Kingdom of Heaven (2005)

This film, although the acting is excellent, pushes the politically correct narrative of nasty bloodthirsty Christian armies persecuting peace loving innocent moslems during the crusades. It does nothing to address the fact that the crusades were a response to moslem aggression, warmongering and expansion. A shame, and tells us something about the makers of the film, and should surely make us suspicious of the, and their motives. Are they just ignorant? Or do they have another motive in pushing this narrative? David Thewlis is excellent as expected, as is Neeson and bloom, but their going along tosh makes us mere mortals wonder just how out of touch with reality they are. I suggest another film, around the same subject at the same time and in the same place, but from a different perspective. It won't happen, and you know it won't, because nobody has the balls to tell the truth and make it.

Most satisfying story-telling of a high order presented with class, elegance and professionalism making for excellent viewing while one is glued to the screen. The lead actors play their parts well and the supporting cast along with the many extras go into it so that we would buy the story as presented. The Director gets a serious nod here as this was a film done on epic proportions and grandeur. No easy shoot and a fine addition to Ridley Scotts resume. Overall very impressive and I have seen it three times each time keeping me entertained. There is a directors cut that is worth purchasing for your library that includes quite a bit of footage not seen in the original and adds depth and meaning to movie at large. Location shoots were interesting to watch and I like the little slice of history they carved out here. Saladin is not talked about enough as he was a major player back then in what took place as was King Richard the lion heart and many others. The Christianity presented in this movie was raw, edgy and belligerent something that needs to be told. People forget that the changes Christ talked about come from the realms of Spirit and Truth and not from this world. The Kingdom of Heaven is within you and it will make you in HIS image if activated and pursued. We see otherwise here. Good movie to have a full meal while watching and a tasty drink with snack on standby as it is 2.5 hours and longer for the special cut. Please enjoy this little gem and may it affect you for the better.

Balian of Ibelin travels to Jerusalem during the crusades of the 12th century, this film is 2hrs 24 mins 7/10 and there he finds himself as the defender of the city and its people. director riddly Scott leads an all star cast but flopped in cinemas i saw it in the cinema its all right Martin Hancock ... Michael Sheen ... 3Nathalie Cox ... Eriq Ebouaney ... David Thewlis ...Liam Neeson ... Orlando Bloom ... Kevin McKidd ... Marton Csokas ... Eva Green ... Brendan Gleeson ... Jeremy Irons ....Edward Norton so this film is a strange one indeed it gets caught in between gladiator and Alexander Orlando bloom character is a relucent leader an but grows into his role this film is slow story not the best story from riddly Scott is quiet strange i gave it 7/10 because the battle sequence are good but there is something missing i cant put my finger on it liam nesson gets a 24 minute cameo showing his character king godrey as his reign coming to an end and entrusting his blacksmith soon 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 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 take s 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 adviser Tiberias, and the military Clearly, director Ridley Scott does not agree with the above somewhat simplified . In "Kingdom of Heaven", wars and battles are fueled by an assortment of motivations including land, money, political consideration, natural desire for violence, lust for fame, love of the common people, among others. Even more importantly, this "idea" thing does not prevent leaders from practicing tolerance, reaching compromises and even recognizing equality with alien faiths, as the movie tries to show us. .It's difficult to refrain from comparing the attack of Jerusalem with the attack of Minas Tirith, and this very comparison can be construed as an unreserved compliment on Kingdom of Heaven.Another comparison that can be made is the depiction of a mighty army, done so unimaginatively in two similar movies last year. In Kingdom of Heaven,we see first a solitary figure on horseback at a distant mountain gap. "Saladin's army of 200 thousand is here" says Balian. "There's only one person", comes the reply from a follower. "No, they're all here" Balian quietly responses, at which point the angle of the camera starts to rise, first revealing the patch behind the mountain gap, filled with soldiers. Then, as the horizon of our vision continues to extend, layers of mountains and vales continue to appear, together with Saladin's mighty army deployed in an apparently haphazard, but ultimately strategic fashion. This must be seen to appreciate. Of the cast, I must first mention Edward Norton. As the leper king of Jerusalem, he appears all the time behind a mask which covers his entire face, showing only his eyes with disfigured corners. But it's the voice that is so mesmerizing. Ever since Fight Club, Norton's voice has such a timbre that soft as he sounds, there are lurking behind tantalizing hints of subtlety, intrigue, compassion,power, and twenty other different and conflicting emotions all at once.. Liam Neeson and Jeremy Irons, playing father and mentor respectively, do not exactly have the most challenging parts in their careers.Eva Green retains the girlish defiance in The Dreamer, but adds to it the maturity and allure required for the role of Sibylla (as portrayed by the script, but not necessarily as recorded in history).And there is good old Brendan Gleeson, in the customary role of big bully fighter which he has perfected in Gangs of New York and Troy. Kingdom of Heaven is just about better than Alexander

well, i extremely rare to write a review..but then after watching this director cut worth 3 hour++ i feel like to make some comment. firstly yeah iam a Muslim whose some of you guys think bad. but the truth is the bad Muslim is not religion itself but the person. as in this film story. what got my attention is how they view Islam in this movie. rarely Hollywood movie Islam guy as nice and moderate guys. mostly i watch that Muslim leader is a blood hunger killing men woman and child. so what catch my attention is how they accept the salahuddin fact on how he act of kindness on their enemy. iam not saying that all Muslim leader before is good. when a kingdom rise there will be a downfall. same as Islam kingdom, there have been a proof where hundred year of ruling a kingdom make slowly they Islam kingdom fall to become bride and power hunger. this also happen to Christian, this what the movie show, is not only Islam but Christian also the same. hundred years of ruling then someday will come the fall. where everyone hunger for power and fight among them self resulting to loss to enemy.This is what i exactly in my view, most Hollywood movie will only make Islam as bad person and view Christian as good. but in reality both has a downfall. but bear in mind that downfall not come from religion itself but from a man that hunger for power and use religion as excuse. what make me satisfied about salahuddin is how they show he give mercy to surrender survivor, and how he respect other religion. you can see that he pick up the cross that have fallen, and he avoid from stepping the cross sign. this is exactly how our religion (Islam) is promoting. respect other religion. that what exactly what salahuddin do. and when he answer jurusalem worth nothing, everything. it means thousand word. for both jews, Christian, Muslim jurusalem is a holy place. but the truth is it has nothing. it only in the middle of sand that why its nothing. but its everything worth fighting for that is because is the holy land.its maybe has nothing but its have everything. that why the crusader at last scene travel to jurusalem to claim. because its everything for jews, Christian and Muslim.lastly come to my 1st point, some Christian will telling that this movie is awful. they only show the bad side of Christian, but sometimes you gotta admit it, there also the time dark age where that time people abuse religion to their suit. but look at the bright side while maybe ballian not a loyal to Christian but he do believe in god earlier and want to go to jurusalem to repent for his crime and her wife. while he gave up his life then come the light. and the last conversation that he get is why he get all that experience if no god to help him. and then this view that religion is not at fault but the person does, why the bishop and priest view as not good person. the same can be view from the salahuddin adviser which he really want a war to get jurusalem while salahuddin still want peace negotiation. you can see that salahuddin adviser really happy when they war with Christian. while salahuddin himself respect the jurusalem king earlier. this is the message that this movie to deliver, the religion is not at fault for a person actand sorry for my bad English