One Night with the King
Metascore
38 out of 100

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 8 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 8
  3. Negative: 2 out of 8
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  1. Variety
    Reviewed by: Joe Leydon
    70
    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.
  2. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Maitland McDonagh
    63
    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."
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    40
    Fails to find the genuine drama in its story of love and intrigue.
  4. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marjorie Baumgarten
    40
    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.
  5. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Scott Foundas
    40
    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.
  6. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Sam Adams
    40
    There's not much joy in One Night With the King, a lavish but listless retelling of the biblical story of Esther.
  7. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Elizabeth Weitzman
    38
    This preposterous adaptation of the Book of Esther is recommended viewing only for those impressed that it comes endorsed by the American Bible Society.
  8. New York Post
    Reviewed by: V.A. Musetto
    12
    The cinematography and sets look great, but the script is a bummer. It's overlong, overwrought and overblown.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 52 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 35
  3. Negative: 4 out of 35
  1. Chipster
    10
    Rarely have I been so disappointed in my own "instincts" to select a quality film for viewing, but "One Night With The King", sadly, falls into that category. And to be completely honest, as an owner of over 500 films, even more rare are those which had so little power to immerse ones interest as this supposed "epic" release.

    Sporting a cast composed of Omar Sharif, John Noble, John Rhys-Davies and Peter O'Toole one can scarcely imagine how a sure-shot collection of acting prowess could be wasted so thoroughly. John Sturges once propounded that the lead characters were not so critical to a quality film production as the support cast. Had he been alive to view this today, I have no doubt he would have considered retracting that claim. What may have been missing from that qualifier was the caveat "with skilled direction". So perhaps that was the main reason for such a dismal screenplay and non-cohesive production. I will definitely be "handicapping" directorship rather than cast in future film selections due to this disappointing experience.

    As equally disheartening is the apparent fact that all a filmmaker needs to do to satisfy religious-based movie-goers is pen a script based on biblical storytelling and then provide enough cinematographic substance to support a basic plot. One can't help but wonder if this new generation of screen epic followers has ever felt or appreciated the timeless work of directors like William Wyler and Cecille B. DeMille... if for no other reason than to form a metric on which to gauge screening experiences. Fortunately, as previously mentioned, the camera work by the Steven Bernstein (yes, the actor... that's not a mistake) was more than adequate, although at times captured with dubious continuity. The level of authenticity and set design was just as capable which is possibly one of the reasons the Bible-belters received this presentation which such enthusiasm. It did LOOK pretty realistic.

    So after 2 hours of enduring the tedious interplay of characters that seemed to be reading lines on a set in a parking lot rather than living a life in ancient Persia, it finally ended. By the grace of God, I might add. One can only imagine what must have gone through the minds of the renown cast members that really didn't NEED this project to feed their families or pay the rent or establish some level of notoriety. Perhaps they were feeling what I did while watching it... that just around the corner, in the next scene, for the following few minutes... by sheer will... the film could be saved... that it could be given that miraculous shot of adrenaline (or fairy dust!) to substantiate the prior suffering and squirming in the chair. All the hope in the world won't make it so. Not this time. :(    … Full Review »
  2. FotiniF.
    10
    I think film one night with the king must be one of the best and i would love to watch this film, thank u for very good service.
  3. MarilynB.
    10
    I absolutely loved this movie. The actors and actresses, the scenery, the photography, the costumes, the music, all of it came together to present this Old Testament story in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen, even though I already know the story from the Bible. It is the only movie I have ever attended that received applause at the end of the showing.… Full Review »
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