"Kingdom of Heaven"

"Kingdom of Heaven"

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Starring: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, David Thewlis, Jeremy Irons, Eve Green, Brendan Gleeson and Edward Norton

Rating: R (for realistic violence, bloodshed and intense warfare)

Running time: 146 minutes

Best suited for: epic sand and sword fans, historical fiction fans, Orlando Bloom fans

Least suited for: the faint of heart

Acorn’s Rating Guide:

Deus volt. "God wills it."

One hears the phrase often in "Kingdom of Heaven"—a proclamation of righteousness—as medieval soldiers ride off on horrific killing sprees. The words lend a discomforting, eerie aura to director Ridley Scott’s spectacular epic about the Crusades. It seems God was on everybody’s side a millennium ago, somewhat of a problem whenever two tremendous armies were destined to meet in battle. The difference between living and dying was considered little more than God’s coin toss. Apparently no one took enough time from the bloodshed to question the sanity of the centuries-long carnage that killed hundreds of thousands—supposedly in the name of the Lord.

It makes one wonder if God ever regretted sending that meteor to cap off the Mesozoic Age.

Religious fervor is only one thread in the richly woven tapestry in Scott’s epic story about a young knight’s quest halfway around the known European world. This one is, in my opinion, an even better film than "Gladiator," Scott’s 2000 Roman epic. "Kingdom" is certainly more important in scope and implication, in its grandeur and message. And it will likely raise Orlando Bloom to superstar status.

In "Kingdom," Bloom plays the young knight Balian, who quickly rises from a tormented French blacksmith to the Christian protector of Jerusalem—a pretty heady trip indeed. Balian’s journey is also the viewer’s journey, and Scott treats us to a most impressive thoroughfare. Scott’s vision of ancient Jerusalem and the Holy Lands is nothing short of spectacular. "Kingdom" is as much period piece as it is war adventure, a film that superbly captures the cities, customs, dress and nuance of life a millennium ago. The film sucks you in, takes you there, utterly involves you, not only in its opulence, but in the chaos and brutality of battle.

I applaud "Kingdom" in its treatment of both Christians and Muslims during one of the Western world’s most prolonged, bloody periods. Whether we in the Christian world like it or not (or care to admit), the European invasion of the Holy Lands—and subsequent massacre of Muslim people (with Pope Urban II’s encouragement)—wasn’t Christianity’s most illustrious period. The film acknowledges that blunder.

"Kingdom" has its share of clenched-jaw soliloquies about honor and duty and, of course, about dying (if God wills it). But such rhetoric, filmically speaking, goes with the territory. If there’s a flaw to "Kingdom of Heaven," it’s in Balian’s rush through unexpected knighthood, ambush, shipwreck, swordplay, wicked politicking and ultimate battle against vast Islamic hordes. But Balian’s almost Ulysses-like endurance is a necessity here. (Look for an expanded 227-minute "Director’s Cut" version on DVD later this year.) There’s even room for flirtation (with the Princess of Jerusalem, no less), although Balian’s sense of ethics—would you harm one unscrupulous man to save thousands of innocent lives?—has a certain frustrating quality.

"Kingdom of Heaven" is an epic in almost every regard. Ridley Scott—truly one of our most accomplished and perceptive living directors—does not settle for the expected or the ordinary. When "Gladiator" opened with a swirling winter snowstorm, viewers realized they weren’t about to see a typical "sand and sword" adventure. Similarly, "Kingdom" opens with a burial taking place in the desolate French countryside, and the immediate, unexpected clatter of horses’ hooves lets you know that, for the next two hours, your journey will be fraught with excitement and adventure. In that respect, the film does not disappoint. It’s up there with the best of them.

In a nutshell: If cinema is a mirror of our society—and I believe it is—then "Kingdom of Heaven" becomes a very important film indeed. It reveals, at a time many see crucial in our understanding of ourselves and of our recent culture clashes, the silliness of the notion that God is sitting Upstairs, nudging one side or the other toward a spiritually preordained victory. "Kingdom" is not only a historically accurate adventure (Islamic sultan Salah ad-Din did capture Jerusalem after Balwin, the Christian leper king, died, and defeated the Christians at the Battle of Hattin), it is also a magnificently rendered, thought-provoking work.

A final aside: One of the best historical documentaries I’ve ever seen about any period is The History Channel’s 2-DVD set "Crusades." Produced by the BBC and narrated by Terry Jones (of "Monty Python" fame), the chronicle is a compelling, provocative and often witty glimpse of a Crusader’s life and tribulations. It’s a great learning and educational tool, a nice companion piece to "Kingdom of Heaven."