DVD/Blu-Ray Mini-Review - The Kid Who Would Be King (PG)

I'm supposed to stop her... That's ridiculous. I'm twelve. I'm not even old enough to do a paper round.

The Gist: Alex is a fatherless and bullied London schoolboy with a penchant (along with his best friend Bedders) for Arthurian mythology. When he discovers a certain medieval sword in the concrete of a derelict building, his life takes a fantastical turn. A gangly and eccentric new student at the boys' school warns of the return of evil sorceress Morgana - half-sister to King Arthur himself - and of imminent apocalypse. That's shortly before fiery horseback demons start wreaking havoc in the home Alex shares with his mum. Teaming up with some unlikely allies, Alex and Bedders shoulder their destiny and set off on a quest to save the modern-day Realm of Britain.

The Juice: The Kid Who Would Be King is an unabashedly family-friendly follow-up by writer/director Joe Cornish of his 2011 hit Attack the Block. It's also resolutely urban-British in all its sensibilities (not unlike the earthbound elements of the modern Doctor Who), with a rough-and-tumble London comprehensive school serving as backdrop to much of the fantasy. Commendably light on CGI, the narrative focuses much more on old-fashioned virtues of loyalty and companionship than crazy action-mayhem. Cornish's screenplay is in the tradition of boy's-own adventure, albeit with twists of contemporary humour, and his direction keeps things fluid and dynamic. The youthful performances are clunky at points but always likeable, with Louis Ashbourne Serkis (yes, he is son of Andy) rising to the challenge as a latter-day King Arthur and Angus Imrie putting in an enjoyably wacky take on Young Merlin. Oh, and a bit of actorly gravitas is supplied by Sir Patrick Stewart and Rebecca Ferguson as the older Merlin and villainous Morgana respectively.

The Judgement: 7/10. It's a shame that this film wasn't a bigger box-office success earlier this year, as it's a genuinely charming adventure for kids and parents alike, with flashes of striking beauty once the story transfers to the rural heartland of Arthurian legend. (It's also funny without resorting to fart and poo jokes, always a blessed relief.) With its message of finding common ground in divided times so life's bigger challenges can be met, there's a lot here to love. It'll make for a great family movie night - so seriously, give it a go.