Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven
Ridley Scott’s new Crusade epic explodes off the screen with energy. At times breathtaking, gruesome, and yet surprisingly complex this film does not shy away from the brutality of the time period.
This is not a black and white picture. The heroes are very flawed (the protagonist is no Maximus) and the true villains of the piece are other Christians. Muslims worried about an unfair treatment should give a sigh of relief. If anything they are nobler than many of their Christian counterparts.
The film, which takes place at the end of the 12th Century, begins when Bailian (Orlando Bloom) ,a village blacksmith, is told by Lord Godfrey (Liam Neeson), that he is his illegitimate son and heir to his title. Bailian, who is dealing with the loss of his wife in childbirth, at first resists joining his father on the way to Jerusalem, but after killing a local priest decides it might be a good idea to try a new life in the Holy City.
On the way Bailian proves himself worthy in battle and Godfrey is mortally wounded. Father knights son, making him vow to be an honorable servant to the King and the Lord. Bailian boards a ship on its way to Jerusalem but sinks in a vicious storm. Bailian is the sole survivor and once he washes ashore he kills a Muslim warlord who threatens his life.
He makes the warrior’s servant lead him to the Holy City. Once there Bailian finds himself up to his neck in politics as Baldwin IV (Ed Norton) is ill from leprosy and several factions eye the throne and a future battle to the death with the Muslims. A romance smolders between Princess Sibylla (Eva Green) and Bailian but is soon thrown into the background as Baldwin dies and the Arabs led by Saladin (Ghassan Massoud) rout the Christian army and lay siege to Jerusalem herself. Bailian leads the defense of the Holy city with a mostly untrained army of city folk.
The film is extremely well acted. Bloom is definitely up to the part. Norton is creepy and yet kind hearted as the leper king. Jeremy Irons has a small, but important role as the King’s officer of the law. Massoud is magnificent as Saladin – a “villain” that’s very hard to root against.
Technically the movie is superior. John Mathieson’s cinematography is spectacular and shows the vistas of the desert and harrowing battle sequences in vivid detail. The editing is tight as the two and half hours breeze by. The sets and costumes all seem authentic. The special effects are seamless (I truly didn’t know where the extras ended and the CGI “actors” started). The score by Harry Gregson-Williams is top notch unique and yet familiar to the genre. This is one of the best films you’ll see all year.
4 out of 4 stars ****
