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Kingdom Of Heaven (2005)
Front Cover Actor Back Cover
Orlando Bloom Balian
Eva Green Sibylla
Jeremy Irons Tiberias
Liam Neeson Godfrey
Edward Norton The King
Eriq Ebouaney Firuz
Jouko Ahola Odo
Nathalie Cox Balian's Wife
Marton Csokas Guy de Lusignan
Brendan Gleeson
David Thewlis Hospitaler
Martin Hancock Gravedigger
Michael Sheen Priest
Philip Glenister Squire
Bronson Webb Apprentice
Kevin McKidd English Sergeant
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Village Sheriff
Steven Robertson Angelic Priest
Alexander Siddig Nasir
Movie Details
Genre Action; Drama; War
Director Ridley Scott
Producer Ridley Scott
Writer William Monahan
Studio 20th Century Fox
Language English
Audience Rating R (Restricted)
Running Time 144 mins
Country USA
Color Color
IMDb Rating 6.9
Plot
It's hard to believe Ridley Scott's handsome epic won't become the cinematic touchstone of the Crusades for years to come. Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the sum of its parts, delivering a vital, mostly engrossing tale following Balian (Orlando Bloom), a lonely French blacksmith who discovers he's a noble heir and takes his father's (Liam Neeson) place in the center of the universe circa 1184: Jerusalem. Here, grand battles and backdoor politics are key as Scott and first-time screenwriter William Monahan fashion an excellent storyline to tackle the centuries-long conflict. Two forward-thinking kings, Baldwin (Edward Norton in an uncredited yet substantial role) and Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), hold an uneasy truce between Christians (who hold the city) and Muslims while factions champ at the bit for blood. There are good and evildoers on both sides, with the Knights Templar taking the brunt of the blame; Balian plans to find his soul while protecting Baldwin and the people. The look of the film, as nearly everything is from Scott, is impressive: his CGI-infused battle scenes rival the LOTR series and, with cinematographer John Mathieson, create postcard beauty with snowy French forests and the vast desert (filmed in Morocco and Spain). An excellent supporting cast, including Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, and David Thewlis, also help make the head and heart of the film work. Many critics pointed out that Bloom doesn't have the gravitas of Russell Crowe in the lead (then again, who does?), but it's the underdeveloped character and not the actor that hurts the film and impacts its power. Balian isn't given much more to do than be sullen and give an occasional big speech, alongside his perplexing abilities for warfare tactics and his wandering moral compass (whose sole purpose seems to be to put a love scene in the movie). Note: all the major characters except Neeson's are based on fact, but many are heavily fictionalized. --Doug Thomas
Personal Details
My Rating 5
Seen It Yes
Index 198
Collection Status In Collection
Purchase Price $15.99
Links Amazon US
DVD Empire
IMDB
Edition Details
Edition Widescreen Edition
Format DVD
Region Region 1
Screen Ratio Fullscreen (4:3, Pan & Scan)
Layers Single Side, Single Layer
Barcode 024543206538
Release Date 10/11/2005
Subtitles English; French; Spanish
Packaging Keep Case
Audio Tracks Dolby Digital 5.1 [English]
Nr of Disks/Tapes 1
Extra Features
Disc 1: Movie
The Pilgrim's Guide - Text commentary incorporating historical and production notes while you watch the film.

Disc 2: Extras
Interactive Production Grid - Lets you control the moviemaking experience form the perspective of the director, cast or crew!
"Movie Real: Kingdom Of Heaven" (As seen on The A&E Network)
"History Vs. Hollywood: Kingdom Of Heaven (As seen on The History Channel)
4-Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes
Theatrical Trailer