Michôd returns with a solid period war drama

Rating: 8/10 (16 December 2019)

The King was a solid, tense period film over the English/French rivalry from the middle ages. Aussie master David Michôd returns with a gripping portrayal of these dire times, with touches of Shakespeare tongue and brooding drama. It's a tale about honour, family, and the fight for peace over war. With many stories from this turbulent era in history, the film keeps you hoping, but is bittersweet by close...
From the opening moments, the film has an unsettling mood that carries the tension throughout, never over erupting but sticking to the very end. It's dark mood is pitch perfect for the era where beheadings were commonplace if you dare go against the King's wishes.
Timothée Chalamet as Henry V is outstanding, one of the most promising young actors with this performance here, proving his efforts for the masterpiece Call Me By Your Name were not by chance. Michod & Edgerton on the writing credits again here, backing up the tight script of The Rover (2014) they co-wrote. Not to mention Edgerton acting abilities are on point once more as Henry's best mate on and off the battlefield. Incredible cinematography from Adam Arkapaw that depicts the scale of these battles brilliantly, while showing the intimacy of Henry's life and the decisions he chooses along the path.
Considering this a Netflix film, this along with Annihilation proves they can deliver cinematic pieces of cinema worthy of the masterpiece throne. There was no sniffs of it being a Hollywood blockbuster here, with material like Henry V's battle against France would be a money hungry producer's dream to glorify and exploit for the masses to suck up. Instead we have a well paced brooding tense film that is executed with a dirty sword right from the mud pit of the battleground. More of this please...
7-8/10