The King Tide

The King Tide

Year: 2024

Runtime: 1 h 40 m

Language: english

Director: Christian Sparkes

Echo Score: 84
DramaMysteryThriller

A coastal town's peaceful existence is shattered when a young, gifted individual is found washed ashore. The arrival triggers a divisive debate about their potential to predict the future. As the community grapples with the implications, long-held tensions rise, leading to mistrust and fear that threaten the town's stability and the residents' ability to survive.

Dark
Bleak ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The King Tide (2024)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The King Tide (2024). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

The story unfolds in a contemporary setting where societal themes of isolation, dependency, and power dynamics come into play. It reflects modern-day challenges as a community grapples with internal conflicts exacerbated by external pressures, such as government intervention.

Location

the island, the marina

The island serves as a secluded setting that is home to generations of families who have shut themselves off from the outside world. Known for its close-knit community, the island becomes a Neo-Luddite colony, relying on the powers of a child named Isla to sustain their way of life. The marina acts as the point of contact with the outside world, where pivotal events unfold as tension builds between the islanders and law enforcement.

🏝️ Island 🚤 Marina

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:44

Main Characters – The King Tide (2024)

Meet the key characters of The King Tide (2024), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Bobby Bentham (Clayne Crawford)

Bobby is the mayor of the island and assumes a protective role over Isla, but he is driven by a desire for power and status within the community. His initial intentions may stem from good, but as the story progresses, his actions reveal a selfish ambition that blinds him to the dangers his decisions pose. His struggle with the morality of exploiting Isla's gifts ultimately leads to tragic consequences.

🎭 Leadership ⚔️ Conflict

Isla

Isla is an infant with miraculous healing abilities, captivating and protecting the villagers while unwittingly becoming a pawn in their schemes. Despite her young age, she is placed at the center of the island's conflicts and is idolized by the community. Her journey culminates in a powerful transformation that reshapes the dynamics of the entire island.

🌟 Gifted 👶 Child Prodigy

Grace (Lara Jean Chorostecki)

Grace is Bobby's wife, a maternal figure grappling with her own loss and the complexities of Isla's presence in their lives. Initially supportive, her desperation to see her mother's condition improve leads to morally questionable decisions. Grace embodies the tension between love and obsession as she navigates the challenges posed by Isla's powers.

❤️ Maternal Love 😔 Desperation

Beau (Aden Young)

Beau is the town's doctor who struggles with alcoholism and feelings of inadequacy as he becomes increasingly sidelined by Isla's powers. His initial resentment leads to a desperate desire to escape the island with his son and escape the hold Isla has on the community. Beau represents the personal cost of the community's dependence on Isla.

⚕️ Medicine 🍺 Alcoholism

Faye (Frances Fisher)

Faye is Grace's mother, who suffers from dementia and becomes a figure of authority in the village as she leads a support group. Her declining health complicates the villagers' reliance on Isla, as they desperately seek shortcuts to maintain their way of life. Faye symbolizes the tension between care and control as she navigates her relationships.

👵 Aging 💔 Caregiver

Dillon (Ryan McDonald)

Dillon, a local fisherman, represents the desperation that grips the islanders as Isla's powers become more precarious. His impatience leads to reckless decisions that incite conflict, illustrating how desperation can lead individuals to act against their better judgment. Dillon serves as a harbinger of the chaos that ensues.

🐟 Fishing 🚨 Recklessness

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:44

Major Themes – The King Tide (2024)

Explore the central themes of The King Tide (2024), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🌊 Isolation

The theme of isolation permeates the narrative as the islanders distance themselves from the mainland, ultimately leading to tragic outcomes. Their refusal to engage with the outside world fosters a cult-like reverence for Isla, whose powers become a source of both dependency and conflict. This self-imposed seclusion highlights the dangers of cutting off connections with broader society.

🔮 Power and Control

Power dynamics drastically shift in the film as Isla's healing abilities elevate Bobby, Grace, and Faye to positions of authority within the community. However, this power becomes a double-edged sword, as their control over Isla leads to exploitation, resentment, and ultimately violence. The struggle for control underlies the film’s tragic occurrences.

😭 Loss and Grief

Loss is a significant theme that affects multiple characters, particularly following the tragic death of Phillip. Grief manifests in various ways within the community, fueling conflict and desperation as they cling to Isla's powers. The emotional turmoil surrounding loss leads to irrevocable actions and destructive choices that haunt the characters.

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:44

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Isolated Community Thrillers like The King Tide

Stories where a small, isolated community tears itself apart from within.If you liked the intense, claustrophobic breakdown of the fishing village in The King Tide, explore more movies like it. These dramas and thrillers focus on isolated societies where a single event triggers a chain reaction of fear, power struggles, and tragic consequences for the community.

claustrophobicominoustensetragicdesperateparanoidisolated

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with a fragile peace in a closed-off setting. A new element—a person, an idea, or a discovery—introduces conflict that amplifies existing tensions. The story follows the group's descent into factionalism, mistrust, and often violence, culminating in the destruction of the community itself.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together because they share a core focus on the dynamics of a micro-society under stress. They feature a steady, ominous pacing, a dark tone, and explore themes of groupthink, survival, and the loss of humanity when fear takes over.

Thrillers about Exploited Children like The King Tide

Tales where a child's extraordinary gift becomes a source of danger and moral conflict.Movies like The King Tide, where a child's special power leads to community conflict and exploitation. These dark dramas and thrillers examine the heavy cost of a miracle, focusing on themes of power, greed, and the loss of innocence in a tense, high-stakes environment.

ominoustragicdesperatetenseunsettlinggrievingmoral decay

Narrative Summary

The story revolves around the discovery of a child's power, which is initially seen as a blessing. However, as different factions seek to control or benefit from the child, the narrative shifts to explore exploitation, the corruption of hope into greed, and the ultimate price paid by the child and those who sought to use them.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their central theme of a miraculous child as a catalyst for darkness. They share a high emotional weight, a steady pace that builds tension around the child's fate, and a bleak tone that questions the nature of humanity when faced with power.

Unlock the Full Story of The King Tide

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The King Tide Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The King Tide, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The King Tide Summary

The King Tide Timeline

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The King Tide Timeline

The King Tide Ending Explained

What really happened at the end of The King Tide? This detailed ending explained page breaks down final scenes, hidden clues, and alternate interpretations with expert analysis and viewer theories.

The King Tide Ending Explained

The King Tide Spoiler-Free Summary

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The King Tide Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The King Tide

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The King Tide (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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The King Tide (2024) Ending Explained & Theories

The King Tide (2024) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow