Review of The Childhood of a Leader (2016) by John K — 22 Sep 2016

This film is a throwback to old Hollywood, classic 1920's filmmaking in its grand scale, majestic sets, and haunting score. But despite its beautiful look, the film is ultimately incredibly indulgent, consisting mainly of philosophical scenes that don't advance plot, with expository dialogue that consistently tells, rather than allowing the film to show.

While the film aims to provide us with a peek into the creation of evil, it's understated to a fault, ultimately amounting to a string of well-shot scenes that never come together into a cohesive whole.