Kingdom of HeavenReview by Peter T. Chattaway |
posted 5/06/2005
2 of 5
More importantly, the film raises provocative questions that, given their setting and theme, are reminiscent of more thoughtful epics like Lawrence of Arabia. Key among them is the relationship between God's will and human agency—and whether the former can ever be discerned in the latter. Baldwin's sister Sybilla (Eva Green) suggests the two faiths have fundamentally different sensibilities on this point when she remarks, "Their prophet says 'submit.' Jesus says 'decide.'" But the question is debated within each faith, too.
Orlando Bloom, as Balian, leads the charge
Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas), a Templar who is married to Sybilla and is thus poised to sit on the throne himself, insists that God wants the Christians to slaughter the Muslim hordes. But Baldwin refuses to comply, even going so far as to hang knights who would pick fights with their putative enemies. Witnessing one of these executions, Balian remarks to a Hospitaller (David Thewlis), a member of the military-religious order entrusted with the care of unwell pilgrims, that this seems odd: "They are dying for doing what the pope would tell them to do." The Hospitaller replies, "Yes, but not Christ, I think."
Similarly, one of Saladin's underlings chastises him for not pressing forward more boldly against the Christian armies; he insists that Saladin, by pursuing his more cunning strategy of waiting for Baldwin's ranks to collapse from within, is failing to follow God's will. To this, the Kurdish warrior replies by asking how many battles God had won for the Muslims before he (Saladin) came along—that is, before God determined that he should come along.
The film also emphasizes the need to take responsibility for one's own actions in the midst of competing and conflicting forces. Baldwin proposes killing Guy and marrying Sybilla off to Balian, thus ensuring the city will remain in moderate hands. But Balian, despite his adulterous affair with Sybilla, refuses to be involved in a premeditated murder, even if it might preserve the peace. "It is a kingdom of conscience or nothing," he says.
Eva Green as Sibylla
Ultimately, Balian must defend Jerusalem itself. And it is fascinating to see Bloom, who began his career as an elfin auxiliary in the Lord of the Rings films, grow into the sort of semi-kingly leading man who can rally the troops to the highest ideals of chivalry.
Kingdom of Heaven inevitably invites comparisons to Gladiator, Scott's last major epic. But it is a better film, partly because it does less violence to the history, and partly because it rises above the simple-minded revenge-movie dynamics that grounded that earlier film. It also does a much better job of fitting its personal stories within their political context. Balian might never find the answers he is looking for; the film is decidedly doubtful about knowing God's will. Still, stunning visuals and all, it does raise some questions that might prove useful in these interesting times.
Talk About It
Discussion starters
- In the film, Guy de Lusignan says an army that marches behind the cross is invincible, even if it is outnumbered. In his book Warriors of God, James Reston Jr. says the Knights Templar were motivated by passages such as Joshua 23:10. But the fate of their army seems to bear a closer resemblance to 1 Samuel 4, in which the Israelites thought they could use the Ark of the Covenant to win a battle, and instead they lost badly to the Philistines. How can we know when we are stepping out in faith and following God's will against all odds, or simply trying to use him to achieve our own ends? How do you tend to read Scripture—to justify decisions you have already made, or to search for God's will? How do you determine God's will when passages seem to point in opposite directions?
RSS Feeds
Audio
Twitter
Printer view
E-mail
Print
Post
Subscribe to Christianity Today magazine today!
