The King (2019)

The story of Shakespeare's Henry V is a good one. Actor/writer Joel Edgerton and director/writer David Michod recognize this in their re-imagining of the story. There is talk it is based on the full Henriad but really it focuses on the events of the final play. It isn't really about the historical king, but in taking the Bard's famous epic and characters, specifically Shakespeare's creation Falstaff, and telling it anew. Reworkings of Shakespeare's plays into modern language can be a problem (it's like remaking something by taking the best parts out) but it turns out this take ended up being interesting enough.

This version paints Hal as a peace builder who is thwarted in his good intentions at every turn, whether it's his father's greedy ambitions, the French dauphin's insane cruelty, or the sheer arrogance and stubbornness of the armies he comes across, peace is unattainable without him asserting his hand. He has a guide to turn to, the remarkably astute Falstaff, another wild re-imagining of a character. Not only is Falstaff not a buffoon, but his past with Hal isn't as debauched as we're used to seeing. Instead he is the father figure Hal never had, a moral compass in a world that wants to make him into a conqueror.

So this is the world we are living in and director Michod, whose The Rover was one of my favourite films of 2014, shoots a beautiful film. His Hal now grown into King Henry, is a tragic noble figure who's reign is goodness as long as he keeps control. Timothee Chalamet plays him pained and serious throughout. He loses his youth, his father figure, and his idealism, becoming the hard ruler he resisted most of this life. Edgerton plays Falstaff as the wise rogue, never quite accepted, yet who becomes a noble martyr whose life is given so the king can rise to his noble place. This offers quite a bit of interesting moments to see this story play out so differently. It remains a good story and the strength of the cast makes it fun to watch. Although the one part I couldn't handle was Robert Pattinson's brat prince Dauphin whose sadism is never quite explained well enough to buy it, especially with the accent he adopts.

Wisely the film doesn't try to be Henry V. Henry's Agincourt speech is practically nothing for example. Instead The King is its own story, one which takes the basics and reinvents them insto something new. This is likely not up to creating a legacy like its source but entertaining enough to be a good story. I found it a bit discouraging while Henry V tries to be the opposite. But perhaps there is something more honest in that.

The King
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Joel Edgerton, Robert Pattinson, Sean Harris, Lily-Rose Depp, Ben Mendelsohn, Dean-Charles Chapman
Director: David Michod
Writers: Joel Edgerton, David Michod