DVD Reviews

The King

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• Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal
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Returning to civilian life after an honourable discharge from the US Navy, Elvis (Bernal) goes in search of a father (Hurt) he has never known. When he's rejected by his now-preacher pop, Elvis begins seducing his 16-year-old half sister (James), with predictably bleak results. The latest film from Monster's Ball Oscar-winning screenwriter Milo Addica, The King deals with overtly taboo topics such as incest and teenage sex with an almost offbeat sensibility. It's a film where all the lines that are inevitably crossed are done so with such blurred vision that it's hard to fully comprehend the magnitude of what's going on. The offbeat tone is purposefully out-of-sorts with the subject matter, and the violence which occurs does so without the wails of 'its happenin'' music or the shocking bloodletting you might expect; it's almost dream-like. Babyfaced sociopath Elvis is unlike any murderer you've ever seen on screen, his almost endearing demeanour undermined by his atrocious actions. It's an incredibly brave film; both intelligent and intriguing, it's beautifully filmed with each shot lovingly framed, while all of its performances are near-flawless. It was an undeniably ballsy move from Bernal to choose such a film as his English language debut and it pays off handsomely, with a suitably subtle performance that's both equally charismatic and dangerous. William Hurt, too, is outstanding as the hardcore Christian father whose chequered past comes back to haunt him and his unsuspecting family. Needless to say, The King will most definitely not be to everyone's taste -if the topic of incest disturbs you, the film won't change your mind - and some will find the unusual pacing slow and meandering. But ultimately, The King is a film with balls the size of watermelons; and regardless of your opinion, you have to admire the handling of the subject matter.

Review by Mike Sheridan