Balian of Ibelin travels to Jerusalem during the crusades of the 12th century.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22274 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-03-06
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 144 minutes

Synopsis
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.

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Customer Reviews

Amazing Film, Terrible Box!
I'm sure anyone interested in buying this film or has seen it would agree that it is a class film, with quality battle scenes and some utterly beautiful cinematography.

All I have to say is that for some reason, FOX have teamed up with the company PATHE (film buffs will recognise the name) to bring out a host of new special editions of films in a white and silver box (Braveheart, Master & Commander etc all got this treatment too) and they look really horrid. Just look at the Kingdom Of Heaven box, the blue cover with a white and silver trim! Yuck!

Take my advice, buy this amazing film with a quality box, the original two disc box (black with Orlando Bloom as Balian the Knight on the side). It looks a lot more professional! (Looks better for ones DVD collection and in the rack too without the new white box!)

Can we use CGI to replace Orlando Bloom?
A very good film indeed,set in Jerusalem in medieval times.There are knights(some good and some bad);moors(some good and some bad);and a lengthy cast of historical figures .The set piece battles are stupendous.Clearly Ridley Scott has a tremendous talent for developing and bringing together enormous armies(who can forget the opening battle in Gladiator?).The story is weakened by the unfortunate casting decision to make Orlando Bloom the main character.Gladiator succeeded in no small part due to the casting of a man's man as Maximus. Even Brad Pitt was believeable and excellent as Achilles in Helen of Troy .But wispy bearded,slender,girly voiced, Orlando as a crusader knight wielding a huge medieval sword in a full coat of armour?????Sorry,but it just doesn't work.The part needed a real man with menace.

Never mind the detractors negative comments
This is an excellent film. Ridley Scott has done it again, he's produced another 5 star film. Like any good movie should, it demands something of its audience, active participation intellectually. I can only conclude that the reviewers that found this film lacking have entirely missed the point (or are of insufficient intelligence to appreciate it) and I suggest that they view it again whilst keeping an open mind. Perhaps then, the experience may prove rewarding. Forget the negatives, this is an exceptional example of the film makers art.