King Knight (2021) Review

King Knight is a satirical comedy in the same vein as What We Do in the Shadows (2014). Instead of being based on a group of vampires, this film gives us an amusing look at what life might be like for a coven of Pagans living in modern society.
Our story starts with an introduction to Thorn (Matthew Gray Gubler, who is somewhat reminiscent of Brad Pitt) and Willow (Angela Sarafyan, Clementine from Westworld). They are a passionate couple that form the core of a small coven of likeminded individuals, living an alternatively lifestyle in a picturesque setting in the Californian hills.

The group have their issues, but the familial setting offers all of the individuals support and helps them to work out their differences – and Thorn and Willow aren’t without their own.

As tensions rise within the group, fractures appear and Willow is hit with a hammer blow when she discovers that Thorn has been hiding a dark secret for the years they have known one another – that he was once a high school jock, and worse still, the Prom King!

Though he tries to explain his recent contact with his high school regarding a reunion, Willow finds it hard to accept that he was once the sort of person that used to deride her during her years in school. And when all is revealed to the rest of the group, they shun Thorn, disregarding his pivotal position in the group.
Before long the remaining members of the coven have got to decide whether they really are going to send him to exile or whether there is some way they can overlook his previous crimes against Paganism.

Reading back that synopsis, one could be mistaken to think that this isn’t a comedy at all – albeit an odd plot for something that isn’t written in humour. But that is the subtle nature of King Night. The film is shot in an almost documentary style – not quite to the levels of What We Do in the Shadows or The Office, with knowing glances to the camera and general awareness of the audience, but it is shot in first person and there are sporadic doses of commentary to move things along.

The interpretation of what is funny throughout is very much down to the viewer, and this less overt style does make the film a little harder to read than most, particularly if you aren’t primed in advance.

Now before I continue, I should confess… I’m not actually a huge fan of Flight of the Conchords… I get it, I appreciate it, but I just don’t find it as funny as some of my friends. But this means that this humour is a little lost on me and I probably wouldn’t get as much satisfaction from King Knight as a Conchords fan.

All that said, there is still a lot to like about the film. Whether you find it hilarious or not, the plot and characters quickly draw you in. It’s well written and performances are candid and convincing, making the audience feel very much involved, amused and emotionally invested.

The concept of alternative groups rejecting the norm and punishing those that dare to conform is a playful take on years of films that have told the story from the opposite perspective. And in a time when worshipping anti-heroes and defying traditional labels is en vogue, King Knight couldn’t be better timed as it holds a mirror to a society in a fractured and often confused state.

Oh and Barbara Crampton and Ray Wise also make an appearance!

King Knight was probably one of the more unusual showings at Frightfest this year, but is memorable for all the right reasons. It’s very light on horror, has plenty of creativity and is as far removed from its peers at the festival as the members of Thorn and Willow’s coven are from their Californian, church-going neighbours.

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