Kingdom of Heaven

The thing that sets Kingdom of Heaven apart from many other movies is that it successfully holds a number of different viewpoints at once. Kingdom of Heaven is set during one of the Crusades, and focuses on the military conquest and defense of the city of Jerusalem. But there are no "good guys" and "bad guys," nor is the war simply good or bad. At various times throughout the movie, war and violence are: a method of survival, a missionary effort, a way to protect innocents, a birthright, and a way to hold on to one's beliefs. This variety creates a thought-provoking richness to the movie, making it more than just another grand showcase of special-effects (though it is also that).

There are many excellent performances in this movie, including by Liam Neeson, as the main character's guide and father, and by Ghassan Massoud, as the Muslim general. Actor Orlando Bloom, a veteran of numerous big-budget war movies, does a superb job of portraying the main character Balian, a black-smith turned general. This character, a young man thrust into war with no experience, has a different way of looking at the conflict. For those who don't like war, this character is the key to enjoying this movie.