This film has gained a bit of stick from advance audiences, and the writers faced some hostile questioning following the screening I attended at the London Film Festival. I am frankly bemused as to why. I feel that, at worst, this is a solid and compelling indie flick and, at best, it has some important and lasting points to make about American identity, the nature of sin and the power of faith. My personal opinion is that many of those who see it are offended by either the film's refusal to judge the evil of it's main protagonist (played ever-perfectly by Gael Garcia Bernal), the portrayal of Latino as killer, the perceived failure to criticise the tee-total, creationist excesses of the Bible Belt, or a combination of the above. After all, southern-style Christianity is about as popular as Nazism right now among the arty set. I would prefer to view the film as what it is - an open-ended tragedy refusing to answer its own questions for the audience. I have thought of it frequently in the days since.
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AndyInThePieWithAlmonds31 October 2005
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commandercool8830 March 2007An unflinching and at times disturbing look at cause and effect, 'The King' is an oddly satisfying experience to be had. It takes you on a journey, from an unsuspecting state that descends so deeply into evil there's no turning back, but no looking away. With an uncomfortable final act and an equally unsettling performance by Gael Garcia Bernal, 'The King' is elevated to explosive heights. Stirring from beginning to end, this independent film is thought-provoking and a welcome surprise.
After being discharged from the Navy, Elvis (Bernal) sets out on a journey to meet the father he's never known. His father, David Sandow (William Hurt), is a devout Christian and a pastor at a local church in Texas. David rejects his son, for he sees him as an illegitimate son born out of wedlock during a time in his life he's chosen to forget. Elvis is told to stay away from his estranged father and family, but unknowing that Elvis is her half-brother, 16-year-old Malerie gives her virginity to him and embarks on a passionate relationship. But in a small Texas community like the one in Corpus Christi, secrets have their way of rising to the top and bubbling over. And for David and his family, many unexpected and devastating twists of fate await them.
A low-budget effort from British director James Marsh, 'The King' comes through and finds its footing thanks to a compelling script. What's funny about a film like 'The King' is how it doesn't immediately pull you in, but slowly wraps you in its web of brooding darkness. And before you know it, you're smothered by it. It's the kind of film that will find its way into your head long after it's over with. It raises some provoking issues, including the dark side of religion and how one simple choice can have a destructing and devastating chain of results. But the most interesting question remains, can a person be born evil? Was Elvis, who under the Christian perspective was born in sin, a damned child from birth? The viewer watches the character worm his way into the Sandow family, they watch him descend into evil, all until it's too late. No turning back. Can anyone truly 'get right with the Lord'? Are Elvis' intentions pure damnation and destruction, or is he somehow seeking redemption?
'The King' is filled with many unexpected and unpleasant twists. Yet with each turn, Marsh's directorial skills become that much more impressive. It's gritty and edgy, and driven by exceptional performances. For years now Gael Garcia Bernal has been the star of many (excellent) underground Spanish-speaking films, including 'Y Tu Mama Tambien', 'Bad Education, and 'Amores Perros', but perhaps is best known for his powerful role as Che Guevera in 'The Motorcycle Diaries'. And as he begins to enter American cinema (he stars in this year's best film, 'The Science of Sleep', in which he masters English and French in addition to speaking Spanish), his choice of character-driven roles suggests that the independent route may suit him better than the lure of Hollywood and special effects. His boyish charm makes him the perfect choice for the role of Elvis, his charm bleeds through the screen. Even William Hurt's eyebrow raising character, based off of John Mark Byers from Paradise Lost, is powerful and compelling to watch.
