The King is an excellently blended drama, concocted partly of Shakespeare’s Henriad plays and partly of a dramatized history. The intriguing film by Australian director David Michôd made a debut on Netflix in early November, teasing subscribers with an enticing preview displayed on the Netflix home page.

It is nearly impossible to watch a preview starring rugged Timothée Chalamet, best recognized for his role in Call Me By Your Name, without yearning to see more– that is, of course, after you wipe the drool from your mouth!

Fans have seen Chalamet in several roles: a beautifully portrayed teen navigating his adolescence in Call Me By Your Name, a gothic, high school burnout in Lady Bird, and now, fans get to watch him take on the role of a polished king. King Henry V, to be exact.

Hal (Timothée Chalamet) is an apprehensive heir to the English throne, who abandons the royal life he was born into to live among the common people. He spends sunrise to nightfall drowning himself in alcohol, and his nights are occupied by many women, who he cares little for. But when his imperious father, Henry IV (Ben Mendelsohn), dies from illness, and his eager brother (Dean-Charles Chapman) is murdered in battle, Hal is crowned King Henry V, and is compelled to embrace the life he tried to break free of.

Hal then exchanges his long, dingy hair for a knightly bowl cut that solidifies his character’s growth into a well-respectable king. Hal is now expected to correct the mayhem his father has left for him. The young king must navigate through the chaos of 15th-century palace politics and war, while also struggling to deal with complications due to his past life and friendships.

As the drama progresses, Chalamet’s acting skills are put to the test with cold-blooded battle scenes that depict the grim, bloody slog of medieval combat. I will say that Chalamet’s acting along with his castmates’ truly gave me chills. To complement these menacing scenes, The King moves along with a heart-racing soundtrack and cinematography that captures the merciless essence of the medieval period.

On top of the post-production decisions, the costume designs are uniquely impressive, allowing the actors to complete their mise en scene. These characteristics blend beautifully along with the intense script by writers David Michôd and Joel Edgerton to contribute to the prestige picture of a critical part in European history painted by The King.

If after watching The King you find yourself looking for more movies starring Timothée Chalamet, you are in luck. After wrapping up the premiering process of The King, the young actor jumped right back into filming, this time with a more subdued movie, Little Women. This film, based on the novel by American author Louisa May Alcott, was nominated for six Academy Awards, including a nomination for best picture. While acting alongside Saoirse Ronan and Emma Watson, Chalamet found a way to claim the screen as his own!