Let’s talk about one of the wildest movies of 2026… The Rivals of Amziah King, starring Matthew McConaughey. When I say wild, I absolutely mean that in a good way because this is easily one of my favorite movies of the year so far. It is the perfect example of great Indie filmmaking that relies heavily on strong storytelling, gorgeous shots, and a fantastic cast that is often overlooked by big-budget films. Now you would think that this might be a big-budget film because it has Matthew McConaughey, but make no mistake: despite the cast, this is very much an indie film that is not only great, but an absolute must-watch this year. Written and directed by Andrew Patterson, who also did one of the most iconic old-school sci-fi films, The Vast of Night, which came out in 2020 and also happened to be one of my favorite films in the last decade. He has turned out to be one of my favorite filmmakers, and this film is a prime example of his filmmaking prowess while at the same time showing his ability to tell a great story. There are so many layers to this film, just like his previous work, that you can’t really judge the movie on its surface, and I don’t think even the trailer really does the film Justice. This movie is the kind of film that we love to talk about during award season, and I guarantee you that I will be discussing it when it comes to Major awards because in a year where the biggest movie of the year is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, I think this film should be discussed on the same level when it comes to incredible filmmaking.
So let’s dive in. Matthew McConaughey plays the title character who raises beehives and makes honey. He makes a rare kind of honey that is in such demand, which leads to rivals wanting to steal his means of creating a fantastic product. This sets up the story for what will eventually happen, and the trailer does give it away. While it is a story of a southern philosophical bluegrass musician who makes honey, this film is very much a crime thriller at the same time. But it’s an unlikely crime story because we never think of stealing bees as some kind of great heist. Within the story, it opens up this fascinating world of making honey and how valuable it can be, where it creates mafia-like rivals within this uncanny industry. Matthew McConaughey gives one of his best performances in a long time. Whether he would be nominated for an award or not, I still think this performance is very much on the same level as the one he won an Oscar for in Dallas Buyers Club. I’m a big fan of his when he does smaller roles like this and enhances the story with these brilliant performances. He had another good one that came out last year called The Lost Bus. There are a lot of great actors in this film. Kurt Russell essentially plays the villain. But I think the best performance has to go to Angelina LookingGlass…this is her first film.
She had done a few episodes of Dark Winds, but she absolutely knocks it out of the park with her subtle but fantastic performance. I’m trying not to spoil everything because I want people to enjoy this movie as much as I did. In fact, I watched it twice. But her character goes through this transformation from a young, innocent girl trying to find her way to becoming the queen bee of this business, so to speak. This is very much a metaphor, which gets explained throughout the film. To send a photography is great. The lighting is great. I’m especially impressed with the use of light that feels more natural, even though it may seem like overuse of lens flares, but are not. Everything feels very gritty and natural in this film. But there is one thing that truly makes this movie stand out, and that is the use of bluegrass music. In some ways, the film feels like a 2-hour music video for this exceptional bluegrass soundtrack. Matthew McConaughey’s character plays mandolin in the film, and I have to give a big shout-out to the bluegrass band The Last Bison, who helped with the music in the film and also have some cameos.
As much as I love this film and I think everybody should see it, I had a few minor criticisms. There’s a wonderful cast. Owen Teague, who you might know from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and who has gone on to have a wonderful career, plays one of the musicians and doesn’t really have a whole lot to do in the film. He’s good, but I don’t like films that misuse the talent they have. While he is not a main character, it just seems like he could have done more. There’s a lot of great story within this 2-hour film, but it also feels like it could have been a series. I know I’m always talking about how great stories could either be a movie or a series, and I think there is more that can be told, especially by exploring this very unusual criminal underworld. However, every character has their moment to shine in the film, and the chase at the end brings the story to a great conclusion when getting the villain. But as I said, this movie is not so much about these interesting characters who make money, but the crime thriller itself. The first part of the film, as you get to know all the characters, especially through music, is highly engaging, but the story really takes off when it comes to solving a crime. This is also why I criticize that there’s so much story left on the cutting floor that this could easily be a series, especially with the way it ends, and maybe we’ll get that with these characters.
Overall, this is a wildly entertaining story that does not disappoint at all. The music very much helps the film come alive and even enhances the performances by Matthew McConaughey and Angelina LookingGlass. Andrew Patterson outdoes himself again by telling this heartwarming but gritty southern crime thriller. He draws the audience in and makes us easily go on the journey with these characters, just like he did with the Vast of Night, but at the same time finds the perfect soundtrack through bluegrass. The pacing is good. The film is incredibly stylish and easily puts us into America’s heartland while at the same time introducing us to what feels like a cutthroat world of making honey. The movie actually made me want to do research into this industry. There’s no doubt about it; this is one of the best movies of 2026. It’s another great coming-of-age story with a newcomer actress who looks like she’s been doing this for decades. Angelina really was wonderful in the film. Plus, Matthew McConaughey is at his best when he gets to play kooky philosophical characters that aren’t trying to be the hero, just the kind of character that is happy to exist in their own world. I highly recommend The Rivals of Amziah King not only for an incredible story, but for the wonderful performances and some kick-ass music. Who knows, this may just be the kind of movie that gets Matthew McConaughey another Oscar or, at the very least, nominated. It is one of my top five leading man performances of the year. My final verdict: go see this movie in theaters, and yes, it is Nerd approved!