'The King' remains one of 2006's best undiscovered gems. It may not be what you'd call entertaining, but you'll find it difficult to look away. Raw and natural, 'The King' is a film told by characters and not by a camera, and sometimes that makes all the difference. James Marsh proves himself to be a capable and very talented director, who takes command of this heavy film and turns it into an experience as engrossing as it is uneasy. It's dark and deeply disturbing, yet very intelligent, and 'The King' indeed takes the crown. -
brianr5431 May 2006Just saw this film as part of the Seattle International Film Festival and I found it very well made. I go to plenty of festival films and most are truly dreck. This was a nice surprise. While the story goes a couple of steps too far in terms of reality, viewed as old fashioned Greek drama, it was quite exhilarating. The story hits many high points and keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering when characters will catch up with the audience. The acting among the principal players was highly consistent with the characters they set up and were actually believable when circumstances became overly dramatic -- even the daughter's actions made some sense when considering her "place" in the family and how much she was actually marginalized by her father. I would also say that Hurt deserves another nomination after the one he got last year for "The History of Violence" (another true gem). Plus, Bernal gives his most convincing performance yet -- very smart of him NOT to play this character in a very obvious way!
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This is a nasty piece of work. It's also an impressive piece of work, a sour and cynical dark comedy of a twisted kind of Americana by the young British director James Marsh, making his feature film debut. Elvis, (Gael Garcia Bernal), gets out of the navy and heads off in search of his daddy, the man who sired him and then abandoned him. Daddy, once a sinner, has now reformed and is a preacher with his own church. Bit by bit Elvis worms his way into the family circle, taking no prisoners on the way.
There are moments of shocking, unexpected violence and you are always left with a nasty taste in the mouth but at the same time, you are never quite sure which way the film is going to turn. In some respects it's a bit like Pasolini's "Theorem" but when I spoke to the director at the Dublin Film Festival he said he had never seen "Theorem", (but surely he must have known what it was about?), but did admit to being influenced in part by Dennis Potter's "Brimstone and Treacle".
It's a deeply unpleasant little picture but it is very well directed, (it feels unpolished, unfinished, rough around the edges which is just as it should be), and both Gael Garcia Bernal and William Hurt as his preacher father are superb. Bernal is like some beautiful, rotten fallen angel. Is he seeking redemption or total damnation? Hurt, too long in the doldrums, is on a run at the moment. With this, and Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" under his belt, he is very much back on form. See it certainly, but don't expect to be entertained. -
Hard to recommend, or enjoy, this film due to its unlikable subject matter; incest, betrayal, hatred, religious fervor, murder, and isolation are some of the more disturbing themes examined in THE KING.
Yet I did find myself enraptured with it, and that was mainly due to the performances. Spanish heartthrob Gael Garcia Bernal (Motorcycle Diaries, Amores Perros) simply captivates as Elvis, a recently discharged Marine who heads to Texas to reconnect with the father he never knew. But his father, fundamentalist preacher David Sandow (William Hurt) has no intentions of welcoming his illegitimate child, born out of wedlock to a Mexican woman "before he was saved", into his current family. That's when the cold, calculating Elvis sets his plan into motion, one that involves seducing his 16-year-old stepsister (Pell James in a remarkable per-formance),eliminating his bothersome stepbrother, and eventually bringing the entire family to an untimely end.
As I said, tough subject matter to like, but the engrossing performances make the difficult topics easier to digest. Bernal's take on the sadistic psychopath role is refreshing, as he uses his good looks, disarming smile and smoldering eyes to convey sympathy that belies his intentions. Hurt has rarely been better as the preacher who uses religion to cover his sins; his turnaround with Elvis after his other son "disappears" is alarming and speaks volumes about his character's true self. James is magnetic playing the innocent waif who falls for the conniving trick played by Elvis, and when she learns the truth her reaction nearly brought me to tears. Even the underdeveloped role by Laura Herring (Mulholland Drive) as the wife carries weight, although she was used much too little.
All in all a fascinating look at some difficult subjects that was made watchable by the actors involved. And while I cannot recommend the film, it has some attributes that will make it difficult to forget. -
Probably one of the most F**KED up movies I have ever seen!!! None the less it is a gripping emotional film with a strong message about finding what is really important in your life, and treasuring it.
The persona of the entire church community made me chuckle, because it reminded me so much of my own church community. Secrets hidden within every corner of the church and everyone willing to cast the first stone at a sinner.
