Night of the Kings

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mr m @Mair_2879 10/29/2022 Really great film which is defintley of the magical realism genre, which I am a fan of anyway, See more john s @hipCRANK 09/08/2022 BEDTIME STORY When survival means keeping a dangerous, unruly, and captive mob at bay with an overnight tall tale, it better be good. "Night of Kings" is a riveting, theatrical Ivory Coast prison film that eschews physical action in favour of a flowing, Shakespearian drama. Run by an aging overlord dubbed Blackbeard, this cramped world capsule on the verge of anarchy is a clever analogy of larger systems beyond these walls. Their ruler is in trouble, with his health failing he must hold off the warring factions hungry for power, and he chooses a fresh inmate to cast a spell of procrastination with a red moon story. His new "Roman" is tasked with enrapturing the heaving masses until the moon sets, a feat that will spare his life. Though based on fact, the story within the story about the revered Zama King, is enriched with magical fiction which serves to engage the itchy inmates who prove a tough but eager audience. The oral tradition of history is a fascinating one, and "Night of Kings" shows how an effective messenger can develop the plot for various means. As rival gangs scramble in their quest for power, velvety rich colours pierce the shadows of the MACA prison transforming the harsh institution into a vibrant stage. For one night at least. Will the messenger survive the night? What really happened to the Zama King? Who will seize power? Patience, patience. - hipCRANK See more isla s @RT89656869 09/03/2022 This is an intriguing story and it may make you think about the tribal cultures of people from the area. I thought it was fairly engrossing, seeing what happened, even if the chronology is jumped about a bit. Of course it is fairly grim, given the setting (in a prison) and everything. I liked the almost communal singing and the scenes depicting locals in their tribal costumes and the like. There's a local legend type feel to it in part. This is a film with a definite sense of threat looming throughout but that kept me watching, even though it isn't exactly the cheeriest watch, certainly. I thought its a good bit of world cinema, yes. See more 08/19/2021 A true original, NIght Of The Kings is quite unlike anything I've seen before. Set in a prison in the middle of an Ivory Coast jungle, a new inmate must prove his worth by telling a story. The prison, 'La Maca' is run by its prisoners, and headed up by 'The Boss', who we meet struggling to breathe and accompanied by an oxygen tank. The Boss is clearly on his last legs, and we learn that due to La Maca's tradition, when The Boss is dying and the Red Moon is approaching, The Boss must step aside by taking his own life. The new inmate, christened 'Roman' by The Boss, is informed he must tell a story to the other prisoners throughout the night, initially unaware that his story will determine whether he lives or dies at the end of it. If it sounds odd, that's because it undoubtedly is, and yet the acting from this cast is nothing short of astounding. We see the film through the eyes of the prisoners but are also shown the 'story' told by Roman through visions he may be remembering or may have made up. There isn't a thought given to the outside world, apart from one throwaway comment, and it gives the film a real claustrophobia that makes you feel you're front and centre for the whole thing. What's real and what's not is very much left to the viewer, there's a number of ways one could interpret the film. Is the entire film a figment of Roman's imagination, does he truly believe his own story he tells, or is the story to be taken at face value? There are arguments to all of these, and more, but watch it for yourself and make your own minds up. Impressive. See more Jon T @jon_talbot56 08/07/2021 Extraordinary film. It takes a little while to mentally adjust to the world we enter but once there we see things about ourselves which are hard to know in modern society. These include our capacity for tolerance as well as violence, the importance of ritual, hierarchy and storytelling as part of the glue which binds us together. This is a world of spirits and magic, where each acknowledges their fall from grace and accepts the fragility of life. Definitely not a date movie! See more dave d @RT34924333 06/25/2021 Utterly captivating and spellbinding. I'm not sure I've ever felt so entranced by a film. It's slow and you either are gonna love it or hate it. This film is a work of art without much of a canvas. Writer and director Philippe Lacôte is a credit to film in this multiple foreign language feature. Final Score: 8.8/10 See more Read all reviews

Night of the Kings

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