The King of Kings tells the greatest story ever told, at least according to Christians, through CGI animation and a somewhat clever narrative twist. Adapted from Charles Dickens’ The Life of Our Lord, the famed author teaches his rambunctious young son about Jesus Christ from his birth in a Bethlehem manger to cruel crucifixion at the hands of Pontius Pilate and the High Priest Caiaphas. Writer/director Seong-ho Jang ticks every Bible school box while also explaining complex and harsh themes to the target audience. Angel Studios’ The King of Kings is still meant for young children, though, and will undoubtedly keep them entertained.
Ebenezer Scrooge collapses in front of his grave on a winter night. He swears to be a better man as the scene freezes due to a mischievous cat. Willa runs amok on stage as Charles Dickens (Kenneth Branagh) chases the rascally feline during a reading of A Christmas Carol. The audience howls in laughter as Walter (Roman Griffin Davis), Charles’ youngest son, joins the fray swinging his wooden sword. He’s the valiant King Arthur wielding the sword Excalibur. An embarrassed Charles finally gets his brood behind the curtain to close the show.
Espousing Christian Values
The King of Kings
3
/5
- Release Date
-
April 10, 2025
- Director
-
Jang Seong-ho
- Writers
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Rob Edwards
- Producers
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Andrew Mann
- Tells the complete story of Jesus Christ.
- Decent CGI animation.
- Packs a lot of narrative into a short runtime.
- Gets overboard with a rascal feline.
Later that night in his study, Charles and his wife Catherine (Uma Thurman) regale Walter and the frisky Willa about the true king of kings, someone who never picked up a sword or used violence to get his way. He preached kindness, forgiveness, and performed glorious miracles by spreading the word of God. Faith in the almighty was the only path to eternal salvation, but it would require Jesus (Oscar Isaac) to sacrifice his own life as penance for humanity’s sins.
Walter still wants to hear swashbuckling adventure stories about mighty wizards and slaying dragons, but becomes enraptured as Charles begins with the pregnant Mary and her husband Joseph trying to find a room in Bethlehem. They find a crude shelter to give birth, unaware that three wise men were following a star to the son of God. Meanwhile, the jealous King Herod hears word of this prophecy and orders his soldiers to slay all newborns.
3:36
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The rub is that Charles, Walter, and Willa are also present as Jesus grows and embarks on his divine destiny. They interact with characters in the story and serve as watchful eyes to biblical events. The film also pauses when Walter has questions or sees something he doesn’t understand. What’s a manger? Did they really stone people to death? Jang, a renowned South Korean visual effects supervisor making his feature directorial debut, doesn’t gloss over terms or sugarcoat cruelty. Having Walter as a witness makes The King of Kings’ religious message accessible to children. This is smartly done and the film’s best tenet…until the final act.
My Sunday school days are long gone, but I believe director Jang hits every important event in Jesus’ story. There’s a scene where he introduces all 12 apostles in under 30 seconds, but tries to keep a central focus on the major players, such as John the Baptist, Peter, and Judas Iscariot. Jang wants to be thorough and concise, but struggles to accomplish both. He fills the cup to the brim and doesn’t want it to spill over, which leads to the film’s biggest flaw.
Oscar Isaac Voices Jesus Christ
The King of Kings has too much going on in its hour and forty-minute runtime, but then again, an animated children’s movie can’t have the length of The Ten Commandments. Jang wants to tell Jesus’ complete story, so he plows through the plot without really taking a breath. This doesn’t give the audience time to truly absorb the spiritual context. Don’t get me wrong. Kids will get their Jesus on and understand the traditional Christian message that he died for our sins. It just could have been done with a little more nuance and less onslaught.
2:18
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Charles, Walter, and Willa should also have had less screen time, or the film should have been longer. They’re darn cute, and have a purpose, as everything is seen from their point of view, but the goal is to teach about Jesus in his entirety. This required a better balancing act between the Christian and Dickensian elements. My thought is that Jang wanted to keep something cute and relatable to soften the blow of Christ’s death, which isn’t graphic but disturbing enough. You can’t have it both ways. The cat becomes unnecessary and less humorous as the crucifixion comes into view.
A Movie That Welcomes Nonbelievers as Well
The King of Kings has good enough CGI animation with a few standout moments. The characters aren’t too detailed, but the backgrounds are well-done with specific flourishes. Jang delivers an epic walking-on-water scene during a raging storm that looks phenomenal and highlights the visual effects. He also uses drawn 2D stills in a storybook format to explain the Jewish Passover. There’s nothing that’s cutting edge here and that’s okay.
The King of Kings is a religious film that espouses Christianity. It will certainly resonate with the faithful and their children. That doesn’t mean it’s inaccessible to nonbelievers and can be appreciated for its artistic and philosophical merits. Love and compassion make a mightier message than just about anything else. The King of Kings is a Mofac Studios production. It will be released theatrically on April 11th from Angel Studios.
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