Review of Message from the King (2017) by Kj P — 05 Aug 2017

Movies that star some very talented performers, but fail to make it to the big screen, usually end up on the shelves of video stores, disappearing very quickly, due to the fact that they were usually brushed to the sidelines for a reason. Message from the King is the latest film to receive that treatment, only Netflix was smart enough to pick it up. This is one of the rare films that was swept aside, but actually deserved a shot in the spotlight. This isn't a perfect film, but the performances, along with a very effective premise, made for a great experience. If you're looking for a good film to watch one night, here is why I think you'll enjoy your time with Message from the King.

Travelling to Los Angeles in order to investigate his younger sister's disappearance, Jacob King (Chadwick Boseman) soon realizes that he has now found himself investigating her death. Knowing that he will never be able to speak to her again, he changes his tune from investigator to revenge-seeker. This is a story you've seen many times in the past, but when a well-written script and terrific performances can elevate it to seem fresh, that's all you can really ask for in the given scenario. This film is about the journey of Jacob and as you uncover elements of his past, the depth of the film increases, tenfold. What put it over the edge for me, was the fact that talented actors kept appearing throughout the film.

From Luke Evans, to Teresa Palmer, to Alfred Molina, this cast is on another level. Each and every time this film presented intself with new talent, a new layer of story was added, and the fact that every core character was a world class actor/actress, really made for a compelling film as a whole. Message from the King is not only an effective and well-acted film, but the emotional core that is needed for a film like this to work, is also very well-done. I found myself completely invested in both Jacob and the characters around him (Kelly and her daughter in particular), because the film takes just enough time to allow for other characters to be developed, setting itself up for a satisfying conclusion.

Although some moments may be a little unsettling for some viewers to take in, I found the graphic imagery to be needed, in order to fully allow the audience to connect with Jacob on a personal level. If you're someone who can allow yourself to take in a few graphic images, then I believe you will be sucked into this film as I was. There are some great fight sequences and as soon as the film seems to be slowing down to build a relationship or to give the audience needed information, it picks right back up with a chase or flashbacks to keep you interested. Never once did I find myself bored with this movie. It's solid run time of 102 minutes flies right by.

In the end, Message from the King is the type of movie that was unfairly pushed around in order to find a company to release it. Luckily, Netflix now has possession and it's now available to stream worldwide. I highly recommend checking this film out whenever you have free time. This is a surprisingly well-written revenge flick with some very solid emotion and action sequences. My complaints would lie in the fact that some of the events throughout the film seem artificial. For example; when Jacob visits a dentist office, it plays out like more of a film than what would actually happen in reality. That is just a nitpick but it does stand out as a large flaw, because of the fact that it happens many times throughout the film. Message from the King is definitely worth your time.