A Corsican Teen Caught in a Gangster's War: The Kingdom Review

This The Kingdom review starts with a simple observation: crime films rarely look at the underworld through a teenager's eyes. Julien Colonna's debut feature, known in France as Le Royaume, does exactly that, and the result is a tense, intimate action-adventure set on Corsica.

It is not a flashy film. It is a character-driven chase that works because we care about the girl at its center.

The Kingdom Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Kingdom plot begins in ordinary teenage territory. Lesia lives on Corsica with her aunt, has a boyfriend and gets on with school-age life. Then a man collects her and takes her to a luxury villa.

There she finds her father, Pierre-Paul, a fugitive who is hiding with a handful of loyal men. Lesia has known these men for as long as she can remember, yet the setting feels strange and charged. Her father's power over the local scene shapes every conversation.

From there, the film follows the pressure that builds around the house and what it forces father and daughter to do. I won't go further than that, because the way the story tightens is best experienced fresh.

What Works in The Kingdom

The best idea is the point of view. By keeping us close to Lesia, Colonna turns a familiar gangster setup into a story about a girl learning who her father really is. That gives the action an emotional weight that many action movie reviews would envy.

The film also uses its island setting well. Corsica is not just a pretty backdrop here. It feels like a closed world where everyone knows everyone, and where loyalty and fear are hard to tell apart.

Other strengths:

• A grounded tone that treats violence as frightening, not glamorous.

• A clean, focused structure that never wanders far from its main relationship.

• A runtime of 111 minutes that leaves little time for filler.

As a first feature, it shows real confidence from director Julien Colonna, who also co-wrote the script with Jeanne Herry.

The Kingdom Cast and Performances

The Kingdom cast is led by Ghjuvanna Benedetti as Lesia, and she carries the film. Viewers have singled out her performance as warm and personable, and that quality matters: she makes a teenager's confusion and loyalty feel natural rather than staged.

Saveriu Santucci plays Pierre-Paul, the father whose position as the local boss keeps him at a distance even from his daughter. The bond between the two is the core of the film, and it holds up.

The supporting players round out the villa's inner circle:

• Anthony Morganti as Ste

• Andrea Cossu as Santu

• Thomas Bronzini de Caraffa as Joseph

• Pascale Mariani as Louise

These are the men and women Lesia has known all her life, and the ensemble gives the household a lived-in feel.

Where The Kingdom Stumbles

The film's modest scale is both a strength and a limit. If you come for large set pieces, the action is more tense and personal than spectacular. Some viewers may find the pacing restrained.

The gangster side of the story also treads familiar ground. The rules of loyalty, betrayal and a boss on the run are well-worn, and the film leans on its central relationship to feel fresh. Those who want more twists from the supporting characters may feel they are sketched lightly.

It also helps to know what you are getting. Marketing blurbs elsewhere may describe a different, more epic story, but this is a small-scale French-language crime tale. If you want a wider look at the genre, our adventure movie reviews cover more options.

Is The Kingdom Worth Watching?

Yes, if you like character-led crime stories. Is The Kingdom worth watching comes down to taste: it offers a strong lead performance, a vivid setting and a father-daughter bond that gives the violence meaning. Audience scores of around 7 out of 10 on TMDB match my own view.

The The Kingdom release date was 13 November 2024, and the film is in French with subtitles likely needed for English-speaking viewers. For background on the film and its crew, see its IMDb page.

If you enjoyed our take on a crime movie with emotional stakes, this one belongs on your list.

Who Will Enjoy The Kingdom

• Fans of grounded crime dramas that focus on family ties.

• Viewers who like French-language cinema and island settings.

• Anyone curious about a strong debut from a new director.