Strapline:
In the time of the Crusades a young knight takes up the fight to maintain an uneasy peace in Jerusalem.
Balian (Orlando Bloom) a blacksmith, mourning the death of his wife and son, discovers that he is the son of Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson) baron to King Baldwin of Jerusalem. When Godfrey is wounded in battle and dies, Balian vows to continue his father’s mission to bring peace to the Holy Land.
Approaching Kingdom of Heaven with enthusiasm, I was excited by the impressive cast list and the prospect of a film that might entertain while engaging in terms of style and historical content.
In its favour Kingdom of Heaven features stunning cinematography and sounds great. Ridley Scott’s direction is solid throughout and the main battle sequence is spectacular.
The performances are all of a high standard. As the central character Bloom is mostly convincing, though it remains clear that he still lacks the experience and presence to be a regular leading man. Liam Neeson and Jeremy Irons are on hand however to provide some of the required epic gravitas.
Yet in terms of entertainment there’s simply not enough action or excitement, particularly in the first half of the film. Kingdom of Heaven tackles issues that remain important today but as the events depicted took place over 1,000 years ago it’s difficult to relate to the content or empathise with the characters.
Kingdom of Heaven began its occupation of cinemas across the country from May 6th, but I’d advise you to sit this fight out.
Rating: 2 stars
