Our Review

    Movie: THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING

       Rating: R, language and some                                 grisly images

                             Length: 2:10

              Release Date: AUGUST 14, 2026

JEANNE: After a six-year hiatus, except for animated work, Matthew McConaughey stars as Amziah King in director Andrew Patterson’s follow-up to his debut film, THE VAST OF NIGHT (2019). Receiving a standing ovation at SXSW this past spring, THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING is the perfect vehicle for McConaughey --- reminding us that no one does Southern charm better.

Set in the rural backwoods of Oklahoma --- home to Patterson --- King runs a very successful honey-making operation. He is devoted to his bees, especially since the passing of his beloved wife. But his other love is music and Patterson’s movie begins with King and his motley crew of fellow musicians meeting up at the local drive-up food joint and playing their bluegrass for anyone willing to listen.

It’s a very good group --- and they do enjoy entertaining. So much so that when Amziah’s former foster daughter, Kateri (Angelina Lookingglass), comes back to town, Amziah cajoles her into joining the fun one evening. He really is more interested in teaching Kateri all about beekeeping and making honey --- and she is thrilled to learn.

They make a great team and Kateri is a quick learner, aided by a few long-time employees of Amziah. But business is business, and who knew the honey business was so cutthroat? A heavy hitter rival played by Kurt Russell is determined to get Amziah’s bees --- by any means necessary.

Working off a well-crafted screenplay by James Montague, THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING turns into quite a thriller. And making her feature film debut, Ms. Lookingglass handles the pressure with aplomb. She and McConaughey establish a believable --- and loving --- relationship which strengthens the storyline and eventual outcome. One particularly endearing scene has Amziah describing in delicious detail all the dishes to Kateri at a church potluck --- it’s a prime example.

McConaughey has refined and honed his skills as an actor to perfect pitch form, and here as Amziah he has never been more exceptional. It is a role divined for him.

My greatest fear is that with all the hoopla surrounding THE ODYSSEY and SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY, Patterson’s film will be overlooked. THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING may be a small, quitter movie, but it still packs a punch, tells a worthy tale --- and features a cast of actors who are more than capable of creating a memorable movie-going experience.

In Theaters August 14th

OPINION: STRONG SEE IT NOW!

Director Andrew Patterson, who co-wrote the script with James Montague, has seamlessly constructed this film so that its running time flies by. It helps that there are quite a few humorous bits and that the music provided by the band is infectious. That is also an adjective that aptly describes McConaughey’s portrayal. The bad guy in the proceedings is Kurt Russell as Dob McCoy, and he is easy to dislike.

But the real surprise performance is turned in by Angelina Lookingglass, in her feature film debut, as Kateri, Amziah’s former foster daughter. She eagerly joins him as a partner in his beekeeping business. Their reconnection is palpable and credible. However, when an unexpected event takes place, Kateri is transformed into an impassioned investigator eager to get to the bottom of what happened. Ms. Lookingglass shines as an authentic heroine in her quest for the truth.

This turn by McConaughey is something to cherish if you are a fan --- and who isn’t? THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING is an independent movie that proves the creators of the big blockbuster films don’t have the market cornered on exceptional entertainment.

In Theaters August 14th

OPINION: STRONG SEE IT NOW!