The King

Netflix has stepped up to the plate and made a grim, dirty and very believable period piece that can stand up to the best in the genre. Although we don't see any lavish battles with Zimmer's thunderous music, nor any camera games with a digital Collosseum, there is still a little bit of action and the filmmakers have not done themselves any shame in this aspect. But The King goes in a different direction and it's obvious from the beginning. It's a quiet, creeping drama about politics, scheming and the dirty Middle Ages, where there are only subjects or enemies. The King stands and falls primarily on the realistic presentation of the material it deals with and on Chalamet, who matures like wine. And when he walks out in front of the soldiers with his speech, it’s brilliant. (10/26/2021)

Or how King Henry gained both victory and an honest French lady. A clever and authentic historical movie that gets under your skin. The detailed depiction of the characters and the authenticity of their behavior are crucial for Michôda. There is one major action scene in the form of a muddy scuffle at Agincourt, while the rest of the film is made up of discussions about war with a chubby Edgerton, a bit of sieging and royal intrigues, where Chalamet very adeptly prepares himself for the role of Muad'Dib in Villeneuve’s Dune. Pattinson is a loathsome bastard (the great scene with the little boys in the forest) and absolutely revels in this role. The King looks like a movie from a different time, old-school but with modern techniques and gadgets. It’s nice to hear a mention of the Czech Lands too. Powerful music. (11/04/2019)

A masterfully crafted intimate drama about the difficult beginnings of Henry V's reign on the English throne, focusing primarily on revealing various intrigues and the notion that being a king was hardly something to be genuinely grateful for. Timothée Chalamet is beginning to fully showcase his talent, and in various verbal sparring scenes, he demonstrated that he need not fear for his future in Hollywood, as he possesses great skill. In addition to the excellent performances, I was impressed by the cinematography, which, apart from one battle scene, is not very dynamic—a choice that suited me perfectly. The long takes of landscapes and the play with light and shadow convinced me that the creators truly know how to captivate the audience. The final gritty battle only confirmed my positive opinion of the film. I’m not saying it will be a blockbuster that will be discussed in film circles 20 years from now, but as an above-average film with a fresh storyline, it works flawlessly. I give it 79%. P.S. Watch the film just for Robert Pattinson. Although he appears on screen for only about five minutes, in that brief time he convinced me that I’m far less concerned about his portrayal of Batman. (11/10/2019)

The solitude, burden and uncompromising nature of being a ruler. On top of that, the father-son relationships on both sides of the channel torn apart. Undoubtedly, you will recognize Shakespeare's themes, dialogue, characters and speeches in many places. However, this is not a direct adaptation of his Henriad, though the movie was inspired by it. You won’t fail to notice it and that is intentional. In any case, The King is a fine historical film impressively shot in the mud and with excellent acting (especially the Edgerton-Harris-Chalamet trio). The more intimate, the better. And it is more than intimate. (11/02/2019)

The good old days of honest historical films came back to life for two hours and a bit - The King is great. It's a rough, dirty and cold spectacle, but it is based primarily on the story, the characters and well-chosen actors, although the scenes you expect from such a film also occur (the battle, the battle!). Directing, design... All of it is amazing and as authentic, as if the crew had gone to the 15th century using a time machine. Timothée Chalamet actually plays Paul Atreides here - that's exactly how I imagined him. (09/19/2021)