Kingdom of Heaven

[UbiSunt]

I really don't remember another movie that I anticipated as much as this. Ridley Scott is directing and some impressive names are included among the actors.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/kingdom_of_heaven/

Questions: Do you think this movie about the end of the 2nd Crusade will spark the same type of cultural debate, as say, The Passion? Do you think it will be historically accurate? If anyone reading is a Muslim; what is your take on this? Christian?

I'm not trolling, I'm just curious and would like feedback.

 

[BigJ]

Wow, this movie looks really good. I love these types of movies, and I don't think Scott is going to let us down.

 

[dderidex]

The Passion sparked cultural debate?

Thought he was just a bunch of right-wingers going "there's ma' Jebus! Let's show this in the schools!" vs a bunch of left-winger who say "Interesting fiction piece. DIAF." and 90% of the country didn't care.

 

[FlyLice]

Why do I have a feeling that Orlando Bloom is going to die, kinda like how Russell Crowe did in Gladiator.

And Eva Green. Laff.

 

[UbiSunt]

I don't think that a movie that grossed roughly $370,274,604 domestically went unnoticed by 90% of the population. I agree that the debate was pretty lame. But, at least it got people talking about ideas instead of simply becoming zombie drones to the theater, watching movies like Torque while their brains liquify.

 

[MegaWorks]

Yeah sure the Crusaders are the good guys, more BS from hollywood.

 

[MidasKnight]

Looks like a good movie. I'd have to see it first before any further comment.

 

[preslove]

Were they "safeguarding the helpless" when they killed everybody in Jerusalem during the 1st crusade?

 

[illustri]

Originally posted by: UbiSunt
I don't think that a movie that grossed roughly $370,274,604 domestically went unnoticed by 90% of the population. I agree that the debate was pretty lame. But, at least it got people talking about ideas instead of simply becoming zombie drones to the theater, watching movies like Torque while their brains liquify.

one might argue watching the passion amount to the same thing

/not me though... i liked torque

 

[UbiSunt]

Here is a link to an article from the NYTimes describing the movie. (And probably hoping to start a controversy like they did with the above-mentioned movie).

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/a...&incamp=archive:search

Unfortunately you have to pay for the whole thing but it gives you an idea. And I read an interview somewhere (I'm looking) with Ridley Scott and he claims to be villifying only the religious extremists on each side (Knights Templar etc.). Further, what little the clip shows does not promise a nice or cutesy portrayal of Guy of Lusignan or Reginald of Châtillon (in fact they look like the main villians). I also heard that Saladin was portrayed quite nobly.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: preslove
Were they "safeguarding the helpless" when they killed everybody in Jerusalem during the 1st crusade?

I think the film is about the conflict between his oath and his orders.

Looks that way, especially from the line "the king has no need of a perfect knight"

I would be surprised if its otherwise.

 

[Babbles]

Looks pretty cool. I'll check it out.

 

[dsfunk]

one of the last scenes in that preview with the trebuchets firing...this is going to be freakin sweet on dvd

it might replace the opening battle of gladiator to show off the home theater system

...and with ridley scott, no matter if the story is oscar worthy or not, this movie should be entertaining

 

[Jassi]

I'll watch it when it comes out but I am not Muslim and glorifying the crusades will piss me off.

 

[dderidex]

Originally posted by: dsfunk
one of the last scenes in that preview with the trebuchets firing...this is going to be freakin sweet on dvd

it might replace the opening battle of gladiator to show off the home theater system

...and with ridley scott, no matter if the story is oscar worthy or not, this movie should be entertaining

I wonder....can we thank the "Age of Empires" PC games for everyone knowing what a trebuchet is on site?

 

[Michael]

MegaWorks - From the early reviews I have read, the "buzz" is the opposite. It makes the Crusaders look like evil fanatics. This is the period where Saladin beat the Christian forces at the Horns of Hattin and then drove them out of most of the Holy Land. The Christians used bone-headed tactics and they also pissed off their less extreme neighbours.

So the main knock on this film to begin with is that it is yet another Hollywood film that bashes Christians. Saladin and his forces are portrayed more as heros than anything else. Actually, almost all the period historians portray Saladin in a very flattering light. Sometimes I think it is to make the fact that he kicked Crusader ass all over the place easier to swallow, but it is pretty consistently positive.

Michael

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: dderidex

Originally posted by: dsfunk
one of the last scenes in that preview with the trebuchets firing...this is going to be freakin sweet on dvd

it might replace the opening battle of gladiator to show off the home theater system

...and with ridley scott, no matter if the story is oscar worthy or not, this movie should be entertaining

I wonder....can we thank the "Age of Empires" PC games for everyone knowing what a trebuchet is on site?

Nope.

 

[edro]

That looks really good. I love these historical movies (Troy, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Band of Brothers, etc)

 

[Al Neri]

Originally posted by: dderidex
The Passion sparked cultural debate?

Thought he was just a bunch of right-wingers going "there's ma' Jebus! Let's show this in the schools!" vs a bunch of left-winger who say "Interesting fiction piece. DIAF." and 90% of the country didn't care.

hey dderidex, were you hibernating for much of last year?

 

[PCFetish]

new trailer!

 

[trmiv]

Is Orlando Bloom only ever in Blockbusters and Award winning movies? He picks some good stuff.

 

[Kenazo]

Originally posted by: MegaWorks
Yeah sure the Crusaders are the good guys, more BS from hollywood.

From a particular point of view, anyone can be the good guy.

 

[Malladine]

pussified gladiator

 

[PCMarine]

what I think is bogus is how hollywood totally exaggerates/romanticises history

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: Michael
MegaWorks - From the early reviews I have read, the "buzz" is the opposite. It makes the Crusaders look like evil fanatics. This is the period where Saladin beat the Christian forces at the Horns of Hattin and then drove them out of most of the Holy Land. The Christians used bone-headed tactics and they also pissed off their less extreme neighbours.

So the main knock on this film to begin with is that it is yet another Hollywood film that bashes Christians. Saladin and his forces are portrayed more as heros than anything else. Actually, almost all the period historians portray Saladin in a very flattering light. Sometimes I think it is to make the fact that he kicked Crusader ass all over the place easier to swallow, but it is pretty consistently positive.

Michael

Sounds good. The Crusaders were fanatics and boneheads and if the movie can show a somewhat even-handed portrayal of this period, then it will be 100 times better than what Hollywood has ever shown in the past about the Crusades.

Plus, it's a Ridley Scott movie so it should be worth seeing.