Kingdom of Heaven (SPOILERS)

I've been holding out hope for this one for awhile. I know there is a trailer ready to go, but I can't get a straight answer out of Fox when I call about if it will be on the Flight of the Phoenix or not. Should be out soon if they are already showing a rough cut of the movie.

The word "review" should only be used sparringly when it comes to writing like that. Aren't we through with the epic battle/crusade movies already? Maybe this one will actually live up to the promise?

I guess we're going to find out if Orlando Bloom can carry a film.

Got a answer about the trailer. It's going to be shown with The Aviator and Phantom of the Opera. Lobby displays will be out in January 2005.

I think that KINGDOM OF HEAVEN will become a box-office disappointment in US-- like THE LAST SAMURAI and TROY.

Sweet! I am seeing The Aviator on Thursday night. Here's hoping that attach it to the screening print.

I don't think it will be there. I got the distinct impression that the trailer would only be ready by the 20th or so, which means it wouldn't be ready to be added to The Aviator until it goes wide at Christmas. I didn't clairfy with the Fox rep so that was my error. I was just excited about finally having some news about the trailer. We will definitely see it within the next 15 days somewhere.

Sid City scored an exclusive publicity still from KOH. http://www.sidcity.net/kingdomofheaven.shtml

Also MTV will do a behind the scenes type thing this weekend on KOH.

ET on MTV at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and then ET on VH1 at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday are giving sneak peaks at Kingdom of Heaven.

Comingsoon.net also scored some more publicity stills from the movie.

Kingdom of Heaven Trailer

I watched the trailer at quicktime.com the other day.

Does Orlando Bloom have the testosterone to be the main leading man in a Ridley Scott film? Evidently he failed at doing that in Troy, which I haven't seen, but based on the trailers in THAT film and what everyone has been saying, he's a total pansy as Paris. However, from the trailer, it looks as though he does a much better job pulling off the strong alpha-male type necessary for this epic which looks to be on par with "Gladiator."

Could it be that Bloom just hasn't had the chance to sink his teeth into a juicy leading-man role like this before, and that's the explanation? Perhaps it's his parts in movies like Troy or Pirates that hold him back from achieving a good reputation as a Russell-Crowe-type strong silent type. Or is it that he has he really grown that much as an actor between Troy and this? OR...perhaps the trailer is misleading and he will continue to be awful?


What do you guys think?

Yeah, but there are a couple of factors to consider: A: it might not be shit, and B: Ridley is a better director than Zwick and Petersen.

The source material is there...If Scott can handle it.

SPOILERS (warned once again)
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...I wonder what sort of make-up Norton will be wearing.

Paris was a total pansy. That's the point. The character of Paris was a simpering flawed pretty boy who pretty much just slept around and partied and didn't give a damn about the consequences. So by that definition, Orlando hit the character dead spot on on what was to be portrayed. I think it's flawed logic to base his performance in Troy as a comparison to KOH just because they are sword flicks.

Ridley put Orlando thru a huge screen test for the movie. I think Ridley has enough power to put the hell whoever he wants in the movie. If Orlando impressed him, then I'm going to trust Ridley Scott. He sure as hell has the atmosphere down and it appears from the trailer there is an actual story to be told instead of just battle scenes.

I was going to pretty much respnd to Edinburgh the same way you did... but the I got lazy. Bloom was type-casted as Paris, and it worked. Too bad his dialogue couldn't have been any better.

I trust Ridley with this project. The cast seems far less celebrity-ridden for Kingdom of Heaven than Troy's did. I Think Brad Pitt is great, I do, but the guy hasn't had to act since Snatch. So his presence in Troy (which Kingdom of Heaven might unfortunately resemble) was merely Brad Pitt in battle gear as opposed to the reincarnation of "Achilles" on screen. But I digress.

Point is: Kingdom of Heaven on paper looks like Troy, but it will end up being a piece of work far more dedicated to the craft of filmmaking than it's sword fetish predecessor.

Guys...the mere two minute trailer for Kingdom of Heaven is leaps and bounds better than the entire 160+ minutes of Troy. With Ridley at the helm, Neeson and Irons supporting, and Orlando speaking in tones other than his monotonous puppy-dog whisper, I think this will be fantastic. And probably better than Gladiator. That was a damn good movie that was well-filmed and well acted, but it's script was clunky and the premise was awfully straight-forward. At least this looks to be trying for something a little more ambitious than Gladiator's General...Slave...Gladiator...HERO!!! storyline that skewed history for the sake of leaving audiences feeling content.

This looks unbelievably promising, and while I haven't liked Bloom in anything but LOTR, he actually looks good enough to carry a film in this. And boy does it look gorgeous.

The latest test screening sounds good. Although it ends on a worrying note:


Insert complaints about the reviewer being a plant......under my post.....now!

EDIT: I'm still disappointed that Orlando is starring in this movie, I hate that kid.

