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Liam Neesonstarred in a sweeping and emotional historical drama that took place during the Crusades. The film,Kingdom of Heaven, was loved by fans but wildly scorned by critics, who deemed the film shallow and dull. Such a wide expanse of reception from critics and audiences is not unheard of but is pretty notable for amovie by Ridley Scott(American Gangster,Alien). And while the famed director is not without his share of critical misses (Exodus: Gods and Kings) in regard toKingdom of Heaven, it looks like critics have got it wrong on this one.
Focusing on the third Crusade for the Kingdom of Jerusalem,Kingdom of Heavenstars Orlando Bloom as a young blacksmith who is unexpectedly recruited into a battle over the Holy Land. After the death of his wife, Balian joins his estranged father (Neeson) on a journey back to Jerusalem. But when a power-thirsting knight seeks to start a war and claim the city as his own, Balian must fight in the honor of a weakened king to defend the people and the peace of Jerusalem.
Kingdom of Heaven
Critics Trashed ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ as a Soulless Disaster
The critical reception forKingdom of Heavenwas quite disappointing. The critical reviews of the film on the movie aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes have the film ranked at a rotten 39%. Critics called the film uneventful and unsatisfying. While beautifully shot and filled with impressively coordinated action scenes,critics say that the film is shallow and veers away from the true religious and political reasons behind the battle. Critics called the film boring and empty. While Scott was credited for taking aim at aninteresting and rich period of history, his attempts to sanitize the film to make it palatable for audiences has robbed the story of some of its gravity. “The soul of the movie is completely ripped out,” Mike McGranaghan of Aisle Seat said.
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This is a fair criticism. And while many of the negative reviews remark on the same lack of emotional depth, perhaps it is a case of managed expectations.Though inspired by the Crusades, the film is a fictionalized story of a young man who finds his strength in a battle that he did not expect. However, the filmisn’t locked to factual history. A brutal and action-filled drama,Kingdom of Heavenis a beautiful and cruel depiction of one of humanity’s largest running wars, as seen through the actions of an unwitting soldier. As the film chooses to focus on Balian against the rich tapestry of war, perhaps the true complaint is that the lead was not fascinating enough.
Orlando Bloom Disappoints, but All Is Well With the Director’s Cut
Critics lamented the casting of Orlando Bloom as the film’s lead. Against the heavy action and some evocative performances by Neeson, Edward Norton, and Eva Green, Bloom’s performance was deemed incompetent. Critics claimed that Bloom lacked charisma and did not have the emotional presence to serve as the film’s lead. David Ansen ofNewsweekstated of the actor, “Bloom proves fatal: instead of galvanizing this epic, he sucks the energy out of it.” It is hard to argue against the truth of this.
However,while Bloom is underwhelming as Balian, his performance is not enough to tank the film, according to audiences. Audiences agreed that Bloom is particularly weak. However, the surrounding performances of his costars and the rich battle scenes were found to be greatly entertaining. Of particular note, viewers enjoyed the sympathetic portrayal of Edward Norton as the ailing yet powerful King Baldwin.Liam Neeson’s short appearance as Baron Godfrey is one of the film’s most stirring moments.
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Audiences loved the humble story of a man seeking honor and absolution in the midst of a war for Jerusalem. Audience reviews of the film on Rotten Tomatoes are a solid 72%. This score has been boosted thanks to the later audience reviews ofthe Director’s Cut, which by all accounts isfar superior to the theatrical cut. Some viewers recommend skipping the theatrical cut entirely. By most accounts, the director’s cut is called riveting, a masterpiece, and one of Scott’s best films.With 45 minutes of extra scenes, audiences found that the director’s cut offered some heartbreaking character development, sewed several severe plot holes, and works at a pace that will have viewers engrossed in the history. Although the director’s cut pushes the film well past three hours in run time, all audiences agree that it is well worth a watch.
Critics may have hatedKingdom of Heaven, but audiences disagreed. While the theatrical cut of the film is an action-filled drama full of spectacle but lacking heart… spectacles are still entertaining. The theatrical version might not offer much depth with a lukewarm protagonist who is lost among the sword fights. Viewers who want the full scope of the epic film should check out the definitive version of Ridley Scott’s director’s cut.Kingdom of Heavenis available to rent onApple TV, and the director’s cut is onGoogle Play.
