Blessed with abundant production values and a minimum of campy excess, One Night With the King is a surprisingly satisfying attempt to revive the Old Hollywood tradition of lavishly appointed Biblical epics aimed at mainstream auds.
Produced by the son of Trinity Broadcasting Network founder Paul Crouch, this historical epic offers a solid two hours of spectacle and intrigue drawn from The Book of Esther by way of Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen's novel "Hadassah."
40
L.A. WeeklyScott Foundas
L.A. WeeklyScott Foundas
Those viewers who found anti-Semitism lurking under every stone in The Passion of the Christ may rejoice in this celebration of Jewish heroism; all others should rest assured that falling asleep in the cinema is not a mortal sin.
There's not much joy in One Night With the King, a lavish but listless retelling of the biblical story of Esther.
40
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
Fails to find the genuine drama in its story of love and intrigue.
40
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
The performances are all solid, although the screenplay frequently bogs down with the complexity of palace intrigues and plots that could have been rendered more consumer-friendly.
38
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
This preposterous adaptation of the Book of Esther is recommended viewing only for those impressed that it comes endorsed by the American Bible Society.
12
New York PostV.A. Musetto
New York PostV.A. Musetto
The cinematography and sets look great, but the script is a bummer. It's overlong, overwrought and overblown.