Kingdom of Heaven - Romanticizing 3rd Crusade

This film was directed by Ridley Scott, director of Gladiator, Hannibal, and Black Hawk Down. It was shot in Morocco and Spain; the same place Scott shot his two other films, Gladiator and Black Hawk Down. Kingdom of Heaven heavily romanticizes events in Jerusalem during Third Crusade, so we shouldn’t expect high accuracy of it compared to real history. Even if this film was created based on real history and there are numerous scenes correlated with it, there are also many fictions here. Scott didn’t direct Kingdom of Heaven to be historical movie, but I can say that he successfully made a great film.

Personally, I admire Kingdom of Heaven. Scott made right decision in choosing actors and actress to play in his film. He made wise decision when he chose actors like Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Ghassan Massoud, Alexander Siddig, etc. to play in this film. They were able to play their role well, I can say that Kingdom of Heaven has deep emotion in every scenes. Every actor was able to bring emotion in their dialogue, monologue, and action. This factor, combined with battle scenes involving large number of people to play as soldiers and setting in desert and castle, brings a life to the story. Settings are carefully built to represents city, desert, people, and clothing in period of Third Crusade.

I once read that several scholars criticized historical accuracy of Kingdom of Heaven. Now after I watch it, I absolutely agree with them in that point. I can point out that peaceful relation between Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem during Crusade was only in imagination. But why must they bother themselves to criticize historical accuracy? Scott definitely didn’t plan to make Kingdom of Heaven as accurate as events in real history to begin with. Every touch in a work, it is up to the creator.

Here, I try to write a brief synopsis of Kingdom of Heaven:

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Balian is a blacksmith living in France who currently mourned over his wife. She commits suicide for untold reason. Unexpectedly, a crusader named Godfrey of Ibelin approaches him, claiming as his father and persuading him to go to Jerusalem. Balian directly rejects him so Godfrey leaves with his companions without Balian. But after Balian kills a priest in rage for the priest treatment to his wife burial, he decides to follow Godfrey. Godfrey gladly accepts him but soon he is wounded during a fight with soldiers from Balian village who try to arrest Balian because of murder. Realizing that he will die soon because of his wounds, Godfrey knights Balian, make him as his successor, Lord of Ibelin. Godfrey also orders Balian to serve King Baldwin of Jerusalem and protect the helpless.

After his father death, Balian advances to Jerusalem, but his ship is hit by storm. Fortunately he and a horse survive, but that horse run away to the desert when Balian tries to mount it. Tracking the horse, Balian soon confronts two horsemen over possession of the horse. He manages to kill the master, but not the servant, demanding the servant to guide him to Jerusalem. He releases the servant there even gives the horse to him, and later goes to Golgotha, praying to God over his late wife. After burying his wife’s necklace, he enters the city where he meets his father’s men who bring him to Tiberias, and soon he is accepted as new Lord of Ibelin.

Jerusalem is in political turmoil due to ambition of Guy de Lusignan and Raynald of Chatilon to dispose Muslim community from Jerusalem, opposing King Baldwin’s effort to maintain peace relationship between Muslim and Christian community in Jerusalem. Situation is worsening after Raynald attacks Muslim caravan. Afterwards, Saladin advances with his army to Kerak, Raynald’s castle. Balian and his men are ordered to defend Kerak while King Baldwin assembles his army. Being outnumbered, Balian and his men are soon defeated and captured by Saladin’s cavalrymen who arrive before the main army. It turns out that the cavalry leader is the servant Balian freed before; he is one of Saladin’s general. Both of them have a relatively peaceful talk after the battle, until Saladin and King Baldwin arrive with their armies. In their talk, King Baldwin pushes an agreement to Saladin, The King will punish Raynald for his crime raiding Muslim caravan, but Saladin must withdraws his army. Saladin accepts. Later, Raynald is imprisoned, but political tension in Jerusalem still exists.

Realizing that his sister, Sybilla, has an interest to Balian even if she is still married to Guy, King Baldwin offers Balian a deal. He will pair him with Sybilla after Guy is given a death sentence by The King. Balian refuses to involve himself in political turmoil, even if he’ll become successor of King Baldwin if he marries Sybilla. The King’s health is deteriorating and soon he dies, leaving Guy as new king because of his position as Sybilla’s husband.

Tension with Saladin appears again after Raynald attacks muslim caravan once more, even murdering Saladin’s sisters. Afterwards, Guy kill Saladin’s envoy who send Saladin’s message to him, demanding her sister’s body and the head who responsible. Later Guy foolishly assembles the army and marches to the desert, lacking supplies of water and food. Balian refuses to follow Guy, preferring stay to defense the city. Guy decision becomes disaster when more prepared Saladin’s army defeats Guy’s army in Battle of Hattin.

Realizing Saladin victory, Tiberias (the right hand of the late King Baldwin) decides to leave from Jerusalem to Cyprus, disappointed with many people and situations. Balian chooses to stay in Jerusalem dismissing advice from patriach of Jerusalem to flee, defending the city from Saladin’s army even if being outnumbered. Saladin and his army soon arrive, besieging the city for days and attacking the city wall. Realizing that he can not win, Balian tries to prolong the battle in order to push Saladin to a deal, considering that his goal is protecting the people, not the city. After his army breaches city’s wall but hasn’t been able to capture the city, Saladin asks for terms, something Balian waits for days. The talk after heavy battle is taking place smoothly. Saladin agrees to give save passages to Christian land to the people of Jerusalem in exchange Balian surrenders Jerusalem to him. Saladin also promises not to butcher any people like Christian army did before. Balian accepts these terms, ending the war between them.

Later people of Jerusalem leaves to Christian land. Saladin’s general Balian met before returns back the horse to Balian when he says his farewell. Balian and Sybilla leaves to France and live as commoner. In ending scene, Richard I of England, accompanied by a group of Crusaders, meet Balian, seeking for Balian who defended Jerusalem, asking him to join his army taking Jerusalem back from Saladin. Balian tells them that he is just a blacksmith, so Richard leaves. Balian and Sybilla are shown riding horses to sunset after visiting the grave of Balian’s first wife.

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If we compare it to history now, we can see that some scenes in this film are incorrect. In real history Balian never lived in France, the name of Balian’s father is not Godfrey, Balian had no romantic relationship with Sybilla, and King Baldwin had died several years before events on this film. Well, Ridley Scott didn’t plan to make historical film, but he did make a great movie. He also succeeded to choose actors who have excellent acting performance, even chose Ghassan Massoud, a Syrian Muslim actor as Saladin. As lay people I can say that Kingdom of Heaven is an excellent movie.