[jcb8199]

What does it show, other than a "peaceful" Saladin having to deal with those evil, imperialistic Christians during the time of a truce? Where does the movie show the Muslims invading and conquering Christian and Jewish lands, prompting the Christians to fight back?

[Borges]

It's narrowly focused on the time when Christians lost Jerusalem to Saladin. There's good and bad on both sides. It certainly doesn't break down into 'Christians -bad Muslims - good'. It does break down into 'movie - bad' though. :-)

[Bringbackthedraft]

"Where does the movie show the Muslims invading and conquering Christian and Jewish lands, prompting the Christians to fight back?"

There was much omitted, Where was the part where the Crusaders captured a town and ate the children? Both sides did bad things but they thought they were doing good because it was for God and Kings.

[brazzaville]

Good morning.

The movie isn't about the Muslims conquering anything but Jerusalem. It is fiction using some historical figures.

There actually was a Balian of Ibelin, though he wasn't a blacksmith who miraculously becomes a literate warrior almost overnight. To my mind that is the weakest part of the plot.

The princess was married to Guy, but she didn't dump him for the blacksmith. The Templar leader, Reynauld (SP?) did exist and he did violate the truce by riding out of his castle to attack caravans. Most historians agree that Saladin and the king, Baldwin IV, were enlightened leaders in the context of their time but Jerusalem's leprosy got him in the end and the truce with Saladin fell apart. Kingdom of Heaven is a little history wrapped in fiction and put on film.

Michael Frazier

[sinclair]

"Where does the movie show the Muslims invading and conquering Christian and Jewish lands, prompting the Christians to fight back?"

 It is not a movie about that. If you want a movie about that, make one. No one will stop you.