As you walk out of the movie hall, you start wondering if this was a movie worth sitting through and by the time you get home you have forgotten some parts of the movie, another couple of days and you vaguely remember some sequences and the scenery in the movie. My point is - the movie makes as small an impact and is as memorable as the next movie. It is not distasteful, only that it is not hard hitting.
The movie has some worthwhile characteristics too; it is a very well picturised film with some stunning war sequences and a good script to begin with. But there is another important point the director is trying to make, he is showing situations with a world filled with confused crusaders (they continue fighting even today, but for different causes), religious fanatics (there has been very little change there), greedy leaders creating wars for selfish motives, fighters fighting for a cause not clear and tries to draw parallels to the present day situation – there is in fact a literal parallel regarding the state of Jerusalem today and then.
Knowledge of the Holy Wars/ The crusades will certainly help in understanding the movie better and makes it a not so dull viewing, but just about. The context of the movie is as important as the land it is about - The area in question is now called Israel, and also includes parts of Lebanon and a small stretch of Syria and southeastern Turkey. It was divided into the four Crusader States of Antioch, Edessa, Tripoli and Jerusalem. It was a small stretch of land that was steeped in religious heritage and held the promise of bestowing riches upon the men who could control the ’’land flowing in milk and honey’’ for both the Christians and the Muslims.
What follows is a story of war, holy visions, unholy alliances, promises made with fingers crossed, sieges and slaughters, the details of which fill volumes.
The film is based on the life of a blacksmith Balian (Orlando Bloom) destined to lead the Christians against the mighty army of Salahuddin/Saladin (Ghassan Massoud). (Balian did in fact play a crucial role as a Crusader noble in the events surrounding the fall of Jerusalem in 1187 to the Muslim sultan Saladin. But there are quite a few modifications to the original events, and that can be excused)
Balian, in the film, is a righteous Christian, lead from his humble profession as a blacksmith to the holy land of Jerusalem by a chance visit from his never seen before father Godfrey (Liam Neeson), a crusading knight. Balian hesitantly follows his father to Jerusalem, seeking forgiveness for himself and his wife who has committed suicide. His rapid climb to his father’s position due to Godfrey’s death, his relationship with Sibylla (Eva Green) who is King Baldwin’s (Edward Norton) sister, his succession as the King facing a Herculean task of fighting the 200 thousand strong army of the noble and charismatic Muslim ruler Saladin, the epic battle and a surprising result makes up the 2 and a half hour movie.
Ridley Scott’s moment of glory was Alien and Black Hawk Down. Gladiator was on over hyped, over rated and a very average movie and “Kingdom…” shares the same comments. We do not see the hard hitting, realistic (mostly gory, as was during that era) and usually depressing absoluteness of war. Instead you have a hero who commands almost no attention, he can be easily missed in a crowd, even Collin Farrell has done a better job in Alexander. You can only imagine what a Russell Crowe, Mel Gibson or even a Johnny Depp could have brought to this role. Liam Neeson has done a good job, Edward Norton is not needed as a leper behind an iron mask (anyway with his repertoire containing one stock expression, the mask having more expressions than him, it was probably justified). Ghassan Massoud as King Saladin looks sensational and outdoes all the others with his fiery eyes and crowd riveting stares, a find.
The dialogues are usually incomprehendable and hard to follow, the stunts and action seems repetitive, the war sequences though stunning have been already bettered in Lord of the ring, there is not even one sequence which takes your breath off or makes your heart seem like it is being squeezed as usually seen in other war movies and it is dragging, ….RATHER watch Brave-Heart again, even if it is on DVD, nothing beats it.
Finally, even with all these negatives, the message of the movie is well put by a dialogue in the movie, Orlando (King Balian by then) asks Ghassan Massoud (King Saladin) “What is Jerusalem worth?” and Saladin almost immediately replies “nothing…” and after a momentary pause says “Everything.”
The futility of war!!!!
PS - Please comment as I am relatively new here, and can do with any feedback.
Thank you!!!