Posted on 05/07/2005 8:34:45 AM PDT by TheSorcererwiththeCosmicKey
went to Kingdom of Heaven last night, and since i'm a huge fan of these type of pictures: full blown epics, i loved it. Of course, i could see why someone would not like it. First off, I was most impressed by: the sets and the costumes are awesome, like all of Ridley's Scott's other films, "black hawk down', ' gladiator' you are seriously thrown back into the time that he is trying to create and in this picture, you can feel the Crusades and you feel it.
Much has been in the presses about how the film would portray both religions, Christianity and Islam. However, both are given fair portrayls, ideologies, yet highlights the dangers of fanatical followers of both of the religions.
I know there are a lot of Orlando Bloom detractors out there, personally I thought his performance as Balian was pretty good. He is definitely no Russell Crowe or Mel Gibson type epic hero, but I think that was the plan. I think Scott wanted a quiet hero type. However, the whole relationship with Eva Green's character is sort of thrown around, she's great to look at, but their whole relationshuip was as i mentioned '' thrown together.'
All in all, my favorite scenes were: Balian taking on several knights at once, Balian counter-attacks vs. Saladin, when Baldwin the leper king and Saladin come face to face infront of both of their armies, pure awesome, when Baldwin slaps the * out of the * Reynald played by Brendan Gleeson, and when Balian kisses his sword, before he goes into battle.
Speaking of Baldwin, the leper king, he is played by the great Edward Norton, however, Norton goes throughout the whole film in a mask, due to the fact that his illness severely scared his face.
The gaps cannot be explained because the real Balian of Ibelin was not a twenty-something blacksmith, but a forty-something Outremer noble who was married to King Baldwin's widowed step-mother.
Balian's opposition to de Lusignan was not based on a sordid love triangle, but because Balian was promoting the interests of his step-daughter and the King's half-sister, Isabella.
The real Sybilla nearly gave up her rights to the Jerusalem throne to maintain her marriage to de Lusignan.
I just rented it.
It was one of the most PC anti-Christian flicks I've ever seen that manages to ruin what could have been interesting.
Garbage
Ridley Scott's professed anti Christian rantings obviously went wild in this film.
A 150 million dollar excess in ignorance
just rented that atrocious crap BTTT
most offensive flick since Contender and American Beauty
I am with you. Somehow I can't believe that Hollywood would actually portray Islam as it really was and still is, and ever shall be. I will pass.
DiCaprio's orientation is suspect to me...
"Kingdom of Allah" would have been the more appropriate title of this preposterous IslamoNazi propaganda.
My husband and I watched it last night. According to videoeta.com, Kingdom of Heaven grossed $47.3 million at the box office. That's a loss of $100 million prior to DVD sales and rental income. The sets were incredible, the storyline was a bit weak, and the ending infuriated me. I don't know enough about the Crusades to comment, but when muslims win anything, I'm an unhappy camper.
Kingdom of Allah is right.
I'm going to use that on IMDB.
you and me both
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