Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6211 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-10-03
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: Arabic, English, German
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 144 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's hard to believe Ridley Scott's handsome epic won't become the cinematic touchstone of the Crusades for years to come. Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the sum of its parts, delivering a vital, mostly engrossing tale following Balian (Orlando Bloom), a lonely French blacksmith who discovers he's a noble heir and takes his father's (Liam Neeson) place in the center of the universe circa 1184: Jerusalem. Here, grand battles and backdoor politics are key as Scott and first-time screenwriter William Monahan fashion an excellent storyline to tackle the centuries-long conflict. Two forward-thinking kings, Baldwin (Edward Norton in an uncredited yet substantial role) and Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), hold an uneasy truce between Christians (who hold the city) and Muslims while factions champ at the bit for blood. There are good and evildoers on both sides, with the Knights Templar taking the brunt of the blame; Balian plans to find his soul while protecting Baldwin and the people.

The look of the film, as nearly everything is from Scott, is impressive: his CGI-infused battle scenes rival the LOTR series and, with cinematographer John Mathieson, create postcard beauty with snowy French forests and the vast desert (filmed in Morocco and Spain). An excellent supporting cast, including Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, and David Thewlis, also help make the head and heart of the film work. Many critics pointed out that Bloom doesn't have the gravitas of Russell Crowe in the lead (then again, who does?), but it's the underdeveloped character and not the actor that hurts the film and impacts its power. Balian isn't given much more to do than be sullen and give an occasional big speech, alongside his perplexing abilities for warfare tactics and his wandering moral compass (whose sole purpose seems to be to put a love scene in the movie). Note: all the major characters except Neeson's are based on fact, but many are heavily fictionalized. --Doug Thomas, Amazon.com

DVD Description
A film set in Europe and the Middle East, 'Kingdom Of Heaven' 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 secretly courting the capricious wife of the ruthless Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas) who seeks a way to destabilise the uneasy Christian-Muslim truce brokered by King Baldwin (Edward Norton) and wage war against his religious enemy...

Director Ridley Scott bring the scale of his previous epic 'Gladiator' to this film while confronting hundreds of years of religious conflict. At times controversial in both its content and production difficulties, populated by an all-star cast and held together by a sterling central performance from Orlando Bloom, 'Kindgom Of Heaven' is a multi-faceted classic of a humble man who chooses his fate, instead of accepting the fate given to him at birth.

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.

Customer Reviews

STICK WITH IT
Quite slow to start but well worth you patience.Acting was superb, this film has never had the credit it deserves.

Kingdom of Heaven is a decent epic
The film isn't incredibly memorable; it won't go into the annals of filmdom like `Lawrence of Arabia,' `Lord of the Rings' or `Gladiator.' To me this film can be viewed on a rainy day. `Kingdom of Heaven' has the action, excitement, and interest. The story, the cinematography, and the acting are fine as well but I think the film misses its attempt to have an emotional core. It's primary focus is on the politics of the situation between the Christians and Muslims and the kings of both sides. But all films require an emotional core around the central characters to work well, or it's just pages out of a fictional textbook.

Part of the problem is the writing. The writers mention the tragic loss of the lead character's wife, and there is a very touching scene on the Mount, but then the matter is subsequently dropped. The writers mention the need of the lead character to redeem himself, and it is barely mentioned again until the very end. This redemption does have a nice payoff at the end, but by the time that happens you've forgotten all about it. There is also a minor plot element regarding a romance between two characters, but that too is almost forgotten until the end (where there isn't the best payoff).

The other problem is Orlando Bloom. He simply lacks the passion to be a lead character. He is fine in the broody, silent, reflective moments, but he does not project any sort of passion when required. He can't portray anger, or grief, or inspiration, or joy very well. It's something he should clearly work on, it's going to keep him back from truly being a great actor.

The film does have redeeming moments, such as the siege of Jerusalem and the humor only brothers-in-arms could create, much less appreciate. The cinematography, set design and costumes are beautiful, and the action is believable and exciting yet not gory. Ridley Scott's `Kingdom of Heaven' is a good epic and for those who likes this genre will enjoy it.

Flawed but not the way most critics think
This film has come under fire for a number of things. Orlando not being as good a leading man as Russell Crowe, not giving an opinion on the Christian vs Muslim thing and not having a strong story.
I disagree on most points, okay Mr Bloom doesn't have the same presence as Mr Crowe does, this doesn't make him a poor actor. I thought he was very good, developing his charactor as the story progressed, from village blacksmith to battle hardened knight. It's a shame the film wasn't longer to show his emotional journey better. It seemed too quick, and a little unconvicing as a result. The comparisons to galdiator, while obvious are not fair, gladiator was a simple story painted on a large canvas, Kingdom of heaven is much more epic, a large story painted on a canvas slightly too small?
as for the religion aspect? it avoided sides very well, pointing out the whole thing was sensless. Although Balian is clearly the hero of the peice the nature of the villian is more ambiguous. A traditional epic would have painted saladin as the baddy, here he is an opposing force.
All in this is a beautiful film that falls short of it's hype by being too short.