This is a religion-professing country that usually turns a cold shoulder to films with spiritual aspirations. The King has the very thankless task of doing God's work at the movies.

| May 12, 2020

| Original Score: 5/5 | Nov 20, 2008

The degree to which this film is unsettling is testimony to the strength of the acting and direction.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 13, 2008

Red States' worst nightmare rules on screen.

| May 3, 2007

Good work that, with a little more effort, could have been so much better.

| Mar 1, 2007

This movie creeped me out big time.

| Original Score: C+ | Jan 19, 2007

An undemanding morality tale set in the Bible Belt.

| Original Score: C | Dec 7, 2006

The filmmakers' stoicism finally proves insurmountable and indefatigable

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Oct 17, 2006

I'm all in favor of warts-and-all depictions of Christians, but the closer you look, the more you realize that warts are all this film has to offer.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 25, 2006

A Southwestern American pastoral of dormant menace, The King is a film of triple-dipped mood that turns on an act of shocking violence, but still seems to substitute willful indistinctness for insight.

| Original Score: C | Sep 22, 2006

"The King" actually moves you, particularly because it has outstanding actors like William Hurt and Gael Garcia Bernal giving haunting, complex performances.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 6, 2006

This film wastes the talents of the entire cast.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 25, 2006

Programmed by the fatalistic filmmakers toward a cruel outcome, but the actors make it convincing...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 11, 2006

Both Hurt and Bernal drift through their performances, leaving the audience as unfulfilled as an empty collection plate.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jul 28, 2006

The many possible ways to read the film might be more fruitful if Marsh's direction was more assured.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jul 15, 2006

Marsh has a knack for setting up twisted situations, and he nicely counterbalances the horror by filming everything in a straightforward, muted style.

| Original Score: B- | Jul 7, 2006

The real acting sparks are generated by Hurt, delivering an absolutely sincere performance as a reformed sinner basking in God's love.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 7, 2006

A showcase for big ideas that winds up feeling empty.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 7, 2006

While Elvis' briefly startled face isn't precisely legible, your reading is pretty much ordained.

Full Review | Jun 24, 2006

The King suffers from an overbearing sense of its own self-importance.

| Jun 24, 2006