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The King Is Alive

Play trailer Poster for The King Is Alive R Released May 11, 2000 1h 48m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
60% Tomatometer 68 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Stranded in the heat of a barren African desert, eleven bus-passengers shelter in the remnants of an abandoned town. As rescue grows more remote by the day and anxiety deepens, an idea emerges: why not stage a play. However the choice of King Lear only manages to plunge this disparate group of travelers into turmoil as they struggle to overcome both nature's wrath and their own morality.
The King Is Alive

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Critics Consensus

Though the plot feels rather contrived, the ensemble acting in this Dogme 95 film is good.

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Critics Reviews

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Brandon Judell indieWire The King is Alive interweaves the madness, the foolhardiness, the greed and the ferocity of human nature that Shakespeare depicted so brilliantly in Lear back in 1606, and shatters us again and again with its insights made refreshed. Rated: 9/10 Jul 3, 2014 Full Review Lisa Nesselson Variety :ags in the middle, growing more interesting -- if hardly more original -- only as the situation deteriorates. Jul 6, 2008 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out It's all very watchable, thanks to excellent performances all around... Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Film4 The endless vistas of sand that surround the forlorn settlement embody the void at the heart of its abandoned, terrified characters. Jul 6, 2008 Full Review Jason Gorber Film Scouts I spent much of the movie marvelling about how the form and style of the Dogme film fit perfectly into the story, and how none of the players seemed like they were pretending, even when they were being theatrical. Rated: A Jun 21, 2007 Full Review Brandon Judell Detour Magazine Here is a small masterpiece about the erosion of civilized egos by the elements. Aug 6, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve D It doesn't amount to much. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/31/24 Full Review Audience Member I am sure that pissing on JJ Lee wouldn't move me as much now as it did ten years ago. So, I have to reassess my views on this shit. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member a soap opera in the desert .. zzzzz Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Humans get lost in the "African" desert practicing a play while a black old man watches silently from distant. The universe's tale perhaps ? Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member What an unpleasant and nasty little film. The film is a character study of human nature with a bunch of unappealing characters. You can hardly become involved in a film when everyone in it is a jerk. Very slow moving, but has some stunning visual moments. The acting is good. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Bad Jennifer Jason Leigh!! What that women was going to her husband, with the bus driver, so pitiful. Kudos to the bus driver, for not giving in. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The King Is Alive

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The King Is Alive

Bruce Davison is Ray in IFC Films' The King Is Alive. David Bradley is Henry in IFC Films' The King Is Alive. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Stranded in the heat of a barren African desert, eleven bus-passengers shelter in the remnants of an abandoned town. As rescue grows more remote by the day and anxiety deepens, an idea emerges: why not stage a play. However the choice of King Lear only manages to plunge this disparate group of travelers into turmoil as they struggle to overcome both nature's wrath and their own morality.
Director
Kristian Levring
Producer
Patricia Kruijer, Vibeke Windeløv
Screenwriter
Anders Thomas Jensen, Kristian Levring, William Shakespeare
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Good Machine, Nordic Film & TV Fund, Newmarket Capital Group
Rating
R (Language|Sexuality)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 11, 2000, Wide
Box Office (Gross USA)
$103.5K
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Surround