The Reel Kingdom

0 Comments:

The Reality
Posted on May 17th, 2005...

I saw this film on Tuesday, 5/17, and was greatly disappointed. It is visually impressive but seriously flawed in character development and portrayals. Most of the characters were not deep enough to hold my interest. The major exception is Liam Neeson as the protagonist's father, but he is removed from the board early in the film. Orlando Bloom was probably not the best choice for the male lead, with his wooden acting and cardboard-thin charisma. There was also very little chemistry between the male and female leads.

This film covers a wide scope and tries to deal with a number of issues. But I think it fails to capture the complexity of the political and personal intrigues that made the Crusades so controversial in their own times as well as in contemporary times. Running at only 145 minutes, this is no "Lawrence of Arabia" in length nor in impact.

Director Ridley Scott backed away from the religious conflicts behind the series of invasions that we call the Crusades, to focus on individual motivations. But the wandering plot line and lackluster acting seriously weakens the impact of this film's internal dialogue.

The first thirty minutes are tremendous. The entire middle is mediocre. And the last thirty minutes are laughable. Oh, Ridley... How disappointing. Don't be afraid to offend and be controversial in the search for cinematic and emotional truth. This film lacks fire, darkness, and anguish; and fails to personalize the tremendous suffering and tragedies that embody the hundreds of years of warfare in this part of the world.

Orlando Bloom's Balian survives his journey through the Holy Land through unexplained battle prowess, sheer luck, and the gift of a repentant father. At the close, Bloom's character finds a separate peace without ever seeming to fight for it. This is not realistic, not entertaining, and definitely not believable.

Grand epics are grand tragedies. Without weakness, strength means nothing. Both should be found in equal measures in a great hero, for greatness grows out of overcoming that which holds us back. And by this definition, the "Kingdom of Heaven" has no heroes.

What a far cry from my original hopes...

The Hope
Posted on April 13th 2005...

For the past year or so, I've been filling in some major gaps in my education. Specifically, in regards to the history and geography of the early Greek, Roman, and Celtic civilizations. But I'm not alone in this endeavor.

Hollywood has released a slew of films based on epic stories and legends. The year 2004 saw the legends of Troy, King Arthur, and Alexander the Great replayed on the big screen. While these films met with reviews and box office earnings that were not on a par with "Gladiator", hope lives. Ridley Scott is returning to the historical epic genre this May with "Kingdom of Heaven". These mounted knights will most certainly not be accompanied by squires bashing coconut shells together.

If you want big budget action epics done right, there's really only one person to call. The man who brought us "Alien", "Blade Runner", and "Blackhawk Down" inspires more faith than Wolfgang Petersen, Antoine Fuqua, Oliver Stone, and Jerry Bruckheimer combined. While these producers and directors are reknowned, they just don't compare. Their filmographies don't include the range and diversity evident from "Thelma and Louise" to "Hannibal"....

Ridley Scott's films are incredible fusions of sight, sound, and story. But more importantly, they are not limited in scope to the antics or tragedy of a single character. Many stories have a stereo or monocular focus, where the hero and heroine are the central thread and supporting characters are generally typecast. Or they're patchwork tales that interweave multiple vignettes and characters. Scott's films somehow rise above the mass.

Maybe it's because he depicts heroes as individuals who rise to the occasion despite inner doubts and misgivings. Maybe it's because of the powerful musical scores that always complement the visuals; and are works of art in their own right. Maybe it's because his worlds are always beautifully rendered facades but his characters operate on a hyped fuel of hope and fear in the margins where life isn't quite as picturesque as it first appears. Maybe it's because his characters never accept their fates willingly and always ask why. Who knows. But I like it.

Go check out the trailer on the Apple web site. And then go read "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Byron.

Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green,
That host with their banners at sunset were seen.

 

Show all posts