Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven

Kingdom of Heaven

2005Movie144 minEnglish

After his wife dies, a blacksmith named Balian is thrust into royalty, political intrigue and bloody holy wars during the Crusades.

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Insights

IMDb6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes39%
Metacritic63/100
Google Users75%
Director: Ridley ScottGenres: Drama, History, War

Plot Summary

Balian of Ibelin, a blacksmith haunted by his past, travels to Jerusalem during the Crusades. He becomes embroiled in the conflict between Christians and Muslims, eventually taking up arms to defend the city. Facing overwhelming odds, Balian must fight for his honor, his faith, and the survival of the kingdom.

Critical Reception

Ridley Scott's epic historical drama received a mixed critical reception upon its release, with many praising its visual grandeur and ambition but criticizing its historical inaccuracies and a somewhat uneven narrative. The extended director's cut, however, is widely regarded as a significant improvement, offering a more nuanced portrayal of characters and events, and has garnered much stronger critical and audience appreciation over time.

What Reviewers Say

  • Visually stunning with epic battle sequences and grand production design.
  • Narrative and character development were considered lacking in the theatrical cut, improved in the director's cut.
  • Historical accuracy was a point of contention for many critics.

Google audience: Audiences appreciated the film's impressive scale, historical setting, and action sequences. Some found the plot predictable or the characters underdeveloped, but many acknowledged its visual spectacle and Ridley Scott's directorial vision.

Fun Fact

The film was shot in the desert of Spain, with a massive set constructed to replicate Jerusalem. This set was later dismantled and rebuilt in Morocco for the filming of 'The Mummy Returns'.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
BornKnight

BornKnight

One of the most hated movies by Ridley Scott, that shows the difference of what versions and cuts can have on a movie. This movie have a Theatrical version (144 min.) a Director's Cut (189 min.) and Director's Cut Roadshow Version (194 min....
Wuchak

Wuchak

Good start and ending, weak middle, but magnificent photography and haunting score "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005) isn’t as good as contemporaneous sword & sandal flicks "Troy" (one of my favorites) and "King Arthur" (very good), but it's n...