Moon King

This movie was written and directed by Drew West

Moon King is a no-bars-held, underground punk mythology epic. I f*cking love it. To describe it in one word: courageous. This movie leads you on a chaotic fever dream which also endeavors to make you a better person. In this case, what it means to be a better person is entirely up to interpretation which in my opinion makes a good movie. No one likes spoon-fed morals. The plot itself is timeless, with definite nods to Arthurian legends and Monty Python, but with media that feels very specifically Gen-Z. Historical placement aside, it also plays with time in the sense of taking the character out of the “real (current) world” and into a totally different amalgamation of characters and moments that build to create a morally crystalline arc for our “hero”. Really, past the digital silliness that builds the texture of the film, she’s a tried and true hero’s journey. Plot and narrative aside, the aesthetic and tangible culture of this movie are the best things about it. This is a definition grassroots film, created in a community with the message that egalitarianism is core. Which means the name Drew West will be the name on the posters, but after talking to Drew about the film it’s clear that there are no replaceable actors or voices. What a beautiful value to build something from. Many of these characters can be found at the local coffee shop from whence the film came, on any given day, in a bemusing alternate reality to the film. All have contributed to the extremely unique and multi-faceted, quilt-like feel of Moon King. Like your grandmother’s piecemeal stitched blanket that’s been passed down through multiple generations; different voices, different families, different perspectives and different artistic choices come together to create a heady experience that grabs the attention of your subconscious while also being a cozy and familiar set of values that you just want to curl up with on your couch on a Sunday afternoon. The vibe is this blanket, used as the recommended all-purpose towel from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on your way through a modern imagination.

Purposefully or not, the old-ass (in a good way) imagery and symbolism in a new, chaotic capsule creates a tech-y, meme-ready version of the Campbell hero’s journey progression. The seamless integration of classical archetypes and plot landmarks is wildly contrasted with the experimental styles of storytelling. Through an abundance of eye-catching, anime-like shots and buzzing graphic media, DW holds your eye through the heroes otherworldly encounters. The main character, played by the director, is challenged by a multitude of experiences and characters which are given vibrant lives and contextual narratives. The Fashion God? A 20 minute puppet party scene? C’mon. Given the multitude of inspirations present in this work, a significant amount of time is spent in bringing these collateral visions and persons to life. In an extension of the egalitarian philosophy, the movie intentionally challenges the traditional mode of the Hero’s Journey as being *ahem* a little self-centered. The schizophrenic and bizarre devotion to sub-plots creates an audience interest in the lives, experiences and stories running parallel and sometimes colliding with the journey of the main character. It takes away from the ego-feeding narrative that everything is happening *to* the main character, replacing this with a narrative that not only allows the hero room to breathe but attempts to instill the notion that *it’s not all about you*. Could the film have reigned some of this in and lent to a more streamlined audience experience? Probably, but at the same time it may have taken away from the beautiful chaotic heterogeneity of the film which is so reflective of its grassroots values. It will be interesting to see more work come from this director (and community) in the future. I wonder if they can create a more concise and palatable experience which retains the magic of Moon King’s authenticity and rampant creativity which make it have that raw chicken soup for the soul thing going on. Not raw chicken. Raw, and chicken. Miso if you’re vegan.

The imagery created is strong, playful and provoking. Really, the best parallel movie might be Alice in Wonderland, character attributes aside, the journey is fun and colorful and definitivily in another world. I can’t pass up an opportunity to dive into some more occult-type messaging here… allow me to take you on a quick side-trip. Before the Hero’s Journey (Joseph Campbell), there was just simply *the journey* in terms of Shamanism. In many different cultures all over the world, different strains of shamans were unilaterally the bridge between this reality and the spirit world for many “pagan” (pre-religious) societies. The shaman was doctor, priest, counselor and guide for their communities, utilizing the “shamanic journey” as the main tool to unlock problems. This journey involves entering into an altered mind state to enter into other realms, seeking truth, advice and help from spirits that live in those realms, before returning to our world. The algorithm goes something like this: there’s a problem, the shaman may or may not realize they need help, the shaman either intentionally or accidentally puts themselves in a situation (sometimes physically challenging or dangerous in some way, sometimes using psychedelic drugs) which triggers a descent (or ascent) into another world. Just like Alice falling into the rabbit hole, which somehow connects her to a totally different realm. ALong the way in her story, the flowers and cat and other characters help her cure herself of her apathy. The brain’s capacity for imagination in this way is not something to be slighted, but something to be used for a greater purpose, whether that be art or something more technically spiritual. Even if you don’t believe in the existence of other “realms”, the usefulness and function of this “journey” for communities and individuals is, well, in the books. The catalyzing problem in this equation can be simply put as a dissonance with the way things are. It is the shamans job to interpret the wisdom and/or meaning from the journey. With the strong abstract metaphysical imagery present, Moon King is a regurgitation of this zeitgeists subconscious and beautifully accurate, mosh-pit thrashing toward this ancient human way of self-reflecting, reaching out to timeless knowledge and digesting it into personal and community-level evolution.

The characters encountered along the way serve to challenge the hero’s way of thinking and perspective at the beginning of the film, which serves mostly mundane, eventually evolving into catastrophe. Some of the themes involved include social chaos, power dynamics, the danger of capitalism and reverence for elders, just to name a few. The otherworldly Beast, The Bridge King, the wizard, the fashion God, the puppet show, the criminals all are a testament to the movie’s authenticity, the acting is convincing and truly beautiful. The scene between the Bridge King and the hero warrants special acknowledgement, the facial expressions and choreographed movements are iconic. The chaotic cut-ins to wholesome side-plots (bugs are people too), and attention-grabbing visual slides, which pull from a jaunty variety of different styles, serve the overall stimulating and flowing multimedia experience. As the main character slides through relatable, heartbreaking conflict into mind-bending alternate realites, meeting the different characters who create the makeup of this world, he becomes a navigator of this alternate reality (and maybe, of hiw own heart?). Meanwhile, the world itself is highly stylistic, the eye to detail with costumes is impressive, especially The Beast aka capitalism. Name me a better costume for Capitalism than a cape of cans? I would love to know how long it took to create that, the attention to detail is so impressive. For what I imagine was a very tight budget, come on… Hollywood indie stars are doing the same kind of thing right now, and not nearly as good in my opinion. Moon King is a fucking cool gem of a storybook, mixing old and new, heady and grounded, gritty and abstract. The name of the film flies the standard of the alchemical notion of self-reflection, the moon, telling the story of a spiral through layers of emotional and societal conflict. If grassroots punk-ass media is not your thing then at the very least this movie might give you a laugh, because have I mentioned it’s FUNNY? The whole-hearted dive into the main characters perspective as well as the general style, embracing being ridiculous and silly, is genuinely delightful. Kudos to the digital multimedia artists who contributed, the full-send into an impressive variety of complimenting animation truly makes the movie. So if you’re not already convinced, why watch Moon King? It’s a fucking experience, a snapshot into a very specific time and community that created something wildly unique, which in itself is gritty and humble, unruly and unabashed, and crazy creative. It’s a trip worth watching.