“There is so much done in Christendom of which Christ would be incapable.”
Kingdom of Heaven (Ridley Scott, 2005)
A masterpiece. A staggering achievement in filmmaking. One of the most gorgeous movies I’ve ever seen. The production design is off the charts. That team, as well as the costume design team, should have swept their categories in every awards ceremony that year. If there were ever a reason for a studio to let a master have final cut, it’s this film. Neeson, Irons, and Norton shine in supporting roles. Some familiar faces pop up in tertiary roles and play them wonderfully. Massoud and Siddig are outstanding. Scott doesn’t hold back in his exploration of what it means to coexist in the Holy Land, and he’s quite thoughtful about the political machinations that influence behavior both among and between religious zealots. Is this the greatest medieval era film ever made? Yes.
olde zoetrope 