{jatabs type="content" position="top" height="auto" skipAnim="true" mouseType="click" animType="animFade"}

[tab title="Movie Review"]

The Kid Who WOuld Be King - Blu-ray

Face it, you didn’t go see this film when it was released.  The advertisements didn’t sell it well enough, did they?  Well, this box office bomb is actually pretty damn good.  It might be, for a kid’s movie, too long, but The Kid Who Would Be King has a great message and an even greater heart.

"For anyone who has lost a sense of purpose, this is the matinee flick you’ve been waiting for."


Of all the tired re-imaginings and reboots out there, we have a couple that are well worth the time . . . and your money.  The Kid Who Would Be King, written and directed by Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) is one of those films.  It will take you by surprise.  From beginning to end, this is a film that adults and children will absolutely love.  It is funny, charming, highly imaginative, and – above all else – never insulting.

Starring Louis Ashbourne Serkis as our kid hero (and king!!!) Alex, Angus Imrie as Merlin, Dean Chaumoo as Bedders, Tom Taylor as Lance, and Rhianna Dorris as Kaye, The Kid Who Would Be King is a modern day retelling of the Arthurian legend, complete with a Lady of the Lake, Excalibur, and a horde of gnarly-looking flaming skeleton warriors from the underground. {googleads}

But really the adventure starts – even before the young Alex, who believes himself to be a nobody from Nobody Land pulls Excalibur from a broken concrete beam – with a battle between Merlin (Sir Patrick Stewart) and the wicked enchantress Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson).  It is up to these young, school-bound pupils to stop the age-old battle. 

And they will have to do it in modern day North Cornwall. At school, even.  Wow.  With great battle sequences, some epic storytelling, and a very ticklish funny bone, this movie rocks almost non-stop as Alex, with bis best friend Bedders in tow, discover that they just might be involved in one of the fiercest battles of all time – especially when Merlin shows up to guide them through a brand new world of magic and mayhem, thanks to Morgana’s quest for power. The Kid Who WOuld Be King - Blu-ray

With solid special effects, The Kid Who Would Be King invites us into its heartwarming tale as one twelve-year-old-boy, new to his school, struggles to find his place in the world.  What he discovers, after one too many bullying attacks at school, is that he’s pretty damn important.  And it begins with the extracting of Excalibur and the playful knighting of his best friend.  Suddenly,  a new world of endless magic is uncovered in front of them.  A new Round Table must be appointed; new alliances forged, and the younger version of Merlin must stop running into windows when he turns into a bird to try to make his escape. 

Adventurous without being insulting, The Kid Who Would Be King is pretty exciting, even if it does challenge audiences with its length.  It is fun, spirited, and, as Alex must journey to the place which will reveal secrets about his father, a pretty emotional flick.  For anyone who has lost a sense of purpose, this is the matinee flick you’ve been waiting for. 

Because anyone can be King.

4 stars

[/tab]

[tab title="Details"]

The Kid Who WOuld Be King - Blu-ray

MPAA Rating: PG for fantasy action violence, scary images, thematic elements including some bullying, and language.
Runtime:
120 mins
Director
: Joe Cornish
Writer:
Joe Cornish
Cast:
Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Denise Gough, Dean Chaumoo
Genre
: Action | Adventure
Tagline:
Evil Gets Schooled.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Alexander Elliot! It was you who drew the sword!"
Theatrical Distributor:
20th Century Fox
Official Site: https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/the-kid-who-would-be-king
Release Date:
Janaury 25, 2019
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
April 16, 2019
Synopsis: Old-school magic meets the modern day in this epic adventure! Alex is just a bullied kid until he discovers Excalibur, the legendary Sword in the Stone. Now, his friends (and his enemies) must become knights, and join the wizard Merlin (Patrick Stewart) to fight the wicked Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson). With the future at stake, Alex must show courage he never dreamed he had!

{googleads}

[/tab]

[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

The Kid Who WOuld Be King - Blu-ray

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Available on Blu-ray
- April 16, 2019
Screen Formats: 2.40:1
Subtitles
: English SDH, French, Spanish
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set; Digital copy; Movies Anywhere; DVD copy
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

The Kid Who Would Be King is presented on blu-ray thanks to Twentieth Century Fox.  With a sturdy HD transfer, the release of this kid’s flick looks incredibly rich.  The textures and the details are STRONG with this release.  Framed in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and including a kick-ass DTS-HD soundtrack, there’s little room for improvement on the visual punch of the film.  It looks fantastic and the black levels go deep.  The details in the world of this Arthurian re-imagining are crackling with fine detail and so too are the colors, keeping their shape thanks to some consistent edges.  Shadows are defined and expressive with layers.  Put it in, sit back, and CRANK it up.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

Loaded with a DVD and a Digital Copy of the movie, this release also includes PLENTY of looks at the skill that went into the feature film.  We get special effects, interviews, a music video, fun stuff with the actors, and more!

  • Deleted Scenes
  • Origins of a King
  • Young Knights
  • Knight School
  • The Two Merlins
  • Meet Morgana
  • Movie Magic
  • Hair, Makeup and Costume Tests
  • Merlin's Magic: Duplication
  • Merlin's Magic: Mind Control
  • Merlin's Magic: Portals
  • Merlin's Magic: Popcorn
  • "Be the King" Lay Lay Music Video

{googleads}

[/tab]

[tab title="Trailer"]

[/tab]

[tab title="Art"]

The Kid Who WOuld Be King - Blu-ray

[/tab]

{/jatabs}