An Animated Passion Play

I was expecting to like King of Kings (2025);  I was not expecting to be blown away by it.  It has a power to it I have not seen in a film since The Passion of the Christ (2004).  My Bride teared up at several moments in the film.  The film has my highest endorsement.  The full warning as to spoilers is in effect.

Based upon a book written by 19th century novelist Charles Dickens for his kids, the conceit of the film is that Charles Dickens is telling his son the story of Christ.  ( I would note that the book was strictly for his family, and it was not published until long after his death.)  The boy at first doesn’t want to hear it, preferring to hear a tale of kings like King Arthur, filled with derring-do and combat.  Dickens gets his son to listen by telling him that the story of Christ is about a King of Kings.

What follows is the story of Christ, leavened by comic interludes.  (The cat of the family steals every scene she is in.)

The movie reminded me of a passion play in that the film clearly has a didactic purpose to inform children and others of the life of Christ.  I found it gripping.  It is completely orthodox from a Catholic perspective, with Peter being told that Christ is building His Church upon him and being given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Eucharist at the last supper is shown quite accurately.  Through the eyes of Dickens’ little son the movie manages the feat of presenting the story of Christ as fresh, as if we are hearing it for the first time.  For an animated film the coverage is quite good, including the woman caught in adultery, the raising of Lazarus and Dismas, the Good Thief.  The language is simplified a little bit for kids, but I have no problem with that.

I found the animation to be good, especially the storm sequence on the Sea of Galilee.  The voice acting is of high order, with several stars lending their talents.  I found it to be good Lenten viewing fare, and I recommend that everyone go see it.