The Crusades period (specifically the 3rd Crusade) is a favorite historical period to mess around in - nominally because of Robin Hood mythos and legends, but also because King Richard the Lionhearted is probably one of my favorite English kings to study (and to ridicule).
When "Kingdom of Heaven" came out in theatres, I watched it because I did have an interest as to how Salah-al-din had captured Jerusalem and also because it was 2 years before the "Assassin's Creed" video game series was released by Ubisoft. It was a hot mess in theatres. I did not get like half of the plot and thought how could Scott make a movie so bad when "Gladiator" was so good. Historical accuracy aside for both movies.
Then he released the Director's Cut and disowned the theatrical cut and I watched it. I still am ambivalent about Balian of Ibelin (I was in my Orlando Bloom phase, but was meh about his acting in this one coming off of the Pirates movies and Troy). Liam Neeson's Godfrey of Ibelin (good thing they changed his name) made me laugh and also think that I watch too many movies where he as the mentor dies in like the first 30 minutes of any movie.
I absolutely adored King Baldwin IV and how Edward Norton portrayed him. Nuanced, dignified and absolutely heart-breakingly devastating leper king who hopes his kingdom is not going to shit after, but can already see it falling to pieces in front of him as his body fails him.
Cue deep dive into the 2nd Crusades, the intermediary era leading up to the 3rd Crusades annnnnd a lot of research. Then came the 1st AC game and I was kind of lost to the winds of research and video gaming.
I would occasionally pick this movie up over the next few years (Director's Cut always) and just recently completed another watch after a few years of not viewing it. I think I've gained an appreciation for the epic scale of the movie, the pretty nifty siege of Jerusalem (I kind of wanna do the ballista into the siege towers move in Total War games) and general appreciation of the even-handedness Ridley Scott put into this movie.
Like no religion is correct. Both suck and have their points, but mostly what war does is hurt everyone. Kind of need this to be shouted from rooftops for all conflict across the world.
Anyways - was a good watch. Will come back to this in probably another few years.
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