If you have a budding chess player in the house, they will be transfixed by this documentary about real-life chess prodigy Magnus Carlsen. Known as the Mozart of chess, he became world champion in 2013 at the age of just 22, and this movie documents just how he got there with the help of his family.
Using footage and interviews featuring Magnus from an early age when he was growing up in Norway, the movie follows his ascent to chess Grand Master at the age of 13, and follows tensely edited chess games that take him to the match that will gain him the title of world champion. Even if you’re not a huge chess fan, it’s often fascinating stuff, and much of that is down to Magnus himself – a withdrawn, quiet child with an amazing aptitude for numbers that led to his skills on a chess board.
Although he remains something of an enigma – it would have been nice to learn more about his childhood outside of chess matches – this is nonetheless an interesting documentary about a very dedicated young man.
Is Magnus suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
None.
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