The King 2018

As the eldest son of King Henry IV (Ben Mendelsohn), Henry (Timothée Chalamet) embodies a life of indulgence, prioritizing the fleeting pleasures of drinking, whoring, and jesting with his trusted companion John Falstaff (Joel Edgerton) in Eastcheap. The Prince of Wales, affectionately known to those closest to him as Hal, remains disconnected from his father’s war policies and disinterested in succeeding him on the throne. Henry IV summons Hal, only to reveal that their younger brother Thomas (Dean-Charles Chapman) will inherit the crown instead, leaving Hal feeling utterly disillusioned.

Thomas is dispatched to quell Hotspur’s rebellion, fueled by resentment towards King Henry IV for his perceived incompetence and failure to bring lasting peace. The Scots continue to wage war, while the Welsh have joined their ranks. As tensions escalate, Thomas’s efforts are overshadowed by Hal’s unexpected arrival on the battlefield, where he engages in a fierce single combat with Hotspur (Tom Glynn-Carney). The duel devolves into an intense fistfight, culminating in Hal’s decisive victory and Hotspur’s tragic demise.

In the aftermath of this pivotal battle, Thomas meets his untimely end in Wales. As King Henry IV’s health begins to decline, Hal remains by his bedside, ultimately inheriting the throne upon his father’s passing. Sworn into office as King Henry V, Hal is resolute in his decision to forge a path of peace and conciliation with those who had once opposed his father. Despite perceptions that this approach betrays his father’s legacy, Hal sees it as an opportunity to create a brighter future.

The Dauphin of France (Robert Pattinson) takes aim at Hal’s newly won dignity, sending him a mocking gift - a ball - intended to undermine the young monarch’s authority. Rather than accepting the affront, Hal chooses to interpret this gesture as a nod to his carefree youth, a testament to his capacity for growth and wisdom.

Meanwhile, sister Philippa (Thomasin McKenzie), now Queen of Denmark, cautions that those within any royal court are driven by their own self-interests, and it is only through astute diplomacy that one can hope to uncover the truth. As Hal navigates the complexities of kingship, he must confront these hard-won lessons head-on, tempering his emotions with a keen understanding of the intricate politics at play.

As Hal (Chiwetel Ejiofor) conducts a grueling interrogation of a captured assassin, the would-be killer’s claims spark a chain reaction of events that will forever alter the course of English history. The noble duo of Cambridge (Edward Ashley) and Grey (Stephen Fewell) finds themselves entangled in a web of intrigue as they’re approached by cunning French agents seeking to sway them to the Gallic cause. Their wavering trust in the young king’s leadership prompts them to seek counsel with Chief Justice William Gascoigne (Sean Harris), who advises Hal that a display of strength is essential to unite England. Heeding this wisdom, Hal declares war on France and, in a shocking turn of events, orders the execution of Cambridge and Grey.

As the English army sets sail for French soil, Hal takes center stage with Falstaff (John Gielgud) by his side as chief military strategist. The duo’s early successes at Harfleur are followed by a relentless campaign, with the Dauphin repeatedly attempting to provoke Hal into battle. However, it is not until English advance parties stumble upon the behemoth French army that Dorset urges caution and retreat, citing the overwhelming superiority of their foes. Falstaff, ever the pragmatist, proposes a bold yet ingenious plan: feign an advance, enticing the French to charge forward into the mire, where they’ll be hindered by the weight of their armor and horses. The English long-bowmen will then pick off the stragglers, while a flanking force concealed in the nearby woods pincer-moves the enemy.

In a moment of defiant valor, Hal approaches the Dauphin with an offer to settle the outcome of the battle in single combat, but his adversary refuses. The Battle of Agincourt commences in earnest, with Hal leading the charge. Falstaff’s plan unfolds with deadly precision, and the outnumbered English army secures a crushing victory over their foes, though at the cost of Falstaff’s life on the front lines. The Dauphin, undeterred but ultimately defeated, is left to stew in humiliation. In the aftermath, Hal issues a chilling order: execute all French prisoners, fearing they might regroup and exact revenge. This decree runs counter to Falstaff’s earlier objections, underscoring the gravity of the young king’s decision.

As the English army presses deeper into French territory, victorious but not invincible, Hal’s triumphant march is met with an unexpected surrender from King Charles VI. The monarch’s daughter, Catherine (Lily-Rose Depp), becomes the spoils of war, and Hal returns to England as her new husband, basking in the adoration of his comrades-in-arms. Amidst the revelry, he seeks out his wife in private, intent on sharing his thoughts and justifying the brutal campaign that has left a trail of devastation in its wake. But Catherine is not one to be swayed by empty boasts or hollow triumphs; she challenges Hal’s motivations, her piercing gaze cutting through the bravado and revealing the uncertainty beneath.

Her words strike a chord deep within him, awakening doubts he had long suppressed. He recalls the whispers of dissent among his own ranks, the murmurs of caution that he had ignored in his zeal for conquest. The French “insult” and alleged acts of aggression against England begin to unravel as a calculated ruse, concocted by none other than Gascoigne, his trusted advisor, to fuel Hal’s warlike fervor. Enraged and humiliated, Hal confronts the scheming Gascoigne, whose unapologetic declaration that “peace comes only through victory” only serves to galvanize Hal’s wrath.

In a cold-blooded fury, he kills Gascoigne, the weight of his actions settling heavy upon him like a shroud. Returning to Catherine, Hal makes a solemn vow: henceforth, she shall be the one truth he seeks, the sole barometer by which he measures his every thought and deed. The brutal calculus of war has given way to a fragile promise, forged in the crucible of betrayal and bloodshed.