The film needs a prologue or introduction to set the scene and introduce the 1984-like world it is set in. We are lost from beginning to end about the why-for of everything we see happening. This isn't a mystery novel or a who-done-it after all, why can't the explication be clearer? Who the hell is Young Hank. What is the purpose of the character Pickaxe anyway? Does a viewer really have to read the novel to gain any insights? If so the screenwriter and director have utterly failed. Still the acting is good throughout and the principal and supporting characters are affecting.

I tend to very much dislike this kind of film-- only because it is so realistically disturbing. This isn't science fiction; it is foresight of grim possibilities. Yet it is reasonably well done.The White King is a very dark tale of dystopian future in a Nazi-like society resulting from common people giving power to a militaristic totalitarian regime. Clues indicate the country was once free and open. No one expected what was it was capable of becoming. The story provides stern warning about what any government can become given blind trust and limitless authority.We are not told in the film where this takes place. But enough hints are provided to make one realize this is not Russia, Red China or other lands that have been despotic for centuries and continue so to this day. This was once a shining, "free" society that turned to darkness via a vocal / hysterical minority forcing their views on others until they had cowered everyone else into submission. The strong hint that this could be the United States or Australia presents an intentional cautionary tale to the audience.The movie's tale is summarized in the animated opening credits. The core of society is ethics, morality and the family unit. When these things are sidestepped, ignored, disrupted for personal-agenda beliefs, no matter how right that society thinks it may be, the freedom-of-beliefs which guarded that society fall one by one until the will of the minority becomes public opinion, hysteria, mass enforcement and finally dictatorship and totalitarianism. This lesson has been seen time and again throughout history. But now, today, we see modern first-world countries taking steps in the same direction, on a world-wide basis. Those who think "this would never happen here" fail to understand that is exactly what many Germans thought while Hitler crept into power. Reigns of terror begin with people's willingness to abandon their beliefs and standards in cowardly submission to those more vocal and repressive. This film portrays that from behind-the-scenes, and does so quite well. While it didn't strike me personally as being an exceptional film due to lack of high points and a considerably weak ending (thus the lower stars), the message it provides is clear: those who enforce their beliefs and opinions upon others pave the way for those who enslave.

This follows a family living in a totalitarian dystopia.This is a hard film for me to review.First off, its production is very good. The camera work and direction is great. The characters are very well constructed and the acting is absolutely top notch. The world is quickly and deftly painted using iconography and suggestion. The world is oppressive but not overly brutal making it feel more real and dangerous. I enjoyed every minute of the first hour greatly and was gripped to see what was going to happen.Here is the problem. Not much does happen. This film has plenty of story, but hardly any plot. Characters are introduced, and adversities befall our leads, but very little is resolved or explored. Any small victories the characters win aren't exploited.The only analogy I can think of is if you made a film about a waitress who works in a bar in Star Wars. Sure dancing girls are fed to monsters and Jedi come in - but at the end of the day you are still watching someone serve drinks.Maybe it is my personal taste, I thought I was more open minded than this, but it seems I do need a certain degree of resolution.I kept the mark high because of the quality of the film making - not sure if I would recommend it though.

The White King is dark, surreal yet very real at the same time. A dystopian fantasy where there's no uprising, no large scale rebellion to overthrow the evil despot. As such it is a refreshing and unique film but if you are looking for another Hunger Games probably best to go elsewhere. There's strong performances from a quality cast but special mention must go to newcomer Lorenzo Allchurch (Djata) who is in every frame and carries the film with a multi-layered and moving performance. Some scenes may seem a little disjointed and unresolved but you can see how everything that is happening has an effect on Djata and lead to a powerful and deeply affecting ending.