Without the King (2008)
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95% of critics liked it
(19 reviews) -
66% of users liked it
(233 ratings)
Sandwiched tightly in between South Africa and Mozambique, the nation of Swaziland sits poised on the brink of revolution. It also appears to exist outside of modern history, as the last remaining monarchical African state. The country battles such problems as a 43-percent AIDS/HIV rate, terrorist… More Sandwiched tightly in between South Africa and Mozambique, the nation of Swaziland sits poised on the brink of revolution. It also appears to exist outside of modern history, as the last remaining monarchical African state. The country battles such problems as a 43-percent AIDS/HIV rate, terrorist cells littering the countryside, and -- most significantly -- a large, angry populace ready to revolt. Meanwhile, the Swazi king, Mswati III, price shops for a fleet of limousines and evinces a frightening lack of touch with his country's needs by banning political parties and leaning heavily on an ineffectual constitution. As unrest erupts outside of the palace, a quieter storm brews within, springing from the political discontent of the king's heiress, rapper Princess Sikhanyiso. In his documentary Without the King, filmmaker Michael Skolnik cross-sections this regime to provide a series of stunning and frequently shocking revelations and insights about a nation that may soon be rocked by the turbulence of sociopolitical change. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Directed By
- Michael Skolnik
- Genres
- Documentary, Special Interest
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Apr 13, 2007 Wide
- Studio
- Red Envelope Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
Without the King transitions nicely from standard operating crisis report to a portrait of a hopeful political awakening.
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V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Without the King is a fascinating documentary about a little-known African tyrant, King Mswati III of Swaziland, a country the size of New Jersey with a population of 1.1 million.
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Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
Without the King, Michael Skolnik's subtly perceptive documentary, avoids a tone of first-world outrage; leaning more toward understanding than blame, the film examines a country forced to choose between tradition and survival.
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Joshua Land, Time Out New York
Director Michael Skolnik gained extraordinary access to both Swaziland's royal family and its political underground, and delivers an unflinching portrait of a country where life expectancy is the shortest in the world.
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Ronnie Scheib, Variety
King fascinates on many levels as it ticks off intriguing sociological facts about this impoverished nation.
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