner. Every time he is on screen, his teasing wit lifts the movie out of the gloomy movie. Pattinson is nearly unrecognizable with his long hair and armor and plays the despicable French prince with an impeccable French accent and a holier-than-thou attitude stereotypical of the French. All of the interactions between Pattinson and Chalamet’s are stellarly performed and provide much-needed comedic relief to the otherwise dark movie.
Chalamet perfectly balances his youthfulness with the maturity needed for him to rule over England. He has many new responsibilities and little experience given his past hedonistic tendencies, and he must adjust to the new expectations of being a king. This metamorphosis is a key developmental part of the movie.
The film boasts beautiful cinematography that superbly captures the intensity of the battle scenes between England and France. The camera work was enthralling, especially during battle scenes where shots fade from one to the next in an aesthetically pleasing way.
The quality of the sets in “The King” was visually exceptional. The battle camps The portrayal of the medieval scenes in the castle was authentic and realistic. In one scene, Hal is presenting other royalty with gifts, and the dimly-lit and well decorated gold-encrusted room grasps viewers’ attention.
This movie which is based on several of Shakespeare’s “Henriad” plays provides a modern adaptation of Shakespeare that is more accessible and more easily grasped by a modern audience. The language is inspired by old-English but is still easy to follow along with and absorb.
One aspect of the movie that viewers could find shocking and gruesome is the level of gore and blood spilled. Some scenes are exceptionally graphic, such as a beheading scene, and a scene where a child is forced to carry his friend’s severed head back to his king. This R-Rated film is best suited for an audience of those in their late teens or adults.
Overall, “The King” is an incredible historical movie boasting very well-known and talented actors and superb battle scenes. The ending of the movie leaves the viewer in complete astonishment, and it’s well worth the 2 hours and 13-minute watch.
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