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The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die premiered on Netflix on Friday, April 14, with a thick premise from the fabled British drama series, The Last Kingdom. Serving as the conclusion for the long-running series, which has seen a constant fanbase's regular appreciation over its lengthy run, this feature-length spinoff from Edward Bazalgette was every The Last Kingdom fan's dream film.
It was well-paced, filled with important storylines, and ended the story on a note that would be satisfactory to anyone who has followed the series for so long.
For every fan of the original show, The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is a must-watch. It tells the story which was much required after the events of the final season. Moreover, the film was well-made enough that those who have not watched the series can also enjoy it just as well. However, anyone who watches the film, or even a part of it, is sure to go back to the start and enjoy the delicately made TV show.
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die stands at just under two hours, making it an ideal length for a comfortable watch without the need for effort.
Disclaimer: The opinions reflected in this article are purely those of the author, which maybe subjective.
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is a beautifully woven tale that has a lot to explore
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die picks up sometime after the events of the fifth and final season of The Last Kingdom. While the show did conclude things well, there was one piece missing, and this was it.
The film begins with the peace of a united England disrupted once more by the arrival of Danish warrior Anlaf (Pekka Strang) in opposition to the King’s plans, shortly after the death of King Edward. All this throws Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon), the hero of the original series, back into the limelight.
Perhaps the best thing about the film is how well it is able to take all the positives from the series, without the limitations of the medium. This is perhaps the biggest challenge of films like these. This is perhaps what was missing in Breaking Bad's conclusive film.
A lot of story is cramped into a 2-hour runtime, much more than there should have been. But that's where the excellence in direction stands out. Despite so much happening all around, it is very easy to follow, especially for the ones who have watched the show, and it barely takes anything away from the story.
The second half of the film is even better, with some extravagant set design, great war scenes, and cinematography to rival the mighty battles of Game of Thrones (without the dragons, of course). The finale leads to the Battle of Brunanburh in AD 937, a big nod to history buffs.
The historical accuracy of The Last Kingdom has always been one of its standout elements. But including the same in the film is quite a useful move. This is aided by some very strong performances from the leading cast, especially Pekka Strang, who makes for a compelling grey character to lead the parade.
All in all, The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is an excellent watch for people who have and haven't seen the original series. But it is better to watch the series first to enjoy it in its full essence.
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is now streaming on Netflix.
