Taking place on a remote island village, the opening moments of The King Tide sees town mayor Bobby Bentham (Clayne Crawford), just moments after experiencing crushing loss via his wife Grace’s (Lara Jean Chorostecki) miscarriage, rescuing a newborn baby who washes ashore that same night. It turns out the baby is a miracle in more ways than one; she’s revealed to have the ability to heal wounds in seconds.
A decade later, the child, whom the pair adopt and name Isla (Alix West Lefler), is revered with cult-like worship across the island. She holds daily visitations where she heals everything from hangovers to illnesses just by being in her presence, all thanking her with the familiar refrain of “Many thanks to Isla”.
Her supernatural abilities even extend to gathering fish by the hundreds just by putting her hand in the water, allowing the island to become completely self-sufficient and cutting themselves off entirely from the mainland. All is prosperous until a dare by local kids leads to a tragic death that Isla can’t stop in time, the trauma causing her powers to suddenly stop and throwing the village into turmoil.
“It’s a heavy issue that gets even more complicated when Grace’s mother begins actively undermining Bobby’s authority and sowing distrust amongst the community.”
It’s very much a religious allegory, but the moral “needs of the community vs. needs of the family” conflict at the heart of it is the one that Bobby and Grace grapple with throughout The King Tide, especially when it comes to their child’s agency in it all. Although Bobby wants to ensure his community’s survival and Isla’s protection, when that survival requires preventing Isla from having any knowledge of the outside world or having any ability to leave the island at all, he questions himself on what’s the right thing to do.
It’s a heavy issue that gets even more complicated when Grace’s mother Faye (Frances Fisher) – who was suffering from a debilitating illness prior to Isla’s arrival and now sees Isla as some sort of deity – begins actively undermining Bobby’s authority and sowing distrust amongst the community.
The King Tide operates at a fairly slow burn, but Christian Sparkes’ solid direction and an all-around great cast keep things compelling throughout. Clayne Crawford gives a grounded lead performance, and Frances Fisher is captivating and quietly unsettling every moment she’s on screen. However, it’s Alix West Lefler’s impressive performance as Isla that was the biggest standout to me, balancing youthful innocence but keenly aware of the heavy burden the town places on her, and she gets placed in some very tough situations, especially as she struggles to figure out the depth of her abilities.
“The island setting and gorgeous cinematography in The King Tide add to the moody atmosphere and the feeling of isolation the film creates.”
The island setting (filmed in Keels, a small coastal town in Newfoundland) and gorgeous cinematography in The King Tide add to the moody atmosphere and the feeling of isolation the film creates. When the tension eventually gives way to violence, it manages to be shocking and restrained at once in a way I found to be legitimately effective. Those walking into the movie thinking it will move similarly to Midsommar or other folk horror will be disappointed, but those who are willing to stick with it will find The King Tide well worth your time.