I really enjoyed the movie, but when I was walking out of the theater I was depressed more than any other movie has ever depressed me. Bernal gives a stunning performance that just seems to twist your stomach into knots. -
george.schmidt12 June 2006THE KING (2006) **1/2 Gael Garcia Bernal, William Hurt, Pell James, Laura Harring, Paul Dano. Disturbing and dark morality tale about a young man (Garcia Bernal continuing to be his generation's Brando) coming into the lives of a pastor (Hurt in one his best roles of his career) and his family, claiming to be his long-lost son and attempting to fulfill his birthright with deadly results. Novice filmmaker James Marsh (who co-wrote the screenplay with Milo Addica) gets the message across in a decidedly clumsy and hard-to-swallow histrionics yet the talented cast outshines the film's downward spiral of despair. James, best known as the only female who treated Bill Murray with civility in "Broken Flowers", proves to be a young talent to watch suggesting a latter day Diane Lane.
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zetes29 January 2007Possibly the gentlest movie about incest and murder ever made. Gael García Bernal stars as Elvis, a man who has just been released from the Navy. He has no one, so he seeks out his father, a man whom he has never met. He discovers the man (played by William Hurt) is an evangelical priest with the perfect American family (wife: Laura Harring; children: Paul Dano and Pell James), and that he doesn't want to acknowledge Elvis as his son. Meanwhile, Elvis starts up a flirtation with his half sister (who doesn't know). We realize quickly that there's something not quite right about the guy mentally. The film plays kind of like a really low key Cape Fear. Except that Elvis seems, for all practical purposes, a really sweet and gentle man. The movie got some flack for its treatment of evangelical Christians, but I can't think of any movie that's more fair about the subject. Sure, William Hurt is kind of a hypocrite, but when he tries to make amends, he's sincere about it. Not much happens in the film, but the characters' relationships are drawn masterfully with few brushstrokes. The acting is excellent (if the film had been better received, Pell James would have been a breakout star), and it has the second best musical score of 2006 (after The Fountain). It's an extremely sad picture, and one that I'm sure will haunt me for a long while afterward. One of the best of the year.
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sol-kay31 October 2007***SPOILERS*** Strange and anecdotal movie about evil and how in manifests itself in people in the person of honorably discharged US naval shipman Elvis Valderez, Gael Garcia Bernal.
You at first think that Elvis is a nice and friendly short of chap when you first lay eyes on him. Pleasant friendly and sweet talking, to the fairer sex, Elvis is in fact the Devil incarnate seeking to destroy not only his estranged father Fundamentalist Baptist Pastor David Sandow, William Hurt, but his entire family his sweet and virgin daughter Malerie, Pell James, God-fearing son Paul, Paul Dano, and faithful wife Twyla, Laura Harring. Getting a job at Bruno's as a pizza delivery boy and renting a room at a run down motel Elvis starts to put his plan into action to get his revenge against Pastor Sandow for leaving him fatherless and deserting his Mexican mother Yolanda before he was born.
Elvis first gets to work on the very impressionable Malerie who's completely taken by his sweet-talking and virgin olive oil charms by getting her to be bedded down by him before she even realizes that she's committing a sin in the eyes of God. What Malerie later finds out is that she's not only pregnant by Elvis but that he's in fact her half-brother! Paul seeing the under the cover operator Elvis sneaking out of Malerie's room confronts him at his place demanding that he never see his sister Malerie again. Elvis listening intently and showing no malice towards Paul, after all he was caught with his pants down, suddenly takes out a knife and plunges in into Paul's stomach killing him.
Elvis hides Paul's body in the Corpus Christi swamps where he's never found and is considered, by the local police, to have run away from home after his dad Pastor Sandow chewed Paul out for playing his, what Pastor Sandow considered, unchristian-like music. As the love affair between Elvis and Malerie gets a little out into the open Pastor Sandow decides to make peace with his wayward and lost son by taking him into his home as a replacement for the now lost, really dead, Paul.
Pastor Sandow's wife Twyla, who seems to know that Elvis is evil, is so upset by her husbands giving into Elvis' every whim that one afternoon she walks out of his church and almost gets herself killed playing in traffic. Pastor Sandow now completely taken over, like his daughter Malerie, by Elvis' ungodly charms goes so far as confessing his sins, by having an illicit affair and son out of wedlock, to a church full of parishioners, during the Sunday Services, that has half of them get up and walk out in disgust.
