Kingdom of Heaven: Director’s Cut — Ridley Scott At His Best

“How could you be in hell, when you are in my heart.”

Director: Read The Title

Ridley Scott is one of the longest working directors in the film industry, and also one of the most inconsistent directors. For every classic like “Alien” and “Thelma and Louise”, there is a dud like “Robin Hood” or “The Counselor”. The quality of his work is usually based solely on the quality of the screenplay given to him by the writer. As a director, he is unable to elevate a bad script into something good. However, he is also able to elevate a good script into becoming an amazing movie. The exception to this rule is Ridley Scott’s 2004 epic “Kingdom of Heaven”. The theatrical version of this film is by all accounts a mess, with plot holes galore and character motivations that don’t make sense. This is the version of the film that will probably prevail as long as the film is remembered; the version of the film that the studio butchered in the edit bay. Which is a travesty, because the Director’s Cut is arguably one of Scott’s greatest storytelling achievements, and here are the reasons why:

• THE STORY STRUCTURE — This script is expertly structured. It immediately introduces us to our conflict and the main character in the story. By introducing us to him by having him mourn the loss of his mother, the script immediately creates an emotional bond between the viewer and the major character. The script starts off with a small scope, allowing viewers to connect with Balian as a main character before he is whisked off on his adventure. From then on, the film gradually builds the scope all the way up to the giant final battle. It does this by continuously building the tension of the main conflict through each scene, whilst also keeping a focus on developing the characters. This allows the film to create a deep emotional impact on the viewer when the final battle commences, instead of just providing mindless eye candy.
• THE CHARACTERS — For being over 3 hours, it is incredibly impressive that each character of importance to the plot is completely fleshed out. Characters like the King, Guy de Lusignan, and Cybilla would be pretty one-note in other scripts, but writer William Monahan finds a way to get viewers to be very invested in their lives. By the end of the film, each major character has reached a satisfying conclusion to their own arc.
• THE MESSAGE — Many historical epics of this nature are content to just coast by on their visuals and performances. They don’t really have much to say, and mainly just exist for pure entertainment value. This is absolutely not the case for “Kingdom of Heaven”. This film does have characteristics similar to the other historical epics, but what sets this film apart is its message. You see, this film is ultimately a commentary on religious fanaticism. The film makes the point that violent religious fanatics ultimately serve to bring pain and suffering upon those who disagree with them, and that this is not following the teachings of their religion. This is perhaps no better presented than when Balian remarks that the enemies Mosques were built on top of Christian churches, and that Jerusalem’s churches were built on top of the enemy’s mosques. This is an important and daring message that the film makes, and it makes its staying power that much stronger.
• THE DIRECTING — Simply put, this film would not be anywhere near as powerful if Scott didn’t direct the hell out of this. His visuals are very powerful; this is a gorgeous looking movie. But, unlike in other Ridley Scott movies, these visuals serve to heighten the emotions in the story instead of provide a visual distraction. But in addition to providing amazing visuals, Scott is able to coax amazing performances out of all of his actors, in particular Eva Green and Edward Norton, who are terrific in their roles. Scott definitely brings his A-game to this film, and uses his considerable talents to lift up and already impressive screenplay.

In conclusion, “Kingdom of Heaven” is a film that will always be unfairly remembered by the theatrical cut that was butchered in the edit bay by the studio. The Director’s Cut stands as a testament to the power of a legendary filmmaker using his talents to elevate an already strong script, and is the legacy that “Kingdom of Heaven” should’ve had.

Watched on: Blu Ray