The Deer King [Blu-ray + DVD] (Blu-ray) by Kurt Dahlke The Deer King:GKids drifts a little from the name of the imprint with this R-rated fantasy epic that's much more firmly aimed at teens and adults. Sweeping in scope, ambiguous and complex, it's a movie that asks for, and will certainly bear, repeated viewings. One is thrown right into the mix, observing slaves mining salt deep underground, a massive pack of supernatural dogs spilling from the forest on a purple tide of ectoplasm, and flashbacks to a frenzied war. Van, who fought in the war, now toils in the mine, but his life is soon upended as he's bitten by one of the dogs. The bite appears to convey a lethal viral illness, though Van manages to survive, escaping with an orphaned toddler named Yuna.As Van struggles to figure out what to do with Yuna, their bond grows, while they are both also called upon to help solve the mystery of the dog-borne plague, and perhaps to return a measur...Read the entire review »