The King looks incredible and has the best character actors money can buy

THIS huge, brooding loose adaptation of Henry V suffers a little from the pressure felt by its lead, but is still an immersive experience.

As with a lot of Shakespeare adaptations, the problem is the crippling fear of not doffing its cap enough to the playwright’s genius.

While huge swathes of plot line are tampered, it has mistaken whispering monologue for dramatic exposition and takes forever to get anywhere.

They have thrown the Netflix kitchen sink at it.

It looks incredible and has the best character actors money can buy. But Timothee Chalamet as Henry V doesn’t quite live up to expectations, giving a muted performance when something deeper was needed.

The talent is there but the posture and presence are off – on the battlefield, especially –  mistaking a stoop and a sulk for wisdom.

Robert Pattinson’s ridiculous Dauphin is either a stroke of genius or an homage to ’Allo ’Allo.

There is a bit of Game Of Thrones – Joel Edgerton’s Falstaff is not unlike Robert Baratheon – and while others focused on the violence and sex in George R.R. Martin’s novels, Edgerton and director David Michod both know the real secret sauce was in its betrayal and politics.

A deep dive that asks a lot of its viewers. On Netflix from November 1.

The King (15) 140mins

★★★☆☆

• GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk