I have come to really enjoy the offerings from Angel Studios. Their films are well-made and filled with excellent acting talent. Their new release, The King of Kings, is a perfect fit for their story catalog.
This animated film begins with Charles Dickens (voiced by Kenneth Branagh) on stage presenting a dramatic presentation of “A Christmas Carol” when he is interrupted by his precocious son Walter (voiced by Roman Griffin Davis) and the family cat Willa (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker?) as they play at being King Arthur.
The young man and his faithful cat create chaos backstage which gives us a good idea of what Charles and his wife Catherine (voiced by Uma Thurman) are privileged to deal with on a daily basis.
Upon returning home, Catherine suggests that perhaps Charles should tell Walter about another king, the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
The presentation of this story has been done in so many ways, both live-action and animated over the decades since the motion picture medium was created. There was even a musical made from the story (Jesus Christ Superstar). As a film critic for over 40 years, I have watched most, if not all, of these storytelling presentations.
The King of Kings, voiced by so many amazing talents gives us a presentation that I think will become a favorite of young and old alike. The animation style and the pace of the film, with Walter and Willa the cat experiencing the scenes in first person, is a delight. The soundtrack is an excellent addition to drive forward the story as well.
This is a great hour and forty-minute ride as Dickens enthralls his son in the story of Jesus. I enjoyed it immensely!
Director: Seong-Ho Jang
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Oscar Isaac, Pierce Brosnan, Sir Ben Kingsley, Mark Hamill, Forest Whitaker, Roman Griffin Davis, James Arnold Taylor,
MPAA Rating: PG (for thematic material, violent content, and some scary moments)
Selig Rating: 5 Stars
Runtime: 100 Min.
Release Date: 04/11/2025
Language: English
Genre: Animation/Family
Official Site: THE KING OF KINGS Official Site
Trailer: THE KING OF KINGS Trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
4 Stars – Good movie
3 Stars – OK movie
2 Stars – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
1 Star – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
