REVIEW: ‘The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die’

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A tale as old as time begins once more. Lands are not yet truly united and are ruled by many kings. Any moments of peace are disrupted by the ideas of conquest and the thrills of battle. The temptation dangles itself before man, readying itself for someone to seize the moment yet again. Netflix’s The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is a historical drama follow-up to its five seasons-long series in which Saxons and Danes roamed a not-yet-unified England. Written by Martha Hillier and directed by Ed Bazalgette, the film places itself several years after the end of the series where Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) finally reclaims his home settlement of Bebbanburg.

In a dining hall softened by the warm glows of candlelight and lively spirits sits Uhtred at the head of the table. Food and drinks— plenty, of course—accompany him along with his people and one of his most trusted companions, Finan (Mark Rowley). As laughter and smiles fill their hearts recounting past adventures, a prophecy emerges from Finan’s wife, Ingrith (Ilona Chevakova) that “Seven kings must die.” Their festive gathering is soon interrupted, as news arrives at their doorstep that King Edward has passed. While fearing for her son’s safety, Queen Eadgifu (Elaine Cassidy) and their son, Edmund (Zak Sutcliffe) seek refuge at Bebbanburg.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die starts swiftly as the audience is introduced to an invaded shoreline by King Anlaf (Pekka Strang). News travels quickly regarding King Edward’s health. Knowing the death of a king can bring about division over their succesor, Anlaf sees this as a prime moment to ensue chaos and sets forth a plan. Mirroring the tension of the situation on screen, the film maintains this pacing with and urgency to act. It does not slow down and continually builds up to its final battle scene.

Betrayals, battles, and death are to be expected in this film. At its core, what had kept this title running for so long is the bond and struggles shared by its characters. From the cast to the audience, it’s an emotional investment you fall into. They stand before a vast setting where the world was so large and for the taking, all fighting for something they believe in. It’s people trying to live and survive while valuing those dearest to them.

Uhtred’s character has seen many hardships and with that, his character continues to grow. In The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, we bear witness to that growth over his introduction to the series. He exercises more patience, compassion, and understanding, especially towards a lost Aethelstan (Harry Gilby). Weighted by ideas of being sinful and unclean, Aethelstan revisits his grandfather King Alfred’s vision of uniting all lands to create England as atonement. In doing so, tyrannical decisions jeopardize the peace that has settled upon the lands. Regardless, Uhtred continues trying to get through to Aethelstan. Even when Uhtred earnestly knelt before him revealing a hard truth resulting in physical anguish, Uhtred did not fight back.

The audience receives a more proper closure through The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die than with just its series counterpart. Throughout the series, Uhtred endures a long arduous battle to reclaim his home but viewers never got see the other plot of that story unfold: the unification of England. While the blood, sweat, and tears of the series don’t transfer entirely to the film, newcomers will still find it a thrilling watch as it moves at a quick pace that doesn’t stumble over itself.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is now available for streaming exclusively on Netflix.