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The massive success of The Chosen—a first-of-its-kind multi-season series about the ministry of Jesus—is spearheading a revival in biblically themed film and TV. The culture, it seems, is shifting in a remarkable way.
And now it’s the kids’ turn to join in the revival.
The King of Kings, a new Angel Studios release hitting theaters nationwide on April 11, is being promoted as the first major animated biblical film since 1998’s The Prince of Egypt. Like its predecessor, it boasts an all-star cast: Oscar Isaac plays the role of Jesus, with Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Forest Whitaker, and Ben Kingsley all voicing supporting roles. It’s certainly an impressive effort with some dazzling moments—a very solid film, overall, especially as it draws children right into the very heart of the Gospel message without compromising its essence.
Written and directed by Korean filmmaker Seong-ho Jang, The King of Kings is loosely based on Charles Dickens’ The Life of Our Lord. But rather than relegate Dickens to a mere voiceover, the movie draws him on screen, together with his son Walter. The film opens with Walter, who is obsessed with the legend of Arthur and other sword-wielding kings, causing a ruckus at Charles’ one-man performance of A Christmas Carol—a classic hijinks setup that’s genuinely funny for all ages. When the collectively drained family returns home, Charles’ wife encourages him to “work some of your magic.” And so Charles begins to tell him what he calls “the greatest story ever told” about the ultimate king—the King of all kings.
Of course, Walter soon learns that this king defies his expectations, and throughout Charles’ telling of the Gospel story, he illuminates just how different this King Jesus was. He doesn’t carry a magic sword—because he doesn’t need to. He goes into the desert to face down evil—a force “much more impressive” than any dragon. And he rules over all his subjects—but precisely by serving them. Even as worldly rulers are threatened by him and intent on destroying him, the Prince of Peace reigns through the power of the Spirit.
The movie immerses Walter and his cat in the story as Charles unfurls it—a brilliant move, as it softens scenes that otherwise might prove a bit scarier for younger viewers. One especially striking scene—the kind of narrative that many retellings of Jesus for children might tend to skip over—is Jesus casting a legion of unclean spirits out from a possessed man and into a herd of swine, which promptly run over the edge of the cliff and into the sea. The intensity of all this will naturally raise questions for kids—as will the raising of Lazarus from the tomb, which is also vividly portrayed. But again, the presence of Walter and his cat offers a reassuring point of reference on this adventure. They, like Walter—like all of us—must try to figure this mysterious King out on his own terms, not ours.
These dynamics come to a head in what are surely the most impressive scenes of the movie: the Passion of Jesus. The violence of the scourging and nailing to the cross are tactfully suggested just outside of frame without being directly shown. But Jesus’ carrying of the cross, and the general sense of his suffering and sorrow, is not hidden away; even the dialogue of the thieves with Jesus as the three men die is included. This, the movie reminds viewers of all ages, is the battle the King of Kings came to fight here on earth: the struggle against sin and death on the cross.
And in the climax of that great struggle, Jang beautifully inserts a montage of Jesus as healer, reminding viewers, especially younger or more sensitive ones who may be feeling distraught, that this King is ascending his throne—that all this pain and sadness is his (and thus our) victory over the powers of darkness, and the fullest expression of his mission to redeem, restore, and raise us, and make all things new: “He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed” (Isa. 53:5). Jesus the King is the suffering servant who comes to heal humanity in every way, and he does it, as Charles explains, by entering into the depths of “the same place as us”—a place of brokenness in our relationship with God: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34).
The King of Kings may not be pitch perfect: The animation style, while unique, feels a bit off at times; the scenes of the Last Supper and the Resurrection could have been given a lot more focus and attention; and while it generally cleaves to the Gospels, some of the reinterpretations of the details—like Jesus saying “I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be” at the finding in the temple, or Peter already being called Peter by Jesus before “the rock” scene of Matthew 16—are jarring.
Its minor defects aside, The King of Kings is a noble contribution to the list of biblical films for kids—and indeed, probably the best animated film about Jesus to date. If you’re looking for a fun way to convey to the young people in your life the fundamentals of the Gospel story this Holy Week or Easter season—one that’s sure to kickstart some interesting conversations—consider a trip to the local movie theater.