Kingdom of Heaven

Sir Ridley Scott is no stranger to the period epic genre
(most successfully with Gladiator) and in this, his latest Crusader blockbuster,
his peculiar skill at choreographing violence and brutality, and graphically
depicting Hell on earth, is unleashed to dramatic effect (its amazing what
slow motion can do!). A material rags to riches boys own story, which after
the massed CGI armies of the Lord of the Rings cycle, Troy and Alexander may
seem a little tame, although politically correct as a metaphor for the current
world situation. Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud as Saladin is a standout, while
Eva Green as the love interest is miscast. Jerusalem never looked so good.