The brain-twisting conclusion of the movie "The King" is just too evil and shocking to write about. What the ending shows is just what an manipulative and unholy person this Elvis really is. Having destroyed what Pastor Sandow worked for his whole, after he found Christ, life Elvis has the unmitigated gall to ask him for both his help and forgiveness! And even worse the by now shell-shocked Pastor Sandow seems, as the movie unexpectedly comes to an end, to comply to Elvis' wishes! -
bob the moo25 May 2008Pastor David Sandow is a born again man with a successful ministry, a wife and two near-grown children, all with Christ central in their lives. Unbeknownst to them, one Elvis Valderez is exiting the Navy as a civilian and is planning to reunite with the father he never met, a meeting which will ultimately impact on the lives of his whole family.
Perhaps I watch too many mainstream films ("perhaps"?!) but sometimes I watch films that don't clearly point out how I should be feeling or what I should be thinking and it does throw me a little bit. The King was one of those films. I taped this due to the cast alone and had no knowledge of what it was actually going to be about. What I found was a very engaging film albeit with a very dark and uncomfortably open story. In terms of traditional flow and structure, the narrative is difficult because it offers you very little to cling to as the moral (or attention) centre and offers almost nothing in the way of hope, finality or anything like that. The religion of the story seems irrelevant to the events being played out (which I think is perhaps the point) but the characters and events keep it interesting.
Director Marsh works well with his own script to keep judgement totally out of the film and leaves it to the audience to come up with things themselves. This is not a perfect approach but it proved effective for me as it meant I was held by the people and thinking around them as I went. What it does is leaves the room open to the actors to deliver good performances and in this case they do. Bernal was a curiosity to me because I had not seen him in an English language film before and this was a strange choice for someone with his international reputation and fame. However unusual the choice though, his performance is quite perfect for the material as he is convincingly unhinged. By this I do not he is eating the scenery in a Hollywood killer way but rather he betrays no sign that what he does is "wrong" because, simply, his character does not seem to have this judgement within him so why should it appear like he does? Hurt is equally as good as he produces a deeply conflicted character convincingly, finding things that the script only suggest. James and Dano are both solid in supporting roles, working effectively with the two strong leads.
Overall then this is a strange film that is as engaging as it is remote, as dark as it is touching. It is an unusual mix that is both strengthened and weakened by its lack of instruction to the audience but one that mostly comes together thanks to well judged delivery and a handful of very good performances in the lead. -
LeiasNerfHerder22 January 2007Every once in a while you see a trailer for a movie that just blows you away. Then you see it on DVD and buy it without any other knowledge, and the film changes your life. "The King" is not one of those movies. The trailer looks incredible enough to drop $19.99 on it before ever seeing it, but this is not the movie you think it is. It is a slow paced, perverted (and not in Kevin Smith's "blowjobs are funny" kind of way), and downright disturbing film. I wasted some twenty dollars and tax, and about an hour and a half of my life, and the life of my girlfriend for this film. Let me be the first to tell you that it wasn't worth the time or the money. If you feel the urge to watch it anyways, rent, borrow or steal, because even Gigli would be a better investment of time and hard earned money. -adam
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DICK STEEL15 January 2007No, this movie is not a sequel to The Queen, and it's peculiar to have both The King and The Queen making their screenings at our theatres at the same time. If given a choice to make, I would recommend The King instead.
This movie reminded me of Woody Allen's Matchpoint. Different stories altogether, but with the general sense and feeling of incredible luck, and evilness amongst man. You can't help but wonder that each one of us have the propensity to do evil, and just what might exactly push our button to commit sin. Lust, revenge, and pride clearly on display in James Marsh's The King.
There are various Kings here, the first which is most obvious, the main protagonist's name Elvis Valderez, played by Gael Garcia Bernal. Recently discharged from the Navy, he's on a trip to Texas to look up the father he never knew, who turned out to be a pastor, clearly already having moved on from his mother. The other notable King here, is pertaining to religion, given that Jesus Christ is acknowledged by Christians to be the King of Kings. I thought William Hurt put up a credible performance as the strict Pastor David Sandow, who now serves a little community, with possibly a happy family befitting a good Christian family.
