What Is It?
"What man is a man who does not make the world better?"
Orlando Blume (Lord Of The Rings) stars in the new film from the Gladiator Team. Here they give us a large scale epic that brings us along on one of the crusades. A black smith has just murdered a priest for telling him that his wife's suicide will ensure she is in Hell. His personal need for redemption becomes very high when His biological father comes out of no where to invite him to the crusades. He goes to find a way out of Hell for his wife, and himself.
How Was It?
The beginning was very promising. With a light snow adding ambiance to the thrill of discovery as the first pieces of the puzzle are presented to you. The blacksmith who kills a priest and lets his body become kindling for his home and shop is as intense visually as it is thematically. The only thing
After the big intro, all you built up expectations are trampled on with a series of scenes that want to be complicated and deep, but are only tiresome and punctuate with platitudes made of a boys encouragement card. If that weren't enough the first step toward the crusades they are attacked. A large man who looks like a cross between Boromir and Thor. with arrows in him fights off the enemy with his last breath. The further comparison to Lord of the Rings only weakens the film.
Toward the end, a king gives Blooms character, Balian, a choice to have a criminal knight executed. This would prevent the corrupt knight from rising to the thrown through his wife, the king’s sister. It would also stop an unjust war and let Bloom marry the wife. Bloom implies that it would be wrong to do this, and no matter what, we should not do the wrong thing. Though this is a noble stance, the only apparent reason for it to be "wrong" is that it would bring peace and prevent the final battle.
Still he did not have the same types of moral hang ups when the same Knight's wife came to see him the night before.
Is It Good For Kids?
Between the killings, war, the revel of a leper man’s face, layered on the philosophy, I would say no. You can check www.ScreenIt.com for a complete break down of elements shown on the screen.
The other big problem....
How about Spiritual Issues?
Most of the quick quotes, implore men to make the world better, or tell you that God is concerned with your mind and your heart. We also see that over blown religion sends people off the path. Their quest is only half done. For instead of looking for truth, they throw the Lord out with the bath water. People who specifically identify themselves as Christian are horrible people whose religion is simply tradition with "God's will" used as a justification for evil activities.
Muslim praises are pointed out to "Sound Like Ours." The Muslims are the enemy but only attack when unjustly provoked by out of line Christians.
Both Balian and the Muslim king talk only of God and therefore have the right perspective God is reduced to being like us or needing to be discarded. Balian proclaims God will understand, and if He does not, then he is not God. This film seems to be, not a criticism of the crusades, but a pointed jab on those who let there religion affect too much of there life.
What Is Your Recommendation?
There is very little to recommend after the first 10 minuets. I have also read that this very slow 2 1/2 hour crusade was originally 4 hours. This will come out on a DVD that should prove to be grueling.
You know, “Lord of the Rings”has great characters and great battles, with a Christian world view, and clocking in at over 10 hours, by the time your done watching it, maybe you will re-emerge to a world where Kingdom of Heaven has left the theaters....
If you are looking for an a man fighting the system, to strip away religion and find truth, I suggest you go back the film Luther, invite some friends over, lead your own little crusade at 32 frames a second.
.....and what is with movies about suicide victims going to hell...
