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Credit: Angel StudiosWe recently had the opportunity to catch an early screening of The King of Kings (2025), and honestly, it’s one of the most visually stunning faith-based films we’ve seen in a long time.
Whether you’ve grown up hearing the Gospel story or you’re just beginning to explore it, this film finds a beautiful way to reintroduce it to the screen. It’s a fresh, heartfelt telling of Jesus’ life, and it does a great job of balancing reverence with creativity.
A Story Within a Story: Dickens as the Narrator
What sets The King of Kings (2025) apart from other Gospel-based films is its framing device. Instead of just launching into the story of Jesus, we’re brought in through a father-son moment—Charles Dickens telling the story to his son, Walter.
The movie takes inspiration from a real, lesser-known book Dickens wrote for his kids called The Life of Our Lord. Using this setup helps make the story more relatable, especially for younger viewers, even though the script stays very true to the Bible.
We cannot overstate how good this movie looks. From the calling of the first disciples to Jesus walking on water, each scene pops with color and imagination. One moment that really hit home was a metaphorical sequence during the crucifixion (spoiler alert)—Walter finds himself underwater, only for Jesus to hug him and take his place. It was both beautiful and emotional, and probably the most powerful scene in the movie.
An All-Star Voice Cast
The voice cast is pretty stacked—some big names lend their talent here, with Kenneth Branagh standing out as Charles Dickens. His energy really carries the film’s emotional core. You’ll also recognize many other stars from across Hollywood, including several who have played significant roles with Disney.
On the flip side, Oscar Isaac voices Jesus. The film also features several other recognizable names, including Uma Thurman (Catherine Dickens), Pierce Brosnan (Pilate), and Mark Hamil (King Herod).
The Gospel Comes to Life
Let’s talk about the story. It’s faithful to the Gospels and does a good job of bringing out some of the key scriptures from the Gospel of Luke and Jesus’s words. It flows differently than your typical movie, as there is a lot of ground to make up in covering Jesus’s time on earth, but it does a good job of creating that flow as it moves through different moments of his life.
A Wholesome Message for Parents and Kids
If you’re a parent wondering whether this is something you can take your kids to—absolutely. The content is clean and respectful. That said, there are a few things younger viewers might not fully understand.
Biblical terms like “sin” or “adultery” aren’t really explained, and while the visuals help, you may need to pause afterward and have some conversations. But that’s not necessarily a flaw—this movie was clearly made with those kinds of post-viewing discussions in mind.
The relationship between Charles and Walter mirrors the kind of parent-child conversation the film hopes to inspire. It starts with Charles trying to discipline Walter and ends with both of them better understanding grace and forgiveness. It’s a touching reminder that learning about Jesus isn’t just about facts—it’s about transformation.
Would we watch it again? Absolutely.
The King of Kings makes its way to theaters nationwide on April 11, 2025.