
The Rivals Of Amziah King is directed by Andrew Patterson director of The Vast Of Night (2019).
The Rivals Of Amziah King is two films in one, the first part is this fast paced, music filled film that gets you into the film’s world. While the second part plays out like a revenge thriller with some pretty unique and energizing music. It’s a very different experience that comes together quite beautifully.
First and foremost the performances are all quite fantastic, Matthew McConaughey gives not only one of the best performances of the year but also his entire career. From the speech pattern, to the body language and how he interacts with the rest of the cart, it’s truly fascinating to see McConaughey at his absolute best here. He’s incredibly charismatic, genuinely funny at times and the most surprising part of it all he’s quite an excellent singer, he sings a song called “Quill” which is one of the film’s very best moments and truly shows the viewer the magic of this film. If there is one thing you are going to walk out of this film remembering it will almost surely be McConaughey’s performance.
Angelina LookingGlass is a newcomer who gives a phenomenal performance and much like McConaughey, one of the best performances of the year. From the moment she enters the film you can feel the charisma from her, LookingGlass gives a very captivating breakthrough performance that easily connects to the film’s world and atmosphere. Her interactions with McConaughey are truly remarkable, it’s a prime example of two incredible performers going back and forth and not holding back at the slightest. The second part of the film where LookingGlass is put in the spotlight is when her already fantastic performance becomes truly remarkable, she’s able to quickly adapt to the atmosphere change and bring this quiet and focused performance that truly is well executed.
The writing is nothing short of incredible, as mentioned earlier the film’s two parts have very different feels. The first part is a fast paced and moving story that really gets you into the film’s world and characters. The simple moments of Amziah King (played by Matthew McConaughey) talking to his band mates and friends is truly entertaining and quite beautiful, the raw performances here really do all of the talking and help connect the viewer much more easily.
The second part of the film is much more of a heist revenge thriller but almost in this playful way. The music (from Erick Alexander, Jared Blumer and Ben Hardesty) as mentioned earlier, is quite unique in the case where it’s energetic but it strangely captures the tone that the atmosphere is asking for quite masterfully. Cinematographer Miguel I. Littin-Menz and editor Patrick J. Smith are partly thanks to this due to how beautiful they are at their craft. When you get some glorious shots of Alabama combined with the fast and neat editing you truly get some jaw dropping results. The second part of the film may come off as a very typical heist and revenge story, but the way it’s executed completely elevates the material.
Overall, The Rivals Of Amziah King is one of the best films of the year and truly gives the viewer a very different experience. This is one that you should absolutely seek out!
The Rivals Of Amziah King releases tomorrow in theaters.
10/10 A+