And perchance it is the ghost from the past, his illegitimate son Elvis, who's now the devil in his midst of them, slowly bringing down the facade and hypocrisy surrounding the Sandows, and exposing them for who they truly are. It's quite a dark movie, and made possible so as the devil has an innocent, possibly angelic face (thanks to Gael), and little do you know the kind of evil that lurks around. Which probably makes it all the more dangerous as the saying goes, you know the person, but not what is in his heart - the motives, if ulterior.
Having to say more will most likely spoil the entire movie. I liked the pacing that the story took, on having it all laid out methodically. At times, you question Elvis' intent, if he's truly aware of the repercussions of what he's doing. You might want to argue that love knows no bounds, but there certainly are some clear markers and blinkers to warn you to stay away, at all costs.
The great acting makes The King extremely watchable. William Hurt, as already mentioned, plays his pained pastor with plenty of skeletons in his closet, to a T. Pell James as his daughter Malerie, brings about a fresh faced ingénue to her role, with innocence written all over. For fans of Little Miss Sunshine, Paul Dano has more lines of dialogue here, and even exercises his vocal cords in singing two songs. His role as son Paul is contrasted against Elvis the illegitimate son - one devoted to God, the other the devil himself, one living his life with a cause, the other living his without any aim, except probably to groove along waiting for acceptance.
There are many releases this week (last count was nine), but The King ranks up there amongst the much watch. -
JoeytheBrit7 August 2009This is a deceptive little film. If, like me, you go into it blind you think you're watching some sensitive tale about a poor young man searching for his roots and trying to establish a relationship with the father who doesn't know he exists. Then, after 45 minutes or so the film takes an unexpected turn that changes it's tone completely before finally unveiling itself in the final few minutes as an exercise in subterfuge and misdirection. It's very well done, told at a leisurely pace despite its relatively short running time, and features one of William Hurt's best performances.
Hurt plays David, a slick modern-day preacher (who looks more like a redneck good ol' boy) whose sermons are more like a TV show than a religious event. His son plays in the rock band that performs on the church's stage – and this is no traditional church – it's new and shiny and has an electronic sign in the shape of a crucifix on its perfectly mown front lawn. When we meet him, he is introducing his clergy to a group of new babies who are brought on stage to be applauded, but when he is accosted by Elvis (Gael Garcia Bernal), the son he never knew existed, he is quick to discourage the boy from making contact – even as he gives him his phone number. David is an arrogant man, made shallow and superficial by his complacency. When his son goes missing he assumes he has run away and quickly sees Elvis, his illegitimate son, as a surrogate.
By then, Elvis has already inveigled his way into the family however, having seduced David's 16-year-old daughter Malerie (Pell James) and impregnated her. It's difficult to understand what motivates Elvis – a deliberate ploy by writer/director James Marsh – and Bernal betrays little emotion in the role. Looking back after the film's conclusion, it's clear that we're given clues throughout but it's easy for them to be overlooked – by the audience as well as the other characters in the film. Marsh wrong-foots the audience throughout, but not in ways that are flashy or meant to impress.
