By CYNTHIA BIDDLECOMB
Los Alamos

Now showing at SALA, through Easter Sunday, April 20, is a wonderful, new animated film, “The King of Kings”. It tells the story of Jesus in a way both children and adults can appreciate. 

The film is based on “The Life of Our Lord” the story that Charles Dickens wrote solely for his own children. It was his tradition to read it to his family at Christmas each year. Dickens, who died in 1870, insisted the story not be published during his lifetime and not until the family agreed to it. In fact, it was 1934 before the story was published, 64 years after Charles Dickens’ death and after the last of his children had died.

This film version, “The King of Kings” was just released by Angel Studios, which supports independent films that are meant to be uplifting. Angel describes “The King of Kings” storyline thus: 

“A father tells his son the greatest story ever told, and what begins as a bedtime tale becomes a life-changing journey. Through vivid imagination, the boy walks alongside Jesus, witnessing His miracles, facing His trials, and understanding His ultimate sacrifice. The King of Kings invites us to rediscover the enduring power of hope, love, and redemption through the eyes of a child.”

The movie opens with Charles Dickens on stage, telling his Christmas Story to an audience. Just as Scrooge walks in the graveyard, saying he has learned his lesson, noise erupts behind the stage. The Dickens family and their cat Willa are back there, where youngest son Walter is causing a ruckus, waving his wooden sword around as King Arthur. That night, Catherine insists that Charles share his story of Jesus as a bedtime story for Walter.

Voicing Charles Dickens in this film is Kenneth Branaugh. Other notable voices are provided by Uma Thurman (Catherine Dickens), Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo in Jojo Rabbit, voices Walter), Mark Hamill (King Herod), Oscar Issac (Poe in The Last Jedi, plays Jesus), Forest Whitaker (Peter), Ben Kingsley (Caiaphas), and Pierce Brosnan (Pontius Pilate).

Throughout the storytelling, Walter imagines himself in the story, a witness to all that happens. Willa the cat is there with him, adding a humorous touch. As you can guess, Walter finds Jesus’ story more compelling even than that of his hero King Arthur. He finds the whole thing deeply moving. 

“The King of Kings” is “Rated PG for thematic material, violent content and some scary moments.” But it is a film children will easily enjoy, as will the grownups around them. SALA is showing the film 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.