The King is Alive Review

King is Alive, The
When their bus breaks down in the desert, the passengers decide to stage a version of King Lear, though their own lives prove equally dramatic and, often, tragic.

by David Parkinson |
Published on
Release Date:

11 May 2001

Running Time:

110 minutes

Certificate:

15

Original Title:

King is Alive, The

The last of the original Dogmatics to commit to film, Kristian Levring also has the dual distinction of being the first to venture outside Denmark and the one to most flagrantly violate the much-vaunted vow of chastity. Shot on digital video in a mine deep in the Namibian dunes, this may be the sultriest and the starriest Dogme to date, but it's also the most predictable and precious.

Essentially an ensemble Godot, this is also a disaster movie without a calamity, with each passenger on a stranded bus gradually exhibiting classic caricaturistics - seemingly happy marrieds feud; the toff turns yellow; the tart teases and the lech succumbs. The performances are admirable, the location evocatively exploited and the psychological intensity often unbearable. But the spark isn't there.

The performances are admirable, the location evocatively exploited and the psychological intensity often unbearable. But the spark isn't there.
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