Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
What is Jerusalem worth?
Presentation:
A lot of Ridley Scott apologists are claiming this film is unfairly treated. Well I watched the 3 hour director’s cut and while it’s not terrible it’s still not vastly improved either. One thing is for certain, Ridley Scott knows how to do scale. Although CGI is more present here than in Gladiator, the diversity of this historical epic is unique. Costumes are fantastic, world building is great, I think Orlando Bloom is a poor choice to lead the film. He has too much boyish charm and honestly becomes obnoxiously noble. He also is expressionless the entire film with no real personality other than virtue. The film ends up being morally uptight as a result, though does treat Islam with respect. Without a proper lead to anchor the emotional core it feels hollow and more like religious spectacle. Pacing is inconsistent but most importantly the film is difficult to follow unless you already really care about the region and are familiar with the religious history.
Conclusion:
Too serious and too empty, if you are expecting Gladiator, this is not as entertaining. If you are expecting Troy, this has boring characters. If you are expecting Lawrence of Arabia, this is not nearly as meaningful. With historical epics on the rise like Nolan’s Odyssey, one might be tempted to look into films like this one. Unless you are specifically looking for a blockbuster on the Jerusalem Crusades, this film gives you little to care about the fight, even when the Israel-Palestine conflict is so relevant today.
Recommendations
If a cinephile could have a Princess Bride.