The film is beautifully shot and sometimes the choice of shot, such as the girl's hand curling around the hem of her skirt immediately after losing her virginity, suggested the influence of a woman's touch, so it's surprising that the film was written by two men. The story does weaken a little towards the end – would David, in his redeemed condition through his relationship with his illegitimate son really reveal Elvis's true identity to his daughter at a church sermon? – but, given that the plot reads like something from the most sensational of soaps, it's to the writers' credit that the way in which they choose to tell the story – and the way in which the accomplished cast interpret it – make us forget it's sensationalistic aspects. -
bobgeorge113 January 2007James Marsh's The King is a film that mystifies me. I can't think what its meant to be for. It's a story about a young man called Elvis played by Gael Garcia Bernal who gets an honourable discharge after 3 years Navy service and then goes off to find his biological Father and behaves dishonourably with him and his family. It's all rather sick really. Elvis worms his way into the family by seducing his 16 year old sister Malerie (Pell James). It's rather impossible to identify with anyone in this film from here in Middle England. Preacher Father and bouncy joyful Christian Congregation; I couldn't work out whether the film is meant to be deriding them for their mindless beliefs. Or is the target the happy family and we are meant to think that's unviable. OR is it just saying that some people are lost and just hell bent on destruction. It's shallow. We all know that bad things happen; the interesting bit is to learn why but this film just gratuitously depicts a violence without ever unravelling the thinking that has led to it. "The King" is such a lost opportunity. There are some really interesting questions about honour; the Warrior Code; the changing concepts of valour; honour killings in Indian families and so on. Honour is a very varied concept. But this film just adds nothing to the notion. However, Paul the Projectionist did more than his meagre role suggests. The DVD Projector showed all films in a green-only hue and the only way to repair this was to get it sent to Belgium. He did this through Christmas. I think those postal workers and repairers and Paul went far beyond the call of duty and our reward was this dismal film. But you might see it differently?
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darksong-127 June 2007I watched this last night on i love-film four, not knowing what to expect. The film has a kind of David lynch two-tone sensibility. A born again Christian father(played by William hurt)living in what at first seems to be a sweet and idyllic world with his wife and two children. They live in a close knit church attending i love Jesus community and appears to all be perfect. Its all threatened by the arrival of Elvis-Gael Garcia Bernal. A somewhat surprise begotten son from a previous affair who turns up after A three year stint in the navy. He gets himself slowly absorbed into the family by falling in love with his new found sister. -A seemingly murderous Cain like figure born from sin and bringing with him a kind of retribution to his father. Or not so much. Anyway, i loved it for being somewhat strange and enjoy seeing both William and Gael perform together so well. Recommended.
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lferrigon-112 October 2006I found this movie very fascinating and at the same time disturbing. I agree with some of the other posters who say it has many elements of drama like murder, incest, revenge, etc.
The main character Elvis served his country which is honorable and upon leaving the navy seeks out his biologcal father who is a preacher and not surprisingly, rejects him since he does not want his past to ever be revealed. Elvis's mom being Hispanic is probably the main reason for this action. One can see Elvis's pain at the rejection and he goes off to lick his wounds.
Instead of just leaving town as some would do, Elvis decides to seek revenge on the father by seducing his daughter who is also Elvis's half sister Malorie. One condemns him for this of course since his quarrel is with the father not with her. Their love scenes are both erotic and disturbing since they are half siblings. He does seem to care for her when she becomes pregnant and helps her get an abortion rather than deserting which I had thought he was going to do. Not that it erases this relationship not at all.
His actions become worst when he murders his half brother in cold blood.
One can see that the father, the mother especially, loves the son Paul very much. The daughter's relationship with the father is non existent as we see. He dotes on his son and his son only.
The father, either wanting to make up for his previous rejection of Elvis or he wants to replace his disappeared son, brings Elvis into their lives. Why the father does not wonder if Elvis had anything to do with Paul's disappearance is strange.
I hated the ending. Did not like Elvis killing Malorie and her mother and burning down the house. Not sure how I would have ended it though. Maybe with Elvis confessing his sins and killing himself, or telling Malorie and she turning him into the police, or the father killing him.
Anyway, this movie is does make an impression on the viewer. It certainly with me. -
bjorn-nilsson-129 January 2006I loved this film. It has an ingenious plot with several more or less unexpected twists. Religion and guilt are major themes in the film; themes that I felt were examined with a seldomly seen open mindedness. The acting is strong from all characters, and the portrait of the characters adds realism to the story as they are portrayed in a very down-to-earth, human way. I felt I could identify with all the characters (religious beliefs apart) in the film. I also think it succeeds in executing what I gather was one of its resolutions; telling the story of a terrible event without passing too much judgment.
