Has no one seen this one yet? I just got in from seeing it tonight, and I was not disappointed. Well, the blood scenes I found a bother, simply because they didn't ring true for me. But then, what do I know about it, I've never cut any one's head or other body part off with a sword or battle axe, so perhaps I'm really not at liberty to judge.

Anyway, about this movie. I'm sick and tired of hearing about how Orlando's character (Balian) is apathetic and slow. The movie begins with the burial of his wife, theft (by the priest) of her crucifIx and her beheading (orders given by the same priest) because she was a suicide. Then later we see a beleagured, angry blacksmith (Balian) who is told by same priest that he has basically been excommunicated by the village. Balian sees his dead wife's crucifIx around same holy man's neck. If that's not enough, the priest then taunts him with words of how he needs to join the Crusade in order to atone for his wife's sin and to save her from Hell because that's where she is - minus her head. Needless to say, he loses it and kills the priest with a flaming sword. Never, never piss off the blacksmith. Why did his wife kill herself? Because their child died.

Thus begins Balian's journey to Jerusalem.

A very, very good movie IMO. I can see why fundamentalist Xians were wanting the film boycotted. "God wills it!"

Cher

I didn't like it. Allthough it did away with the worst clichés, ("evil muslims and good chrisitians", "a just cause") it left some pretty horrifying there ("glorious war", all that macho shit.)

And the "black or white" character of the movie irritated me a great deal. The good guys are so good and the evil are totally completely evil.

Best part of the film, IMO, was the girl. She's becoming a favourite of mine...

Patrik

I think all that you have said here (minus the girl part) is exactly what was meant to come across. For many today, things are very much black and white be it on the side of good or evil which depends upon how one looks at it.

I think that's what made many uncomfortable with the thought of the film being released. So much so that they were demanding a boycott or not releasing it at all.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Cher