Complete A-Z list


Kid Who Would be King, The

9/10

Stars: Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Dean Chaumoo, Angus Imrie, Tom Taylor, Rhianna Dorris, Patrick Stewart, Rebecca Ferguson, Denise Gough

Director: Joe Cornish

I thoroughly enjoyed myself watching the fast, funny and thrilling magical adventures of apparently unremarkable 12 year-old London schoolboy Alex - perfectly played by Serkis - who achieves unexpected heroic status after he draws the magical sword Excalibur from its rockbound setting.

Joined by school-friends and enemies, he becomes the leader of a brave band of youngsters who, with a little help from Stewart's memorably entertaining magician Merlin (with Imrie adding to the fun as Merlin's contemporary teenage alter ego), set out to save modern Mankind from the evil enchantress Morgana and her sinister supernatural warriors.

The clash between the modem world and ancient magic serves up splendid movie-magic-driven action and adventure guaranteed to entertain the young audience at which the film is accurately aimed and - better still for accompanying adults - turning out to thoroughly enjoyable for accompanying adults as well.

State-of-the-art special effects bring everything from running, sword-fighting trees and killer corpses on horseback to convincing life and add to the excitement. But, to writer and director Cornish's considerable credit, he never allows mere movie magic to diminish the considerable appeal and impact of his human actors.

Alan Frank

USA 2019. UK Distributor: 20th Century Fox. Colour.
115 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: PG.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 25 Jun 2019

DVD review