Animated King David movie coming to NZ theatres

Long-time film reviewer Fr Peter Malone MSC said the film David “offers an opportunity for younger audiences to learn quickly and easily something of the initial history of King David”.

“While adults may enjoy David, the film has not been geared for this adult audience. The animation style is familiar – characters are drawn clearly, brightly and colourfully. David is cheerful; Saul, the Philistines and Goliath, menacing,” Fr Malone wrote.

Audiences familiar with these stories will be anticipating the episodes. Younger audiences may follow with delight and some astonishment, he added.

“Saul is a brooding character, failing in his role as king, wary of a successor, confident in his son Jonathan. David then sings and consoles Saul, enabling him to go out to battle against the Philistines – and quite an amount of the film, as would be expected, concentrates on the confrontation between little David and a hyper-gigantic Goliath.

“The drama becomes more serious as time goes on. Saul responds well to David, but then becomes more suspicious, attacking him. David flees with his family hidden in [a] cave, and the whole question of will David ever be King . . . Those who do not know their Scriptures will have to see the film to find out . . .”

“On reflection,” Fr Malone wrote, “we might realise that so many of the biblical films are made by Christians.

“And this is the case here. However, the writers-directors have a sensitivity towards the Jewish community and their reading of the Scriptures, the language of shalom, a song of shalom, a background of rituals, anointings and prayer. Which means that this animation film would be a fine interfaith meeting place for Jewish and Christian.”

David (Rialto) opens in cinemas in New Zealand on December 18. It is rated PG.

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David (By Peter Malone MSC/Australian Catholics)

David | Movie session times & tickets in New Zealand cinemas (Flicks.co.nz)