Directed by:
Ridley ScottScreenplay:
William MonahanCinematography:
John MathiesonComposer:
Harry Gregson-WilliamsCast:
Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Marton Csokas, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jon Finch, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McKidd, Edward Norton (more)Plots(1)
It is the time of the Crusades during the Middle Ages - the world shaping 200-year collision between Europe and the East. A blacksmith named Balian (Orlando Bloom) has lost his family and nearly his faith. The religious wars raging in the far-off Holy Land seem remote to him, yet he is pulled into that immense drama. Amid the pageantry and intrigues of medieval Jerusalem he falls in love, grows into a leader, and ultimately uses all his courage and skill to defend the city against staggering odds. Destiny comes seeking Balian in the form of a great knight, Godfrey of Ibelin, a Crusader briefly home to France from fighting in the East. Revealing himself as Balian's father, Godfrey shows him the true meaning of knighthood and takes him on a journey across continents to the fabled Holy City. In Jerusalem at that moment - between the Second and Third Crusades - a fragile peace prevails, through the efforts of its enlightened Christian king, Baldwin IV, aided by his advisor Tiberias, and the military restraint of the legendary Muslim leader Saladin. But Baldwin's days are numbered, and strains of fanaticism, greed, and jealousy among the Crusaders threaten to shatter the truce. King Baldwin's vision of peace - a kingdom of heaven - is shared by a handful of knights, including Godfrey of Ibelin, who swear to uphold it with their lives and honor. As Godfrey passes his sword to his son, he also passes on that sacred oath: to protect the helpless, safeguard the peace, and work toward harmony between religions and cultures, so that a kingdom of heaven can flourish on earth. Balian takes the sword and steps into history. (20th Century Fox AU)
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Reviews (9)
Led by Ridley Scott, the producers should have been filled with dread, because Kingdom of Heaven is only slightly more attractive to mainstream viewers than the commercial flop Alexander. The plot itself is driven more by the supporting characters than by the lead, who comes into play only at the end. And those supporting characters are developed well enough to elevate the film above the mere reconstruction of historical events. That reconstruction itself is full of interesting dialogue ideas, but they lack a deeper context that would enable them to work with the imagery, which is beautiful in and of itself – the images have atmosphere and poetics in every single location and comprise one of the things that make the film a class better than Alexander. That can also be said of the surprising political correctness and the sentimental (i.e. comprehensible for a mass audience) anti-war message. I’m giving Kingdom of Heaven four stars also for Harry Gregson-Williams’s soundtrack, the nicely handled final battle on the ramparts and Sibylla’s eyes. Is there a guy in the whole world who could resist her?
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Theatrical cut: 3/5 The movie chugs along pleasantly throughout its running time, but is nothing earth-shattering. So Alexander remains the best historical picture of recent months, although Kingdom is certainly worth seeing on the big screen. Director’s cut: 5/5 Historically more accurate (but not completely), more ambitious in terms of message and the characters suddenly have absolutely convincing motivation. It is almost incredible that by adding just that one storyline involving Sibylla’s son fundamentally changes the motivation, actions and overall impression given by all of the main protagonists and therefore of the entire movie. And, rather paradoxically, despite its considerably longer running time, it becomes far more hard-hitting than the theatrical cut, so much so that it is the best historical epic of the past few decades.
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Another historical film that needs to be seen at least twice in order to understand the plot and expressive depth that it possesses (similar to Alexander). Not every viewer will be able to reconcile with the fact that Kingdom of Heaven is not a typical historical film with everything that comes with it, but that it expresses something more through historical events, battles, love, and characters, than just what happens on the screen. This is even more pronounced than in Alexander. Kingdom of Heaven is an ode to world peace and finding the meaning of life. It is narrated, acted, and directed in a captivating way (the director's cut). Ridley Scott grabbed the reins and made a smart film that not everyone will see through.
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Ridley Scott goes on a crusade without fear, but he came late. At a time when the end of heroic epics was being openly discussed, he embarked on a path destined for failure. A politically directed and brilliantly crafted path, but unfortunately, a very risky one. His direction, the stunning camera work, and, last but not least, Harry Gregson-Williams' chilling music take your breath away. And when the sword is bravely lifted by the deeply underestimated Orlando Bloom, I can only nod approvingly and follow him to Jerusalem.
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A disappointment that I want to forget very quickly. I was expecting quite a lot, but all I got was a dusty, tired story with a model instead of an actor in the lead role that put me vehemently to sleep from the middle. I could have managed an hour and a half, but 144 minutes of political and moral talk and a final spectacular battle for 130 million, I could only barely stand that. I was even sorry for the other brilliant actors who wasted their times here.
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