15,697
edits
Changes
no edit summary
The Kingdom of Heaven does take substantial liberties with the historical figures involved in the Fall of Jerusalem, but these choices made a lot of sense for a movie. Balian, Sibylla, and Neeson's character were either heavily fictionalized or created specifically for the movie, but each of them is critical to tell the story. Balian, in addition to being the hero, serves as a guide for the viewer. Through his eyes, the viewers are introduced to the Crusades, learn about the history of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and are shown the divisions with the Kingdom that lead to its destruction. Sibylla also helps the viewer see the decaying Kingdom and humanizes the King of Jerusalem, played by Edward Norton.
Critical opinions of <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i> are pretty mixed. Whatever you do, avoid the theatrical release version and watch the longer edition released on blu-ray. That being said, if you want another view watch the <i>History Buffs</i> video below. <i>History Buffs</i> despises <i>Kingdom of Heaven</i> and thinks it is terrible.
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTjUu1Bt29o</youtube>