Old-school magic meets the modern world when young Alex stumbles upon the mythical sword Excalibur. He soon joins forces with a band of knights and the legendary wizard Merlin when the wicked enchantress Morgana threatens the future of mankind.
I’ve lost count of the number of times Hollywood has gone back to the well and updated the King Arthur legend but with “The Kid Who Would Be King,” while 20th Century Fox has once more, updated the story, they have done so with today’s younger generation in mind. The story itself has been adapted for today’s modern society, instead of going back to the time of Excalibur and the Knights of the Round Table and I am totally fine with this, at least it gives the story a new perspective.
Alex (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) and his best friend Bedders (Dean Chaumoo) are constantly being bullied at school by Lance (Tom Taylor) and his partner in crime, Kaye (Rhianna Dorris). Together, they have cornered the market when it comes to school bullying but while chasing Alex home one day after school, he takes a shortcut through a construction worksite and inadvertently discovers a large sword protruding from a stone pillar. He manages to retrieve it and brings it home where he shows it to Bedders. Naturally, Bedders assumes that it is Excalibur but Alex is not so sure. One night, however, after an encounter with a demon from the netherworld, he wields the sword and it vanquishes the demon and only then, does Alex realize that it really is Excalibur.
When Merlin (Angus Imrie), disguised as a school kid a little older than them, informs them of a coming eclipse that will cover the entire planet in darkness forever unless they stop the evil Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson), along with Bedders, and allegiance from two very unlikely sources, Alex must convince those around him, including his mother, school friends and teachers, of what is yet to come, and build a new army before the eclipse engulfs the world forever!
Set in England, it is very easy to see why 20th Century Fox is hoping for a new franchise, similar to Harry Potter, as they both deal with magic, wizards, witches, and demons. While the acting, for the most part, by its young leads, is commendable, it lacks the heart that made Harry Potter so magical (pun intended). It might make enough money at the box office to warrant a sequel and if it does, now that they’ve already established new heroes for new adventures, maybe the second tale will delve more into the past instead of keeping everything squarely grounded in the present. While I actually enjoyed watching our young heroes battle armies of darkness at their school, it would be nice to see them go back in time to an era that they are unfamiliar with and have to adjust accordingly, which would also allow for a lot of humorous moments. Director Joe Cornish has crafted an enjoyable film suitable for all ages but I think the younger ones will enjoy it more.
In theaters Friday, January 25th
