The King of Kings

A serviceable if uninspired take on a story told countless times in just as varied formats.

It’s impossible to watch a film in which Jesus Christ says it’s wrong to profit from religion and then watch the filmmakers panhandle for extra money at the end. At least, not without imagining the screen getting struck by lightning.

Less of a fully satisfying animated feature that works on its own terms than a teaching tool that is clearly intended as such.

While a few choices do seem a bit odd, “The King of Kings” does a facile job of offering a crash course on Christ for a younger generation.

It’s just the same story: every beat expected, every moment predetermined.

“The King of Kings” gives the Jesus story an animated treatment with some whimsical Dickensian touches. It’s nothing to write scripture about, but it should provide amusing and possibly enlightening Easter entertainment for younger children.

Jang Seong-Ho’s The King of Kings is a gorgeously animated film that tells a familiar and comforting story through exceptional voice acting.

The King of Kings, then, is a confounding mixed bag&#59; it’s an animated movie that tries so very hard to appeal to its target audience, but that ends up feeling more like an educational product than an ambitious or well-crafted motion picture.

Including Dickens & his son in the Gospel story can be distracting, and the character design leaves much to be desired, but the creators care about Jesus' story enough to give it the respect and reverence it deserves.

The King of Kings is appropriate for younger kids and families, but pre-teens may be a stretch.