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Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
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Reviews Counted: 183
Fresh: 71
Rotten:112
Average Rating: 5.5/10
Consensus: Although it’s an objective and handsomely presented take on the Crusades, Kingdom of Heaven lacks depth.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong violence and epic warfare.
Runtime: 3 hrs 14 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release: May 6, 2005 Wide
Box Office: $47,259,055
Synopsis: "Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Speak the truth, always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong. That is your oath..." Director Ridley Scott is the master of epic cinematic storytelling... "Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Speak the truth, always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong. That is your oath..." Director Ridley Scott is the master of epic cinematic storytelling with a deeply personal core, as he has shown in films like Gladiator, Blade Runner, and Black Hawk Down. In KINGDOM OF HEAVEN he now turns to the Crusades — that world-shaping 200-year collision between Europe and the East — to frame the tale of a young Frenchman who discovers his destiny as a knight, then lives out what that glorious title really means. Orlando Bloom stars as Balian, a blacksmith who has lost his family and nearly lost his faith. The religious wars raging in the far-off Holy Land seem remote to him, yet he is pulled into that immense drama. Amid the pageantry and intrigues of medieval Jerusalem he falls in love, grows into a leader, and ultimately uses all his courage and skill to defend the city against staggering odds. Destiny comes seeking Balian in the form of a great knight, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), a Crusader briefly home to France from fighting in the East. Revealing himself as Balian's father, Godfrey shows him the true meaning of knighthood and takes him on a journey across continents to the fabled Holy City. In Jerusalem at that moment — between the Second and Third Crusades — a fragile peace prevails, through the efforts of its enlightened Christian king, Baldwin IV, aided by his advisor Tiberias (Jeremy Irons), and the military restraint of the legendary Muslim leader Saladin (Ghassan Massoud). But Baldwin's days are numbered, and strains of fanaticism, greed, and jealousy among the Crusaders threaten to shatter the truce. King Baldwin's vision of peace — a "kingdom of heaven" — is shared by a handful of knights, including Godfrey of Ibelin, who swear to uphold it with their lives and honor. As Godfrey passes his sword to his son, he also passes on that sacred oath: to protect the helpless, safeguard the peace, and work toward harmony between religions and cultures, so that a kingdom of heaven can flourish on earth. Balian takes the sword and steps into history. -- © 20th Century Fox [More]
Starring: Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson
Starring: Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Marton Csokas, Liam Neeson, David Thewlis, Michael Sheen, Eriq Ebouaney, Jouko Ahola, Philip Glenister, Kevin McKidd, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Steven Robertson, Alexander Siddig, Edward Norton
Director: Ridley Scott
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenwriter: William Monahan
Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Info
Release:
Jun 6, 2006
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
- Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 - French, Spanish
- Closed Captioned - English
- Subtitles - English, Spanish, French
Disc 1:
Additional Release Material:
- Bonus Trailer
- Featurette - Inside Look: Tristan & Isolde
- Text Commentary
Disc 2:
Additional Release Material:
- Bonus Features - 1. History Channel -History vs Hollywood: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
- 2. A&E Movie Real: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
- Featurettes - 1. Ridley Scott: Creating Worlds
- 2. Production
- 3. Wardrobe
- 4. Orlando Bloom:The Adventure of a Lifetime
- Bonus Trailers
Interactive Features:
- Scene Editing
Reviews for Kingdom of Heaven
... an extraordinary work of art, a plea for religious tolerance that works because of sheer filmmaking prowess and good, old-fashioned storytelling. (Director's Cut)
One of the more violent films in recent memory. But maybe the violence serves a purpose-it keeps your mind off the inanities of the plot.
Kingdom inevitably invites comparisons to Gladiator, Scott's last major epic. But it is a better film, partly because it does less violence to the history.
As with Gladiator, Scott's Kingdom is a busy but empty place with no heart.
Kingdom of Heaven has little going for it outside of its lavish and gory battle sequences.
...the movie survives its lackluster star and cluttered plot, thanks largely to director Ridley Scott, who makes most of the goings-on fun while we're sitting through them.
There's an audience for "Kingdom of Heaven" it's just difficult to know where to find them.
Kingdom of Heaven isn’t quite the next Gladiator with a fair share of boring moments, but it tries hard
In the end, Bloom shows promise, Scott’s work still impresses, and the epic film lives to fight another day.
Latest News for Kingdom of Heaven
August 31, 2007:
The Weekly Ketchup: The Owen Wilson Saga, Studio Puts Sweeney Todd Under the Knife
In this week's Ketchup, Owen Wilson's unfortunate circumstances become clear, as he drops out of the upcoming Ben Stiller collaboration. And speaking of Stiller, Ben has... More...
May 07, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: "Mission: Impossible III" Big, But Not Huge at #1
Tom Cruise climbed into his usual number one spot at the box office with his heavily-hyped spy sequel Mission: Impossible III, however ticket sales fell below most industry... More...
October 12, 2005:
Tony Scott Talks About His "Warriors" Remake
MyMovies.net had a recent sit-down with director Tony Scott ("Domino," "Man on Fire") and the always-busy filmmaker had a few rather interesting things to... More...
June 22, 2005:
Ridley Scott Jumps In to "Shadow Divers"
The always-busy Ridley Scott ("Kingdom of Heaven") has signed on to bring Robert Kurson's novel "Shadow Divers" to the big screen, says Variety. Mr. Scott... More...
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