I didn't think there'd ever be an Orlando Bloom performance that didn't make me cringe every time he opened his mouth, but I guess I was wrong. While he was by no means spectacular in this movie, it was definitely a huge step up for him in terms of acting. As for the film itself, Kingdom of Heaven is long on setting, if a little short on plot. The audience is treated to a visually beautiful movie full of panoramic scenes of city and desert. Not much really happens, though—in fact, Juliette fell asleep. Even if there wasn't much to the story, though, I still liked it. Ultimately, Kingdom of Heaven can be viewed in two ways. On the one hand, it's about a transition from one world to another—out with the old and in with the new—and I've always found those points in history to be intensely intriguing. Jeremy Irons, in particular, does a great job of portraying a man caught up in that change. On the other hand, it's a story of personal redemption—Balion goes to the Holy Land to atone for his sins and find peace from the pain of his life—and while a better actor than Bloom could have done more with this part of the story, it still worked out well enough for me.

Viewed: 2005-05-12 | Released: 2005-05-05 | Score: B

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