Kingdom of Heaven

Led by Ridley Scott, the producers should have been filled with dread, because Kingdom of Heaven is only slightly more attractive to mainstream viewers than the commercial flop Alexander. The plot itself is driven more by the supporting characters than by the lead, who comes into play only at the end. And those supporting characters are developed well enough to elevate the film above the mere reconstruction of historical events. That reconstruction itself is full of interesting dialogue ideas, but they lack a deeper context that would enable them to work with the imagery, which is beautiful in and of itself – the images have atmosphere and poetics in every single location and comprise one of the things that make the film a class better than Alexander. That can also be said of the surprising political correctness and the sentimental (i.e. comprehensible for a mass audience) anti-war message. I’m giving Kingdom of Heaven four stars also for Harry Gregson-Williams’s soundtrack, the nicely handled final battle on the ramparts and Sibylla’s eyes. Is there a guy in the whole world who could resist her? (26/04/2005)

Theatrical cut: 3/5 The movie chugs along pleasantly throughout its running time, but is nothing earth-shattering. So Alexander remains the best historical picture of recent months, although Kingdom is certainly worth seeing on the big screen. Director’s cut: 5/5 Historically more accurate (but not completely), more ambitious in terms of message and the characters suddenly have absolutely convincing motivation. It is almost incredible that by adding just that one storyline involving Sibylla’s son fundamentally changes the motivation, actions and overall impression given by all of the main protagonists and therefore of the entire movie. And, rather paradoxically, despite its considerably longer running time, it becomes far more hard-hitting than the theatrical cut, so much so that it is the best historical epic of the past few decades. (08/05/2005)

The director's cut is something incredible! I didn't think I'd ever like Orlando Bloom... And lo and behold, his Balian was good! Big kudos to all the filmmakers - from the director to the music composer to the set designers, costume designers and the guys who provided towels and cold water on set. Kingdom of Heaven IS on the same level as Gladiator. Actually, no, it's even better! Nobody makes historical films like Ridley Scott. Awesome, awesome, awesome. (14/01/2008)

When I saw the film for the first time years ago, it definitely made a bigger impression on me than during this second viewing. But I guess it's just because Ridley simply isn’t my favorite director. Or rather, I don't love every one of his films. Still, this is an excellent example of how one conflict can be passed on through the centuries to the next generation. (25/02/2016)

Another historical film that needs to be seen at least twice in order to understand the plot and expressive depth that it possesses (similar to Alexander). Not every viewer will be able to reconcile with the fact that Kingdom of Heaven is not a typical historical film with everything that comes with it, but that it expresses something more through historical events, battles, love, and characters, than just what happens on the screen. This is even more pronounced than in Alexander. Kingdom of Heaven is an ode to world peace and finding the meaning of life. It is narrated, acted, and directed in a captivating way (the director's cut). Ridley Scott grabbed the reins and made a smart film that not everyone will see through. (19/05/2005)