The Kid Who Would Be King is a light-hearted, contemporary retelling of the classic King Arthur story with children playing the parts of the noble knights. It’s a fun film, nothing too deep, and therefore my review won’t be as in-depth (or critical) as it is with other pieces. Even so, I enjoyed the movie for what it was and I think it’s a fine movie for young children looking for an adventure.

The King Arthur legend has been told and retold over the years. One of the most famous is probably Disney’s animated version of it, which came out in 1963. There’s been plenty of television shows (Merlin, Camelot, Young Arthur) that have focused on the darker side of the story. But aside from the Disney film, none have really chosen the route of a lighter King Arthur film. But TKWWBK does just that, and casting young children to step into the shoes of the legendary heroes. As child-actors goes, these were a pretty decent bunch. The lines flowed well and, although some of the jokes fell a little flat, they played the parts well. After watching a bunch of seemingly unknown young actors for most of the movie, I’m not going to lie, I was pretty surprised to see Patrick Stewart show up to fulfill the part of Merlin. It was a nice surprise though, and a nice change of pace compared to the other variety of films I’ve seen him in.

As children movies go, it seems that fewer and fewer are attempting to interject a life-lesson or theme. Best articulated by one of my favorite amateur movie critics, Karsten Runquist, “[Film] companies should step back and rethink how much of an impact their films have on children’s lives before they push out another pointless film.” There are plenty of movies that go the easy route (Shark Tales, Secret Life of Pets, Minions, The Emoji Movie — I can go on) and make a shallow, simple story that appeals to the lowest common denominator of society. Movies designed for children have the ability to appeal to all ages, and when they are done well (The Lion King, How to Train Your Dragon, Finding Nemo) they can touch so many people. So whenever I see a movie attempting to insert a meaningful message for young audiences, I applaud it. And TKWWBK did. Sure, it’s not as masterful as other movies I’ve seen, but it’s a solid message all the same. After seeing so many pointless films, I appreciate.

If you’re looking for a fun film to escape from the darker parts of the film industry, The Kid Who Would Be King is a solid choice. It’s has a fun plot with quirky characters and a climax akin to the robbery scene of Home Alone. If you get the chance, I recommend you check it out.

Good Idea if You Liked: The Lego Movie, The Sword in the Stone, Goosebumps

Rating: 7/10