Above all else, I think this film was mis-marketed. The trailers revealed a Gladiator-esquire epic battle romp, hanging the film on the reputation of Ridley Scott's Oscar winner. The film does have its battles, and they are excellent, but they are not the point. The point of the film is the personal journey of one man, played decently enough by Orlando Bloom, who joins a crusade to seek redemption and find a place for himself. Scott understands the history of the era, and he represents the many complexities of the conflict fairly, yet knows when to deviate from it for entertainment's sake (I have my doubts about the love story subplot, and flaming projectiles were not commonplace in 12th century warfare). Leaders on both sides are depicted as pragmatic and grounded, focusing on the well-being of their people while being assailed on both sides from fanatics who wish to see further conflict in the name of god. No one is truly vilified, and no one is truly heroic. There are good performances all around, from a huge and diverse cast including Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Alexander Siddig and the impressive Ghassan Massoud as the Arab king, Saladin. Try to guess the star, whose face is never seen, under the mask as King Baldwin - the vocal and physical performance is one of the best I've seen all year.
From a technical standpoint, the film is colossal. The editing, cinematography, costumes, and sets are all top-notch (although Jerusalem isn't actually in a desert, it's on top of a series of wooded hills), and Harry Gregson-Williams' score is powerful and inspired. CG is used sparingly and convincingly, interspersed with intense close-ups, practical effects, and miniatures to create real battles of substance, power and scale, unlike the horde-of-special-effects-ants styles of recent "Troy" and "Lord of the Rings". Ridley Scott knows that we know what a battle looks like, and wisely focuses more on the aftermath and the reactions of individuals than the blood-n-guts stabbing and slashing with which Hollywood has become obsessed. Which isn't to say the film is not violent - it is, but Scott gives the violence purpose and directs with the same precision, control, and focus that made "Black Hawk Down" a smashing success.
I enjoyed this film for what it was, not what it was marketed to be: a well-made historical drama about one man's crusade and the perils of fanaticism - from BOTH sides.
From a technical standpoint, the film is colossal. The editing, cinematography, costumes, and sets are all top-notch (although Jerusalem isn't actually in a desert, it's on top of a series of wooded hills), and Harry Gregson-Williams' score is powerful and inspired. CG is used sparingly and convincingly, interspersed with intense close-ups, practical effects, and miniatures to create real battles of substance, power and scale, unlike the horde-of-special-effects-ants styles of recent "Troy" and "Lord of the Rings". Ridley Scott knows that we know what a battle looks like, and wisely focuses more on the aftermath and the reactions of individuals than the blood-n-guts stabbing and slashing with which Hollywood has become obsessed. Which isn't to say the film is not violent - it is, but Scott gives the violence purpose and directs with the same precision, control, and focus that made "Black Hawk Down" a smashing success.
I enjoyed this film for what it was, not what it was marketed to be: a well-made historical drama about one man's crusade and the perils of fanaticism - from BOTH sides.