King of Kings, The (2025) ★★★★

Length:  101 minutes.  MPAA Rating:  PG.  USCCB Rating:  None.  Director:  Seong-ho Jang.

It might seem odd that the narrator of this latest animated life of Christ would be Charles Dickens.  But the famous English author actually wrote The Life of Our Lord for his children and kept it in the family – forbidding its publication during his lifetime.  This year’s The King of Kings from distributor Angel Studios is loosely based on Dicken’s opus. 

This is a wonderful film.  Ignore the few negative reviews – most of them are baffled by the choice of Charles Dickens as the narrator, thinking it to be a misguided add-on.  Unfortunately, the film never reveals that the Dickens aspect of the movie is loosely based on real life – thus the confusion among some heavy-hitting reviewers who haven’t researched the backstory.

In the film, Dickens (voice of Kenneth Branagh) is presenting his A Christmas Carol on stage for a large audience when his son Walter (Roman Griffin Davis) interrupts the proceedings with silly antics.  After disciplining the boy, Dickens attempts to patch things up by reading him his new work on the life of Christ (very much true to life, as the real Dickens family read parts of The Life of Our Lord every Christmas). 

What follows is a delightful journey through the Gospels.  The one who holds it altogether is Branagh, whose famously expressive voice (on full display in his Shakespearean movies thirty years ago), effortlessly carries the narrative forward with masterful storytelling.

Little Walter Dickens and his trusty feline sidekick are immersed in the story – so much so that one could call it Ignatian.  St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises, guides the retreatant in various contemplations on the Life of Christ, asking the retreatant to imagine the sights and sounds of the passage being contemplated.  This is what happens here, with young Walter visiting the stable in Bethlehem, enduring the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, and even tearfully telling the Romans to stop the Scourging at the Pillar.  If there ever was an Ignatian contemplation shown on the big screen, this is it.

Another strong element of this film is the sense of family.  The story of Jesus and the power of faith sharing are set in the context of the family home.  When young Walter, after hearing the story of Christ, runs to share this Good News with his siblings, the importance of family in the journey of faith becomes evident.

The Gospels are respected here – nothing is watered down and nothing is made politically correct.  The miracles are truly miraculous, the Crucifixion is appropriately solemn, and the Resurrection is glorious.  Most importantly of all – one feels the Gospel passages as they are portrayed.  We are excited, we are hopeful, we are confused, we are sad, and we are amazed.  Young Walter Dickens and his cat are our companions on this journey.

Parents need not worry about their little ones.  This film is clearly made for them and manages to strike a very nice balance.  While it is most definitely a family-friendly presentation, the film never shies away from the more difficult and brutal aspects of the Gospel story.   These latter scenes are handled with delicacy – underscoring the reality of a violent humanity without ever crossing the line into inappropriateness. 

The animation is impressive and quite creative in parts.  Especially memorable is the Storm on the Sea of Galilee and a whirling depiction of the Temptation in the Desert.  Oh, and for those of us who always wanted to see (depicted on the big screen) the herd of demon-possessed swine hurtling themselves off a cliff – here it is for all to see, with a flair that is a step above most animated offerings.

The star-studded cast also includes the vocal talents of Uma Thurman (Catherine Dickens), Mark Hamill (King Herod), Pierce Brosnan (Pontius Pilate), Ben Kingsley (Caiaphas), and Oscar Isaac (Jesus), among others.  All are at the top of their game.

The film is produced by Mofac, an impressive animation studio in South Korea, and the director (and writer) is Seong-ho Jang, a creative force to be reckoned with and the country’s premiere FX expert.  Angel Studios is the distributor.

This is a beautiful film – well crafted and well told.  It is great for the whole family and a lively teaching tool for children.  Go see it – you won’t be disappointed.