Fight for the Kingdom of Heaven
May 06, 2005
There are many reasons why the film <i>Kingdom of Heaven,</i> starting today at the Garden City, could be my kind of film
Film: Kingdom of Heaven
Stars: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Nathalie Cox
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenplay: William Monahan
Running time: 145 mins
Rating: R for strong violence and warfare
Showing: From today at Cineplex, Garden City Previewed by: Kalungi Kabuye
There are many reasons why the film Kingdom of Heaven, starting today at the Garden City, could be my kind of film. First of all, I like epics, especially war epics, even if some are boring like Alexander.
Secondly, the fight for Jerusalem has always fascinated me — where will it end, if it can end? Who is right, historically? The Jews, or the Arabs? And you say it all started with the Christians?
Then here comes one of the most respected directors of epic films, Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Black Hawk Down), telling us the story of how Christians and Muslims fought for control of Jerusalem in the 12th century.
In the movie, it is the year 1186, and Jerusalem is controlled by the Christians, on behalf the church. But the Muslims are not very happy with this and are fighting to get it back.
In the mix of this is a Christian knight, Godfrey (Liam Neeson), who enlists his illegitimate son Balian (Orlando Bloom), to fight in the Crusades. Balian has been a blacksmith and he jumps at the chance to eventually become his father’s heir. He journeys to Jerusalem, hoping to find faith and honour.
But Godfrey turns pout to be something of a complicated man, a warrior, who does not like war very much. He wants to fashion a ‘kingdom of conscience, a kingdom of heaven’, where there is peace between Christians and Muslims.
The Muslims have an easy answer to that — the Christians should leave, and there will be peace. But it is not as easy as that, because Godfrey and his men see themselves as soldiers of Christ, and fighting for their Church.
So the fighting begins and Scott does what he is very good at, although some critics thought it was too much like Gladiator. I have no problems with that. And would gladly watch 10 Gladiators, one after another.
But there is more to this film than armies massing, horses rearing, and swords cutting off limbs and body parts; apparently Scott is trying to show us what fanaticism, of any kind, can bring.
“Bloom has matured as an actor, and gives Balian heft and winsomeness. So what’s missing? In religious terms, a sense of faith,†writes TIME magazine’s Richard Corliss. “The final decision, to make war or not, is a matter not of Christian belief, but a secular one. As a 12th century commander, he is obliged to seize the Holy Land for the church and state he serves.â€
Stars: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Nathalie Cox
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenplay: William Monahan
Running time: 145 mins
Rating: R for strong violence and warfare
Showing: From today at Cineplex, Garden City Previewed by: Kalungi Kabuye
There are many reasons why the film Kingdom of Heaven, starting today at the Garden City, could be my kind of film. First of all, I like epics, especially war epics, even if some are boring like Alexander.
Secondly, the fight for Jerusalem has always fascinated me — where will it end, if it can end? Who is right, historically? The Jews, or the Arabs? And you say it all started with the Christians?
Then here comes one of the most respected directors of epic films, Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Black Hawk Down), telling us the story of how Christians and Muslims fought for control of Jerusalem in the 12th century.
In the movie, it is the year 1186, and Jerusalem is controlled by the Christians, on behalf the church. But the Muslims are not very happy with this and are fighting to get it back.
In the mix of this is a Christian knight, Godfrey (Liam Neeson), who enlists his illegitimate son Balian (Orlando Bloom), to fight in the Crusades. Balian has been a blacksmith and he jumps at the chance to eventually become his father’s heir. He journeys to Jerusalem, hoping to find faith and honour.
But Godfrey turns pout to be something of a complicated man, a warrior, who does not like war very much. He wants to fashion a ‘kingdom of conscience, a kingdom of heaven’, where there is peace between Christians and Muslims.
The Muslims have an easy answer to that — the Christians should leave, and there will be peace. But it is not as easy as that, because Godfrey and his men see themselves as soldiers of Christ, and fighting for their Church.
So the fighting begins and Scott does what he is very good at, although some critics thought it was too much like Gladiator. I have no problems with that. And would gladly watch 10 Gladiators, one after another.
But there is more to this film than armies massing, horses rearing, and swords cutting off limbs and body parts; apparently Scott is trying to show us what fanaticism, of any kind, can bring.
“Bloom has matured as an actor, and gives Balian heft and winsomeness. So what’s missing? In religious terms, a sense of faith,†writes TIME magazine’s Richard Corliss. “The final decision, to make war or not, is a matter not of Christian belief, but a secular one. As a 12th century commander, he is obliged to seize the Holy Land for the church and state he serves.â€