"It’s a delicate balance, to pull off a brutal story in a way that kids can weather, without Disnifying the meaning out of it. I think the moviemakers succeeded."
From Crisis
By Sheryl Colmer, MTS
The animated feature film The King of Kings—opening April 11, on the eve of Holy Week—is loosely based on a virtually unknown Dickens work: “The Life of Our Lord, written for my beloved children.”
The Lord said to Moses, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
And in every generation since, it has challenged adults to involve and inspire their children in the Faith. As kids eat Cheerios in church, skip catechism class, or daydream about soccer during Sunday Mass, parents search for ways to pass on to their children the authentic drama and passion and sheer magnificence of the Faith.
The 19th-century author Charles Dickens wanted that for his children, too. The animated feature film The King of Kings—opening April 11, on the eve of Holy Week—is loosely based on a virtually unknown Dickens work: The Life of Our Lord, written for my beloved children. Dickens wrote it exclusively for his children, and he read it to them every Christmas. It was never meant for publication; indeed, the family was forbidden to share it outside the household. When the last Dickens child died, in 1934, the family decided to release it to the public. Critics claimed that it had none of the great literary merit that marked Dickens’ masterpiece novels, which is strange, since it was a retelling of the greatest story ever told.
The movie The King of Kings, timed for Easter, tells the full Gospel story through the eyes of a young boy infatuated with King Arthur, dragons, and smiting. Over the course of the movie, he learns that genuine kingship partakes of mercy and love in addition to mere boldness. His father, Charles Dickens, is the storyteller, and Charles himself is transformed as he guides his youngest son through the story of Jesus, from start to finish.
Charles and his youngest son, Walter, walk into the Gospel scenes and occasionally interact with the characters, which sounds confusing, but somehow, it’s not. Instead, it deepens the intimacy the audience feels with Jesus.
Walter, the wide-eyed Dickens son, acts as a kind of guide to young viewers, presented with a story that is, in essence, not child’s fare. When Walter reacts to something in the story, it encourages the child viewer to respond in kind. For instance, the massacre of the innocents is portrayed as a chase sequence rather than a slaughter scene. Walter is cheering for Joseph to skedaddle before the soldiers arrive, rather than watching as soldiers plunge their swords into babies. During the Crucifixion, he’s shedding tears of sympathy for Jesus, abandoned by his friends, rather than focusing on the bloody horror of a Roman execution.
So, the tension is there but not the terror.
It’s a delicate balance, to pull off a brutal story in a way that kids can weather, without Disnifying the meaning out of it. I think the moviemakers succeeded. The Passion of the Christ is perhaps the best thing ever put on film, but you certainly wouldn’t show it to a young child. And yet, you want your children to catch the majesty of the Gospel, to fall in love with Jesus and learn to be His friend.
The animation is well done, judging from reviews from the animation industry. (Myself, I don’t know animé from manga.) The premier South Korean visual effects studio Mofac Animation created the high-quality CGI images, beautiful Judaean landscapes, and marvelous action sequences. The King of Kings storm at sea is better in animation than any live action movie I’ve ever seen, including The Chosen, which bears the latest technology.
The King of Kings characters are Pixar-like, with big heads and small bodies, a style that resonates with children. Cartoon figures need to be recognizably artificial in order to appeal to children—and to avoid scaring their socks off when it comes to bad guys. A fat, jiggly cartoon King Herod is less frightening than real-life Peter Ustinov (Jesus of Nazareth) or Anthony Hopkins (Mary).
Some very talented voices give life to the cartoon characters: Kenneth Branagh as Charles Dickens and Uma Thurman as Katherine, his wife. Ben Kingsley’s most stately voice is that of Caiaphas. The quality of the talent gives an indication that this movie was heavily invested, not just with capital but with the intent to reach multitudes. I’d go see anything with Kenneth Branagh and Ben Kingsley, both highly accomplished Shakespearean actors, on the ticket.
The King of Kings will appeal more to children than adults, of course, because of the cartoon format, but it’s a moving experience for adults as well, especially this close to Holy Week. None of us can hear the story of Christ’s life too many times. This rendition from Angel Studios may win the hearts of young children who never dreamed there was so much drama and pathos in their Bible lessons.
If The King of Kings plants those seeds, then Angel Studios has given parents the second-best Easter gift ever.
You can view the trailer here and find showtimes and tickets here.
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