The performance of Gael Garcia Bernal is solid and that of Pell James wonderful. In my opinion the two played really well together, as did William Hurt and Gael Garcia Bernal. I went ahead and watched this film without knowing anything in beforehand (I went to the cinema and chose a name from the list) which I think was appropriate for this type of film. Having known a lot in beforehand could perhaps have made it more predictable and less good. The film is interesting also in the fact that scenes depicting what in reality would be very morbid are made beautiful, a fact that pulls the viewer into the lovely high where beautiful film-making makes you want to be a writer yourself. This is not something you'll want to miss out on! -
I just rented this movie lately, not really knowing what to expect. The movies I wanted to rent were already gone, so that meant just picking a couple random movies... and pray they are decent. My wife and I watched this and were pleasantly surprised! This movie was great. In a world of constantly recycled movie plots, this one was actually original. And to top it off, it was very entertaining. This movie has a very subtle suspense/ tension feeling to it. It makes you want to keep watching to see what is going to happen. And when something does happen, you really didn't expect it.
I don't really want to give out any details on this movie, or spoil it for anyone. All I will say is that this movie is a very good rental. Do yourself a favor and go rent this. -
lastliberal10 July 2007A breakthrough film by young director James Marsh. This film had me hanging on with bated breath just wondering where it was going. I was totally unprepared for the end, which was dynamite! Gael García Bernal (Babel, The Motorcycle Diaries) was understated but powerful as a young man just getting out of the Navy and going to look for his father, a pastor played by William Hurt (A History of Violence). Bernal was the product of a sinful life Hurt led before he "found Jesus." He starts a relationship with his half-sister, Pell James (Broken Flowers). You are wondering the entire time about motivation, danger, incest, pregnancy, and the inevitable end. It is not pretty, and it may be difficult for some to take, but I thought it was brilliant.
It was creepy, but Bernal was outstanding in only his second English-language role. -
jubech-120 November 2006Not a movie easy to understand if you don't watch the wonderful Gael closely. Once he has met the father who rejects him, the character Elvis becomes sly, and motivated to seek vengeance for the abuse and abandonment of his mother. Each action taken thereafter is designed to destroy his flagrantly arrogant preacher father who uses his "love of God" as a way to utterly control his family and manipulate his congregation.
Step by step, the angelic looking Elvis connives to worm his way into a position to achieve his goal. Wondering what he is going to do next and how forms the suspense and the fascination with the other main characters in the cast. William Hurt, as the preacher, is outstanding as is Gael Garcia Bernal, as Elvis, using only his eyes to convey his true feelings.
Elvis knows that the ultimate vengeance is to destroy your enemy's seed and that revenge is a dish best served cold. The last scene is an ironic shocker.
Definitely a movie worth the price of admission or rental. Be prepared to have it stick in your mind for a while. -
There is a similarity in the idea of search and redemption in both these films In, The King you pretty much know which way things will go until the end. Gael's (brilliant as usual) performance does hold out some hope of redemption, but the film is darker than Le fils where, however, the viewer in an absolutely creepy and uncomfortably (man obsessed with boy) state of suspense and terror till the end. Le fils is a more successful film, I believe, but The King is more thoughtfully written, directed and produced. I just found an odd similarity in the themes of both films. I was deeply touched at the end of Le fils; merely saddened at the end of The King. Tears for the former; "Well, OK....hmm", for the latter. Both definitely worth a watch though.
