Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Leave it to historians to pooh-pooh a film of historical fiction as not factual enough. Leave it to the counter-P.C. police (who are just as zealous for their own perceived version of the truth) to criticize a work of fiction as not idealistic enough (for their side). Uh, people...? This is Hollywood, remember...? This is not a documentary, it's called entertainment.
I give this movie five stars because of its historical accuracy (as far as it goes), scale of drama (esp. the war scenes), costumes, story, and characters. Although I can appreciate the story's telegraphed style, I flagged between lagging a bit at times and grasping the story line enough to foresage what was about to happen. However, the characters were always drawn in sufficient depth and spirit that I was interested in what happened to them. Orlando Bloom detractors, be still; he carried the film quite well as the taciturn blacksmith-made-knight who faithfully discharged his vows of loyalty to God, king, and people with integrity and courage. In fact, if the panorama of this film hadn't fully won the five stars for me, it was clinched by the nobility quietly displayed in his reluctant leadership and selfless love for God's people (as opposed to the politics-bound church hierarchy that advocated leaving the people to slaughter, to save their own hide, as "God's will"). A church-state hegemony really is like that, you know. That's why we don't want to make such grave mistakes again in America.
"Always tell the truth, even if it leads to your own death." Bloom's character strove to be a perfect knight -- and succeeded. How many today could take such vows and keep them so well? I guess that's why this movie really is a work of fiction, right? Five stars.
I give this movie five stars because of its historical accuracy (as far as it goes), scale of drama (esp. the war scenes), costumes, story, and characters. Although I can appreciate the story's telegraphed style, I flagged between lagging a bit at times and grasping the story line enough to foresage what was about to happen. However, the characters were always drawn in sufficient depth and spirit that I was interested in what happened to them. Orlando Bloom detractors, be still; he carried the film quite well as the taciturn blacksmith-made-knight who faithfully discharged his vows of loyalty to God, king, and people with integrity and courage. In fact, if the panorama of this film hadn't fully won the five stars for me, it was clinched by the nobility quietly displayed in his reluctant leadership and selfless love for God's people (as opposed to the politics-bound church hierarchy that advocated leaving the people to slaughter, to save their own hide, as "God's will"). A church-state hegemony really is like that, you know. That's why we don't want to make such grave mistakes again in America.
"Always tell the truth, even if it leads to your own death." Bloom's character strove to be a perfect knight -- and succeeded. How many today could take such vows and keep them so well? I guess that's why this movie really is a work of fiction, right? Five stars.
posted by Twerpette at 1:34 AM
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