Reluctant Crusader: Chivalry where you’d least expect it(National Review reviews Kingdom of Heaven)

National Review Online ^ | May 6, 2005 | Steve Beard

[warsaw44]

Ping

[longtermmemmory]

still seems to be a bit too pc to bother with the theater or buying the DVD. If it does well it will be free tv intwo years. If it does bad, six months.

[loreldan]

Thanks for posting. Other comments made on FR had almost convinced me not to see it. I trust NRO's judgement. I have been wanting to see a good Crusade movie for a while now - not for a history lesson but for entertainment.

[dennisw]

I was going to see it. The trailers looked very good with lots of 12th action. As of now I will not see it nor will I miss it. My mind may change but this film by admitted agnostic Ridley Scott, falls far short of being fair to Islam's opponents

[mike182d]

In May of 2001, he became the first leader of the Catholic Church to set foot inside a mosque.

I have yet to hear the Muslims apologize for their insatiable desire for expansion by way of war that began with Abu Bakr's invasion of Syria, fueled by Muhammed's seige on Mecca.

When Christian lands are beseiged, and a Muslim orders the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and all Christian sites in Jerusalem (1009 A.D.), the world turns a blind eye.

When Christians fight to defend land taken from them and to protect such holy sites, its barbaric, uncalled for, intolerant, and a terrible evil.

Makes perfect sense to me...

[Jack Black]

Ridley Scott has made Blade Runner, Gladiator and Alien. I will see any movie he makes simply because of his track record of making really great films.

[Antoninus]

Some may attempt to fault Ridley Scott and screenwriter William Monahan for portraying Muslim characters with distinct chivalry and humanity while portraying some of the more zealous Christian Crusaders (such as the Knights Templar) in a less favorable light. However, the balance of the story portrays power-grubbing imperialists and religious nutcases on both sides of the battlefield, as well as honorable and virtuous Muslims and Christians.

This is precisely what I expected. No thanks. I'll take a pass on this one.

[Antoninus]

When Christian lands are beseiged, and a Muslim orders the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and all Christian sites in Jerusalem (1009 A.D.), the world turns a blind eye. When Christians fight to defend land taken from them and to protect such holy sites, its barbaric, uncalled for, intolerant, and a terrible evil.

Welcome to the post-christian worldview.

I recommend:

Angels in Iron

[macamadamia]

Have you seen his first (I believe it was his first) movie, The Duellists? Oddly, of all Scott's movies, I like this one the most. Some have criticized Harvey Keitel's (sp?) accent, but frankly it didn't bother me because there was much else that I found exquisite. The cinematography and music are something else, but an old VHS copy doesn't do justice to the photography.

[Bombard]

I am a military history buff. I will go to this movie to see knights on horseback charging into battle. The rest is just Hollywood drivel.

[tumblindice]

With Keith Carradine as the confused object of Harvey's decades long sabre-hatred? If that's it, great movie.

[Katya]

The crusades also offered uneducated young men the chance to gain a step up in society. The crusades created a new class of men who in the service of a noblemen were able to transcend societies locked in concept of "who" they were and "what" they were to do in life. Like the seafarers a few hundred years later, these were the first men to leave their isolated villages for foreign horizons. Is it coincidence that the concept of an individual "I" also emerged at the same as the crusades?

[brownsfan]

My public school education sort of skimmed the crusades. I know very little detail. Can you recommend an objective book on the Crusades?
Although I side with the Christians, and wouldn't mind seeing a Crusades revival, I also realize not every single muslim is bad. It would be nice to read an account with some sensiblity to the Muslim side, (even though I assume it was quite weak).
I guess what I'm saying is: I know much evil has been done over the years in the name of Christianity. I would not enjoy a book that portrayed every move, every battle as the virtuous Christians vs. the evil Muslims.

[macamadamia]

Yeah, that's the movie!

"Sabre-hatred".....well put. That's Harvey's character all right.

[Antoninus]

I am a military history buff. I will go to this movie to see knights on horseback charging into battle. The rest is just Hollywood drivel.

Me too. The trouble is, I end up scritinizing the anachronisms and stupid screenplays so much that a lot of the enjoyment goes out of it.

The only Ridley Scott movie I genuinely enjoyed was Gladiator. Though I grimmaced at the historical fudging, the special effects were fantastic enough to pull me through. Plus, there was no bashing of Christianity.

I'll probably end up seeing this on video--or borrowing it from someone if I can avoid sending Hollyweird a dime.

[Antoninus]

My public school education sort of skimmed the crusades. I know very little detail. Can you recommend an objective book on the Crusades?

Here's one written by eminent Catholic historian Hillaire Belloc in the 1930s:



I found this quote in it that was particularly prescient:

"There is with us [in the West] a complete chaos in religious doctrine.... We worship ourselves, we worship the nation; or we worship (some few of us) a particular economic arrangement believed to be the satisfaction of social justice....Islam has not suffered this spiritual decline; and in the contrast between [our religious chaos and] the religious certitudes still strong throughout the Mohammedan world ... lies our peril."

[ItsOurTimeNow]

>>"It's about people finding love and understanding for one another, no matter what the race or the religion is. It is more about being tolerant and listening to each other.<<

Oy - more grey-area, pop-Christianity nonsense.

Sheep vs. goats, light vs. darkness, hot vs. cold. The Bible is very clear on such things.

[tumblindice]

I'm stopping at Blockbuster! I was just thinking of that movie the other day. To my recollection Keitel's character took position he had been slighted (over a woman?) and everytime Carradine turned around, there he was with an invitation to cross swords. Great lighting, photography.
Say no more.

[brownsfan]

"Here's one written by eminent Catholic historian Hillaire Belloc in the 1930s"

Interesting, and not expensive either! I like that. While I'm at it, I've been threatening to get an objective book on Islam. Not sure what you know about that. Short of reading the Koran, do you have any suggestions?