Valley of Knights
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Valley of Knights
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Valley of Knights (aka The Christmas King: In Full Armor) is a Norwegian festive family adventure (dubbed into English) with moments of fantasy violence. The movie acts as sequel to the 2012 Julekongen TV series, but the series is recapped at the start of the movie so it can be viewed as a standalone. Young siblings Mira (Stella Stenman) and Kevin (Vetle Qvenild Werring) return to the fantasy land of the Valley of Knights and help the teen queen get back her throne from her jealous uncle. Kevin is brave and determined but doesn't want Mira to help. Mira ignores this and regularly saves the day. Mild fantasy violence intertwined with magic, includes fireballs and air blasts that send characters flying. To demonstrate magical armor, a man holds his hand and face over a flame. In another scene, a group of kids with bows and arrows seize a young girl and put a sack over her head. An adult magazine with a scantily clad cover model is briefly seen. Infrequent mild language includes "poo," "butt," and "pee." A family becomes upset about being "poor," while their wealthy neighbors are initially shown to be living a good life.
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What's the Story?
In Christmas movie VALLEY OF KNIGHTS, Queen Eiril (Emma Rebecca Storvik) must fend off her scheming uncle, Snerk (Kyrre Hellum), who is determined to take the thrown. Fortunately for Eiril, siblings Mira (Stella Stenman) and Kevin (Vetle Qvenild Werring) return to the fantastical valley to help.
Is It Any Good?
A fun and often funny kids' adventure, this Norwegian movie strikes the right balance between fantasy adventure, positive messages, and silly bits to lighten the tone. There are jokes in Valley of Knights for both kids and adults, making this a nice family watch. There's even the odd nod to film fans with -- age-appropriate -- references to the likes of The Terminator.
Outside of Norway, Valley of Knights is dubbed into English. Jarringly mismatched voices grate at first but are soon overlooked, thanks in part to the performances of its actors. Bjarte Tjøstheim, who plays the dual role of both Mira and Kevin's father and his own love rival, is particularly good. The fun movie wraps up nicely with a Christmas party in the orange glow of a roaring fire, making it recommended holiday viewing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the peril and violence in Valley of Knights. Did the movie's fantasy tone affect how you felt about it? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Talk about Mira's dreams. Do you remember your dreams? Do you think dreams have meaning?
What differences were there between our world and the Valley of Knights? What similarities were there?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 13, 2015
- On DVD or streaming: November 10, 2016
- Cast: Stella Stenman, Bjarte Tjøstheim, Kyrre Hellum
- Director: Thale Persen
- Studio: Sola Media
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters
- Character Strengths: Courage, Integrity, Perseverance
- Run time: 93 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 3, 2022
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