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Kingdom of Heaven 2005 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Ridley Scott
PG-13, 145 min. (strong violence, epic warfare) |
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Starring: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Eva Green, Brendan Gleeson, Edward Norton, Ghassan Massoud, Marton Csokas, Alexander Siddig, David Thewlis
Producer: Ridley Scott
Screenplay: William Monahan
Cinematography: John Mathieson
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Released: 5.06.05 (Wide) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
Ridley Scott has tackled the Crusades with the same zeal for combat that inspired his Oscar-winning Gladiator,
a film that followed the path of a revenge-driven soldier who found redemption in the form of serving the people's need for a new Caesar.
Here, in the surprisingly neutral Kingdom of Heaven, Scott finds comfort in the fact that common ground can be shared when the cost of lengthy wars becomes
too high. Muslims and Christians fought over the city of Jerusalem for centuries, each side claiming God was on their side. Yet the prize of winning the city's
seat of honor was usually temporary - the next war was just around the corner to defend it. Into this climate Scott examines the lives of men who were controlled
by leaders and rebel-rousers who needed war to justify their existence. While not quite the film that Gladiator was, Kingdom of Heaven is a solid piece of entertainment and
enlightenment in an age of hysteria.
Circa 1184, the son of Baron Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), Balian (Orlando Bloom in easily the best performance of his career), must travel to Jerusalem to find forgiveness
for the life he left behind in France - his wife and child are dead and he has committed murder. Escaping the authorities with the help of his father (who is fatally wounded during
the skirmish), Balian arrives in Jerusalem as the newly inherited Baron with the lands of his father to keep watch over. But the young leper king of Jerusalem, Baldwin IV (Edward Norton),
has other plans for him. The king's battling advisors - Tiberias (Jeremy Irons) of the Knights and Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas) of the Templars - stand on opposite sides of
a proposed war with the Muslims, who, led by Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), are amassing an army of 200,000 to take back the Holy City. Balian is caught in the middle of everything,
including an ill-advised affair with de Lusignan's wife, Sibylla (Eva Green). When the king succumbs to his disease, Balian must rely upon his conscience to decide
the fate of Jerusalem.
Of course, Kingdom of Heaven is a timely and brave film in the light of current events in Jerusalem, and Scott seems to extend the olive branch to all sides (Jews, Muslims,
Christians). Peace is the only real option, as bloodshed and chaos lies at the other end of the spectrum. At the film's outset, the hundred-year truce between Christians and Muslims seemed
sensible enough - all sides were able to worship in freedom within the city's walls; until zealots on both sides worked behind the scenes to instigate a massive war once again.
Scott explores the motivations and frustrations of the men involved in trying to keep the peace within their own circles even as each side demanded the city for their faith.
Balian is the ultimate middle man, a neutrist observer and caretaker of the innocent people caught in the middle of the conflict. He seeks forgiveness from God by protecting
the least of those who could defend themselves, which also happens to be his father's dying wish. A "true knight" so to speak.
The battles, particularly the final assault on Jerusalem, are skillfully executed and centered on the characters that propel the story forward. Scott has mastered the art of
conveying the frenzied, gory chaos of close combat, and although it seems unlikely his heroes would consistently escape serious injury in such a morass, it nonetheless adds
a weight to the proceedings that is necessary to comprehend the struggle at hand. The cinematography, by John Mathieson, is well thought-out, with battles, deserts, and
ancient cities intertwined between day and night, and with a tinge of regret. The combat is believable, palpable, and unsettling.
If there is a weakness to be found, it is in the tepid relationship between Balian and Sibylla, which seems trite and forced. It's an unnecessary subplot that holds only interest for
those who must have a love story in every grand epic. Green is strangely mute here compared to her effort in the controversial The Dreamers, and Bloom seems distracted by
the responsibility of keeping his character in check with the gravity of events unfolding around him. Solid efforts from Neeson, Irons, and Massoud more than compensate
however. Kingdom of Heaven represents another solid entry onto Ridley Scott's resume, which is becoming crowded with big budget spectacles that satisfy almost
all viewers.
© 2005 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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