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Kingdom Of Heaven
2005
Director Ridley Scott confronts hundreds of years of religious conflict in KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. An epic film set in Europe and the Middle East, the story follows one man's struggle to better himself and the world around him. Orlando Bloom stars as Balian, a French blacksmith who is mourning the deaths of his wife and baby when .. Read more
| Starring | Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson, David Thewlis |
|---|---|
| Director | Ridley Scott |
| Genres | Action/Adventure |
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Kingdom Of Heaven
Director Ridley Scott confronts hundreds of years of religious conflict in KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. An epic film set in Europe and the Middle East, the story follows one man's struggle to better himself and the world around him. Orlando Bloom stars as Balian, a French blacksmith who is mourning the deaths of his wife and baby when his estranged nobleman father (Liam Neeson) arrives and asks him to join the Crusades in Jerusalem. Mindful that conducting the Lord's work will help him atone for his sins, Balian agrees, and embarks on the perilous journey. Along the way, he reveals his gifts of inherent goodness and fair treatment of all human beings. Upon reaching Jerusalem, a city where his meagre beginnings no longer matter, Balian earns respect and fealty, while the evil Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas) looks down his aristocratic nose at the former labourer. As he did in GLADIATOR, Scott explores the theme of a man who chooses his fate, instead of accepting the fate given to him at birth. Balian comes to life in Jerusalem, protecting the weak and defenceless as his father told him he must, and catching the eye of the beautiful Princess Sibylla (Eva Green), unhappily married to de Lusignan. Scott paints a stirring portrait of the struggle over Jerusalem among Christians, Jews, and Muslims. In doing so, he also shows the passionate fight for religious freedom. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ably handles these delicate issues, effectively treating characters from all factions as individuals and not as stereotypes. By placing a virtuous man at the centre of this conflict, Scott creates a powerful, universal story.
| Starring | Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson, David Thewlis, Eva Green, Philip Glenister, Kevin McKidd, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Marton Csokas, Alexander Siddig, Michael Sheen, Brendan Gleeson, Edward Norton, Iain Glen, Ghassan Massoud |
|---|---|
| Director | Ridley Scott |
| Studio | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 24 mins Blu-ray: 3 hrs 9 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English |
| Released | DVD: 03 Oct 2005 Blu-ray: 11 Dec 2006 Production year: 2005 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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An epic that is designed to throw liberal amounts of light on present day conflicts, which remains its weakness, since it regards the past through the wrong end of a telescope. There are compensations in some muscular battle scenes, but the movie occupies
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After the neo-colonialist heroics of Black Hawk Down, you might have expected another shock and awe job... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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79 out of 117 people found this review helpful
GREAT FILM FANTASTIC ACTION
This film host a star studed cast
and the film lives up to this. The effects especially the battle scenes are without doubt out of this world. The story/plot is both acceptable and understandable.From the start it is gripping and holds your attention straight away ( avoid the toilet dash) whilst two and a half hours long it seems like one hour.Without disclosing the plot the movie portrays the battle between the various religeous nominations and the fight for the control of Jerusalem. A good portrail of the religeous beliefs but also the need and rights to control. overall two many key performances too mention ( eNglish fans watch for SPIDER from coronation street) -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Orlando Bloom is a Blacksmith/warrior?
Once again we find the palid-skinned and dimminutive Orlando Bloom thrust upon us, in the role of a humble blacksmith who must become a 'mighty warrior', as a result of a mysterious encouter with his past (in the from of his true parent, of course). Once again, it is painfully obvious that Olrando has never once swung a hammer, in earnest - never, yet a sword, Lord help us! However, while this anatomical anomaly could be glossed over in tn the likes of 'Pirates' series (for which he is so rightly famous) here we must see him play this role in earest, and, frankly, it doesn't work.
In truth, the problem lies not in Mr Bloom, but in Ridley Scott, for casting him, in such a role. While Orlando makes a passable hero in a 'historical romp', such as the pirates series, here, he lacks the vocal depth and presence necessary to come across as anything more than a chain-mail-clad 'hooodie', exhorting his enemies to 'come on if they think they're hard enough'.
There are the usual set-piece battles; which, as always, attempt to portray the dreadfulness of medieval warfare as a slightly shorter-ranged, and less lethal form of conflict, than a modern rocket attack. However, in between these simulations of mass slaughter, we are subjected to hours of endless dialogue, filled with the kind of acting that you could make strudy, rustic furniture out of.
The result is an inconclusive parable whose main message appears to be: 'Why can't we all just get along?' Oh, why, indeed, Mr Ridley Scott, and to quote 'Monrty Pythion and the Moly Grail', why couldn't you just have 'Got on with it'?
Summary, a pretty film, with a tin ear for dialogue, good ideas wasted, and too much time spent on developing characters who, essentially, have no character. -
News and features
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Body of Lies
- 24 Nov 2008
As topical as the next terrorist attack, Ridley Scott’s CIA thriller has all the ingredients of a powerhouse movie, but it takes an awfully long time to cook. Scripted by William Monaghan (who wrote The Departed and Kingdom of Heaven) from a novel by David Ignatius (like Monaghan, a political journalist), the movie aspires to be less James Bond and more Syriana – with a handful of Jason Bourne set pieces thrown in. But while it does have some shrewd things to say about the state of Read more
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- Kingdom Of Heaven - BLU-RAY Version
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Director Ridley Scott confronts hundreds of years of religious conflict in KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. An epic film set in Europe and the Middle East, the story follows one man's struggle to better himself ... -
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Director Ridley Scott confronts hundreds of years of religious conflict in KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. An epic film set in Europe and the Middle East, the story follows one man's struggle to better himself ... -