# Movie Review: Kingdom of Heaven



## a_majoor (27 May 2005)

Kingdom of heaven might be of interest to people seeking an understanding of the Crusades, warfare in the Middle Ages or even a bit of historical background.

Hey, It's a Ridley Scott movie: Two hours of visual spectacle

Here is the review:


> *Onward PC Soldiers*
> Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven.
> 
> By Thomas F. Madden
> ...


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## Infanteer (27 May 2005)

I saw it - neat siege scenes, but that's about it.  Other than that, pretty hokey.

Besides, I am never convinced by movies about the Middle Ages because everyone always has good teeth.


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## Michael Dorosh (27 May 2005)

I thought it was a rehash of Gladiator, only less interesting.


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## TCBF (27 May 2005)

"Besides, I am never convinced by movies about the Middle Ages because everyone always has good teeth."

- Honestly, you'd think the make-up posse could blacken them out, or something.

Tom


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## rcr (27 May 2005)

Good scenery and the big names are all real, but their relations are far different and timelimes all mixed than real history dictates.   However, it's a movie. This movie was good at portraying one thing, the mercifulness and honor of Salah al Din.   He was moreso a leader of civilized men than many European's of that era.   As for King Baldwin's wardrobe of silk robes and sterling mask, what can I say? I'm striving to achieve the same look.


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## paracowboy (27 May 2005)

archer said:
			
		

> This movie was good at portraying one thing, the mercifulness and honor of Salah al Din.   He was moreso a leader of civilized men than many European's of that era.


umm, not so much. He was just as bloodthirsty and vicious. He simply bathed more.


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## Infanteer (27 May 2005)

archer said:
			
		

> This movie was good at portraying one thing, the mercifulness and honor of Salah al Din.   He was moreso a leader of civilized men than many European's of that era.



Uhh, did you read the review at all (by the Medieval scholar who says otherwise)?


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## rcr (27 May 2005)

Uhh no, I was referring to Egypt After the Pharaohs, by Alan K. Bowman.   However, I guess it's best that I concede defeat now and retract my statement in light of this scholar's review.   My bad.


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## a_majoor (27 May 2005)

archer said:
			
		

> As for King Baldwin's wardrobe of silk robes and sterling mask, what can I say? I'm striving to achieve the same look.



Don't bother; those silver masks are hot....


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## Michael Dorosh (27 May 2005)

a_majoor said:
			
		

> Don't bother; those silver masks *are hot....*



What are you, now, Paris Hilton?


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## winchable (27 May 2005)

Unfortunately if any historical movie portrayed the events and people as they actually happened they'd be attended by the same 6 historians who would sit at the back of the theatre and still manage to point out flaws.

Orlando Bloom in general is just too much for me in this movie, no one in the crusades was that pretty...and why is it that anyone without an American accent in these movies has an English one?
Salah a din portrayed as wise and tolerant is a half truth, a quarter truth at best. Let's face it, regardless of any philosophical advances, human rights ideals he is purported to have had he was a man of his times and acted accordingly.
11th and 12th century people (Regardless of religion) were no more likely to stand by and be 'wise and tolerant' while on the inside they felt pissed off and midevial.

Gladiator Redux...at best...I still payed for the shipping of a copy (no names no___) so I could view it before everyone else could.


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## jmacleod (28 May 2005)

Have not seen the film, but for a great read about the period and the participants, Author Barbara
Tuchman (The Guns Of August - a true classic of World War I's beginnings) wrote a book some
years back, published in the UK and later New York, "The Crusades" - very well researched of course
and an excellent narrative. Saw a bit of Scott's epic on the net, looks impressive, and hope to see
the film shortly. Charlton Heston made a film about the Moors in Spain, and the epic battles of the
period "El Cid" - the battle's feature real people, (no computer generated support in the 1960's)
and is well done, good screen play, memorable film score, and an international cast. MacLeod


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## Brad Sallows (30 May 2005)

Orlando Bloom seems to be in demand as an actor that knows his way around a sword now and polls well among teenagesses - that whole he's-so-cool-look-how-he-mounts-horses-and-elephants thing.


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## SeanPaul_031 (2 Aug 2005)

I liked it, especially the scene in the end where orlando asks the other guy(I forget his name) what Jerusalem means to him and he replys, "nothing" and walks away, then turns around and clenches his fists together and says, "EVERYTHING". That was beautiful.


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