Fright Fest Coverage: King Knight (2021)
Directed By: Richard Bates, Jr.
Starring: Matthew Gray Gubler, Angela Sarafyan, Andy Milonakis, Kate Comer, Johnny Pemberton, Josh Fadem, Nelson Franklin, Emily Chang, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Swati Kapila, Shane Brady, AnnaLynne McCord, Alice Glass, Aubrey Plaza, with Barbara Crampton, and Ray Wise.
SYNOPSIS: KING KNIGHT is an outsider comedy starring Matthew Gray Gubler and Angela Sarafyan as Thorn and Willow, husband-and-wife high priest and priestess of a coven of witches in a small California community. When Willow unearths a secret from Thorn’s past, their lives are thrown into turmoil in this kooky, clever treat, decked with a wild cast that includes Nelson Franklin, Johnny Pemberton, Barbara Crampton, Ray Wise, Andy Milonakis, and the voices of Aubrey Plaza and AnnaLynne McCord.
King Knight was a movie that made a big splash at Fantasia Fest but sadly, I missed out on reviewing it. Thankfully, I got a second chance during Fright Fest. So, this movie was really hyped which can lead to hyperbolic criticism. Thankfully though, I think King Knight every bit lived up to all the praise and more. Richard Bates, Jr. offers up a really creative and highly engaging play on the hero’s journey. It’s pretty amazing how in just a few minutes Knight sets up its characters, tone and worldbuilding in such an effortless way. This seems easy but trust me, it is not. A lot of filmmakers do a lot of needless lifting when it comes to narrative. King Knight on the other hand is extremely layered and well written but also explores what is a pretty paper-thin premise.
Clearly, Bates is an old-pro at feature filmmaking, and this is really a movie that shows a level of confidence in skill, structure and pacing. This is a satirical comedy, and I think for the most part, all the humor lands incredibly well. The funniest stuff is when the fantasy bubble that Thorn and his coven creates collides with the real world which makes for so very side-splitting moments. Bates also knows how to play up the emotions, and the movie does have a real beating heart which mixes nicely with the at times absurd and surreal moments. This again is a smart move because it helps to ground and connect the characters and story with the audience. Furthermore, themes are carried throughout so well, and we get some really ingenious set-ups and pay-offs. King Knight even tackles heavy hitting topics like gender, acceptance, diversity and the complicated world we live in. It does this in a way that feels wholly organic to the story but also doesn’t feel preachy. Couple this with a very awesome eye-popping visual style that literally leaps off the screen and you have an enjoyable outing.
Outside of its great screenplay and direction the magic that holds this movie together is its cast. Matthew Gray Gubler is such a likeable, endearing presence. He is able to find a sweet spot in not underplaying Thorn but at the same time not taking him overboard either. It seems like Gubler has a natural charm that is easy to be bewitched by. Speaking of, Angela Sarafyan is a rising star who has talent, beauty and, like Gubler, comedic timing and a real screen presence. And the supporting cast is great as well including: Andy Milonakis, Kate Comer, Emily Chang, Nelson Franklin, Johnny Pemberton, Josh Fadem and insanely awesome screen icons Barbara Crampton and Ray Wise. Also includes a voice cameo by Audrey Plaza and Alice Glass. I didn’t mention everybody but, seriously there wasn’t a single bad or out of place performance to be had. This cast should be incredibly proud.
There’s a lot of heavy-genre stuff at these festivals which is great. But sometimes, it’s just nice to have breezy, fun, low stakes outing. King Knight might not be for everybody but it’s well-made, wonderfully acted and charming as hell.
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Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.
