The Kingdom
Seen it?1994 | 275 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (87% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing, horror fans and fantasy fans. If you loved The Green Mile or Frankenstein, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Scary.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 4 hr 35 min.
- What might put you off
- It's long: 4 hr 35 min.
- It's in Danish, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
At The Kingdom, Denmark's most technologically advanced hospital, a number of strange and otherworldly events begin occurring, much to the dismay of its doctors and patients. A ghostly ambulance appears and disappears, the voice of a little girl calls to a patient in an elevator shaft, and a doctor's fetus begins growing at an alarming rate.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
87% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.8 out of 10
- AwardsSolid
19 wins and 6 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 125K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Lars von Trier
- Ernst-Hugo JäregårdStig Helmer
- Kirsten RolffesSigrid Drusse
- Holger Juul HansenEinar Moesgaard
- Søren PilmarkJørgen Krogshøj
- Ghita NørbyRigmor Mortensen
- Jens OkkingBulder Harly Drusse
- Otto BrandenburgHansen
- Annevig Schelde EbbeMary Krüger
- Baard OwePalle Bondo
- Birgitte RaabergJudith Petersen