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reeves200229 May 2007I wanted to like this movie and the plot sounded really good.I liked it up until Elvis killed Paul (his half brother) for no good reason.The incest part was bad enough but the senseless killing got to me and I started to hate it. The rest of the movie was tolerable.William Hurt was very convincing as a fundamentalist preacher and was the only character in the movie I liked.He's the only one who had any depth and reason.I liked how he was forced to deal with his past when Elvis forces his way into him and his families lives.I understood the Elvis character was troubled,but to commit murder,incest and Christ knows what else to me doesn't interest me.It's not that it shocked me,it just seems the movie had potential to be so much more and could have been a hell of a lot better if he was portrayed more realistically.Who ever wrote the script is a bit twisted and does not have the talent to write a good drama.I mean this is not the kind of movie I would ever want to see again nor would I recommend it because there just is nothing to it. And what was with the wife,I mean she hardly got any air time but when she did it was pathetic.All you see is her getting angry one minute and half way through the film she tries to commit suicide.There wasn't much in the middle.There was no character development with her like there sort of was with the others.The daughter was also very poorly written.As soon as she found out this creepy kid murdered her brother she barely even reacted.Then she gets pregnant by him and finds out he is her half brother and still she barely acknowledges it,I mean who the hell acts like that!.I was curious about the commentary so I watched most of it.After hearing what those 2 losers had to say about their film,no wonder it was as bad as it was.They both seemed more interested in filming the hookers tits at the beginning of the film then anything else.That scene did not add anything to the film except make me think the rest may be lame.And then they went and chopped out most of it anyway so what the fu*k was the point!Some of the actors are talented,but the bad performances(other than William Hurt)was just a reflection of the bad writing and producing of this sad film.I am surprised a lot of people liked this movie.I guess incest interests a lot of people,especially the British writer.But then this topic seems to be in a lot of the plots of British films.
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Not for the first time, I thank the British Cable/Satellite channels for making available an excellent film that that I would not have noticed at the cinema over here, in fact I don't believe it gained any significant cinema distribution at all. This is another example of the 'small' US movie (modest budget, even more modest marketing, no A-list stars) that is as good as anything produced anywhere in the world. A young fellow leaves the US navy and seeks out his father, who he's never met. He tracks Dad down to find that he's become a pastor in a born-again Christian church and now has a family of his own. I'll not reveal anything of what follows but will say that what develops is unexpected, shocking and totally gripping. OK, you get a sense that it will all end in tears but this is genuinely powerful stuff. Gael García Bernal is excellent (another Martin Sheen?) as is the rest of the cast. William Hurt, his glamorous male lead days behind him, demonstrates once again that he is an actor of real quality and ability long may he continue to play similar cameo roles. I mentioned Bernals similarity to the young Martin Sheen previously. The King has some comparisons to 'Badlands' which blew me away all those years ago and I believe that this is as good a film. You need a slightly strong stomach but this is a powerful film for adults and I recommend it highly.
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waw225 December 2005This film begins with a lot of promise. Unfortunately, the vehicle of "suspension of disbelief" quickly careens off the road to "Black Comedy". With brief-but-pivotal supporting roles this year in both "A History of Violence" and "Syriana", it is a true blessing to see Mr. William Hurt on celluloid again. To no surprise, Gael Garcia Bernal, Pell James, Paul Dano and Laura Harring are all convincing in their respective roles, as well. For some reason though, this film reminded me of Gus van Sant's "Elephant": the absurdity of Reality (cinéma réalité). Also, a bit of jarring tension in "The King" comes from its musical score, which somehow sounds displaced (put in the wrong context) -- but perhaps that is being a little too picky. Overall, this film is definitely a must-see for Hurt and Bernal fans!
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esbenpost21 April 2007Watching this movie really made me sad. I did not feel sad on behalf of the characters however - but on the behalf of the movie itself, its corrupt values, and its sadistic goals. The recipe of this film is this: take an all-American Christian family, tear it apart, watch it suffer and die, and leave it in its grave to decompose. End of story. Nothing else. The film does not care in any way about the people it portrays - we do not at any moment feel sympathy with anyone in it and do therefore not share their suffering, but instead simply watch it from a distance - which is what sadism is all about. I don't know if anybody gets off on this - I do not, I just feel sad that a movie as this can pass on as art and that not even my favorite critic, Roger Ebert, can see through its rotten morals. "The King" tells us that the world is a dark and evil place, that people are dark and evil, and from the moment we meet the Christian Pasteur and his family we know what is going to happen: the movie is going to take a deep and dark revenge upon them for their false ideas. I have long gotten used to christians being portrayed like they are in this film - as judgemental fanatics, holier-than-thou republicans, world distant freaks and born-again losers. I can easily forgive such a (false) view if a film has heart, but this film hasn't. If you want to see a satanistic film (satanism in fact tells us that love is false and hate is real), go ahead and watch it, but if you enjoy it, well, you really should start worrying about yourself.