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‘The Kid Who Would Be King’: A witty modern-day fairytale
While the plot feels modern, a family-friendly adaptation of King Arthur brilliantly includes details from the legend.
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A still from 'The Kid Who Would Be King' (Twentieth Century Fox/File)
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ans of King Arthur and his sword Excalibur may be in for a special treat. While the legend created by Sir Thomas Malory has been adapted into various works, including recent films King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Transformers: The Last Knight, the latest adaptation puts a child at the center.
Prior to watching The Kid Who Would Be King, there were two questions on my mind: What would set this movie apart from the previous ones, and how relevant was the story to Indonesian children?
Written and directed by Joe Cornish, the fantasy film offers a totally different take on the medieval legend and brilliantly makes it relevant to many, even those who have yet to hear about the original story.
The film revolves around 12-year-old Alexander Elliot (Louis Ashbourne Serkis). Alexander is not a cool kid, and he frequently gets bullied. At the beginning of the movie, Alexander finds the courage to stand up for his friend Bedders (Dean Chaumoo), defending him from two older students Lance (Tom Taylor) and Kaye (Rhianna Dorris).
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After brief detention, Lance and Kaye, come for Alexander, which forces him to escape to a construction building. Here, Alexander finds a sword stuck in a rock, and like in the Arthurian legend, whoever is destined to pull the sword from the stone becomes the king. That would be 12-year-old Alex.
Alexander also encounters a wizard Merlin (Sir Patrick Stewart), who gets younger every day. The Young Merlin (Angus Imrie) arrives in the current world and is portrayed as an eccentric character in a Led Zeppelin T-shirt.
Unlike the previous adaptations, The Kid Who Would Be King smoothly translates the premises into the modern situation as it includes some current issues, such as bullying and the absence of a parent.
While the plot feels very modern, the film brilliantly includes some details from the legend, such as the Round Table, a popular part of the classic story where King Arthur and his knights gather, as well as the name of the knights, into the film. These references are presented in funny ways, making them easily understood by all viewers, even Indonesian children who have yet to learn about the legend.
Moreover, it also subtly teaches children several moral values, namely honoring the people you love, persevering, refraining from offense and telling the truth.
The Kid Who Would Be King is suitable for the whole family, its refreshing plot entertaining adults and children alike, while teaching the younger audience the difference between good and bad. (kes)