This is my most-wanted film of 2005, right in front of Sin City and SW EP3. Gosh this looks like a great year for cinema........This movie looks gorgeous, the cinematography looks breathtaking, like something out of a painting, the trailer is one of the best fucking trailers i've seen in a long time....oh gosh i hope this doesn't suck, I've kind of been indifferent to Bloom up to this point, haven't hated him, but thought his elf was cool, i mean he hasn't had to carry a film yet, maybe he can here.....i just hope this all works out cause after all of last year's "epics" i think we need a genuinely good one and hopfully this will be it....Ridley doens't disapoint often, and personally i don't think he will here, it's too early to tell but by the look and scope of this film it has oscar all over it.

I really hope Orlando doesn't blow it! I was worried at first that this would fall short of my expectations, but then I though: Wait, this is Ridley Scott! The man could film two people throwing feces at each other and make it look like a cinematic Master Piece.

May can't get here soon enough!

Just want to chime in and say I am really looking forward to this one. I like the cast a lot, and I am huge fan of all of Ridley Scott's work. He might be my favorite Director. I also like the subject matter. I think it will be interesting to learn more about the crusades. I never made it to Alexander, but I have yet to see a sword and sandals pic i didn't like, including Troy.

The Japan trailer is really superior to the one we got in the U.S. Why do all the international trailers always look so much better. Eva Green looks to be smoking in this one.

Latino Review scored a bunch of new production stills on Kingdom of Heaven.

Sir Ridley certainly knows how to maximize the beauty of his scenes in framing, lighting and composition.

for those of you who were lazy like me... stills HERE.

Well apparently Fox smacked Latino Review for the stills because they are all gone.

You know what is up with Fox dragging their collective feet on promoting this movie. The stills were great and the first new things I've seen in ages. They have updated the lame web site for the movie since they premiered the trailer back in December. Nothing new on the trailers except that the international was loads better than the U.S. one. This movie opens in a month and I've just heard nothing at all about it.

Didn't really spoil me much but gave me a better overall feel on the movie and that this is more character that just battles. Battles still look cool.

OscarWatch has a review up from the screening that apparently happened last night.OscarWatch LINK

I was at a screening of this last night.

The movie is amazing.

Definitely my favorite of all I've seen so far this year. Gorgeous cinematography, great acting, perfect music, invisible cgi, and massive massive battle scenes. I thought Bloom totally held his own, in his one shirtless scene (spoiler?) he even looked like he packed on quite a bit of muscle for the role.

I was really looking forward to this after seeing the trailer and it definitely exceeded my amped expectations.

Awesome, I really can't wait. AICN posted a couple reviews up today. One mixed and one positive. You can find those here.

The only negative thing i've heard so far is that test screenings have cause the suits to cut like 45 minutes of it. Damn is all i have to say. Colin was the movie 2hrs 15 min? or was it the full 3 hours like we thought?

It's definitely not 3 hours. There were a couple parts where cuts are definitely noticable. I originally thought it was to squeeze a PG13, but it overall felt like an R so that couldn't be it. The movie didn't feel long to me at all, I could have watched a 4 hour cut I was enjoying it so much.

damn, i was really hoping they didn't cut this movie. I wish they wouldn't fuck with movies. Some movies need to be cut, but epics usually have a big story to tell, with complex plotlines and character development. Oh well, maybe we'll get it put back into the dvd.

This is one of my most anticipated films of the year. Ridley can do no wrong for me, I've loved every film of his since "Gladiator" and many before. This is an amazingly interesting story, especially given the times we live in now as well. It takes place in a time when Jerusalem was ruled by a Christian king, almost unimaginable today. It has a lot of great history to play with, so I'm excited to see what they do with it.

The original trailer is one of the best I can remember, period. Great music (Jonathan Elias's "The Prayer Cycle: Movement III- Hope" for film music buffs), great cutting, great dialogue, and just all around great. I'm really excited to see what Edward Norton does with his King Baldwin IV and that mask, the shot of him slapping the shit out of someone gave me chills. And he seems to have an Alec Guinness/Prince Faisal thing going on with his accent in the newer trailer.

"All are welcome in Jerusalem, not just because it is expedient, but because it is right." Great line.

I'm a little worried about Orlando Bloom. I haven't enjoyed him in anything outisde LOTR, but that could be due to his choice of roles either immensely unlikable (Troy) or downright boring (Pirates of the Caribbean). Still, I love his scene in the trailer when he tells Eva Green he apparently won't be with her:

"You are a princess, and I am no lord. You have my love....and my answer". His look in that scene gives me hope, plus the part where he kisses his sword. I think he could surprise us, but he doesn't seem quite perfect fit some of Ridley's other leading men (Crowe, Bana), but he got a pretty great turn out of Josh Hartnett, so anything's possible.

Basically, this should be a great film. Getting it trimmed sucks a bit, but I'm sure we'll see the extended cut eventually, and given the failure of "Alexander", I can't say I'm surprised.

Spoilerish Question















How is the character of Saladin handled in the film? Because reading the script way back when it seemed that the islamites were getting the short end of the stick and that Saladin seemed caught between being a good person and being a good muslim. Is the islamaphobia still evident in the film or has Scott managed to do what I hope and make the muslims just as much characters as the Plantagenates.