Directed by David Michôd and starring Timothée Chalamet, The King (2019) reimagines Shakespeare’s Henriad through a lens of visceral medieval realism. Beyond its brooding political narrative, the film distinguishes itself with unflinching depictions of 15th-century warfare, from the claustrophobic brutality of hand-to-hand combat to the tactical pragmatism of battlefield command. This review delves deeper into the film’s commitment to historical accuracy, particularly its swordplay mechanics and portrayal of medieval society, while dissecting its creative choices.
Main Cast
- Timothée Chalamet as Henry V – A reluctant king who must prove himself on the battlefield.
- Joel Edgerton as Sir John Falstaff – A seasoned warrior and Hal’s loyal companion.
- Robert Pattinson as The Dauphin of France – A flamboyant and arrogant adversary.
- Ben Mendelsohn as King Henry IV – Hal’s estranged father, whose death forces him into kingship.
- Lily-Rose Depp as Catherine of Valois – A French princess who challenges Hal’s perceptions of conquest.
Memorable Quotes
- “A king has no friends. Only followers and foe.” – Henry V
- “Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy.” – Falstaff
- “Do you feel a sense of achievement?” – Catherine of Valois questioning the morality of conquest.
Swordplay and Combat Realism
The King’s combat sequences abandon the balletic elegance of traditional Hollywood duels, instead embracing the gruelling physicality of medieval warfare. Fight choreographer Richard Ryan (known for Kingdom of Heaven) prioritised historical techniques drawn from Fiore dei Liberi’s Flos Duellatorum, a 15th-century Italian fencing manual. The result is a raw, inelegant style that underscores the sheer effort of fighting in full plate armour.
Key Combat Elements
| Aspect | Film Depiction | Historical Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Weaponry | Longswords, poleaxes, maces, and English longbows dominate. | Accurate to late-medieval Europe; longswords were versatile battlefield weapons, while longbows decided Agincourt. |
| Armour | Full plate armour with chainmail underlay; visible dents, scratches, and fatigue. | Plate armour (c. 1400–1420) was mobility-focused but exhausting; actors trained to mimic weighted movement. |
| Tactics | Shield walls, controlled retreats, and archer volleys at Agincourt. | Reflects English tactics: longbowmen weakened cavalry charges before melee engagement. |
| Physicality | Laboured breathing, sluggish strikes, and reliance on grappling in close combat. | Historical accounts describe combatants collapsing from exhaustion; half-swording techniques were common. |
The film’s standout trial-by-combat scene between Hal (Chalamet) and Harry Hotspur (Tom Glynn-Carney) exemplifies this approach. Strikes are heavy, defensive parries awkward, and the duel concludes not with a flourish but a desperate grapple, a far cry from the romanticised swordplay of The Princess Bride.
The Battle of Agincourt: Mud, Blood, and Tactical Savvy
The climactic battle masterfully captures the chaos of Agincourt (1415). French knights, bogged down in mud under English arrow storms, are ambushed by infantry using daggers and hammers to exploit armour gaps, a tactic corroborated by chronicler Jean de Wavrin. The camera lingers on the visceral horror: knights suffocating in mud, limbs hewn by poleaxes, and the psychological toll on Henry V. This aligns with Dr. Tobias Capwell’s (Curator of Arms and Armour, Wallace Collection) praise for the film’s “attention to the logistics of pre-gunpowder warfare.”
Medieval Realism: Society and Politics
Beyond combat, The King subtly critiques feudal hierarchies and the fragility of power.
Political Realism
- Court Dynamics: Henry IV’s court is rife with sycophants and spies, reflecting the precariousness of medieval kingship.
- Falstaff’s Cynicism: Falstaff (Joel Edgerton) dismisses chivalric honour as a “fool’s creed,” mirroring historian Johan Huizinga’s argument that late-medieval nobility clung to eroding ideals.
Costuming and Social Hierarchy
| Character | Attire | Symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Henry V | Unadorned black armour; plain tunics post-coronation. | Rejects pageantry to embody a “common king”; historically, Henry V emphasised humility in dress. |
| The Dauphin | Opulent gold-embroidered doublet; pristine armour. | French extravagance vs. English pragmatism; ahistorical but underscores class divide. |
| Falstaff | Rusted chainmail, patched gambeson. | Represents the veteran soldier’s poverty, contrasts with noble knights. |
Historical Liberties vs. Accuracy
| Element | Film Portrayal | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Henry V’s Pacifism | Hal initially rejects war as futile. | Historically, Henry V aggressively pursued French conquest post-coronation. |
| Falstaff’s Survival | Falstaff lives, serving as Henry’s advisor. | Shakespeare kills Falstaff; the real Sir John Fastolf was vilified post-war. |
| Catherine’s Role | Catherine (Lily-Rose Depp) challenges Henry’s worldview. | Political marriages rarely allowed such candidness, though her intellect is documented. |
Legacy and Impact
While The King diverges from Shakespeare’s text and historical record, its commitment to grounded combat has influenced subsequent medieval media, notably The Last Duel (2021). The film’s focus on attrition over heroism, soldiers retching mid-battle, knights struggling to rise, reshapes audience expectations of the genre.
Where to Watch
Stream exclusively on Netflix or rent via Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Watch the trailer:
Verdict
The King marries Shakespearean tragedy with documentary-like grit, offering one of cinema’s most authentic glimpses into medieval warfare. Chalamet’s introspective Henry and Edgerton’s world-weary Falstaff anchor a narrative that prioritises the human cost of conquest. Though pacing lags in political scenes, the film’s unromanticised violence and attention to period detail make it essential viewing.
⭐ 8/10 – A landmark in medieval realism, albeit tempered by narrative brevity.
Further Reading
- The Face of Battle by John Keegan (analysis of Agincourt’s tactics).
- Medieval Combat by Hans Talhoffer (15th-century fighting techniques).
- The Hundred Years’ War by Jonathan Sumption (political context of Henry V’s reign).
