Kingdom Of Heaven (Directors Cut)

jf852003

Time for a reappraisal i think. I had of course seen this when it came out a few years back, didn't like it. Loads of gaps in the plot. It just felt a bit light yet still dragged in for 2 and a half hours.
However, I recently viewed Ridley Scott's Directors Cut. IT is in my opinion almost an entirely different movie. All of the additional characterization and plotting which was removed from the original (I presume to reduce the running time), when reinserted makes it a fine movie. The film actually makes sense now.
The sub whole sub plot about the boy-king and leprosy is central to how the final act is played out, ye it was just hacked out of the original, making it a disjointed mess.
Anyway, I would recommend this version. Anyone agree/disagree?
I think this is just one of a long list of films butchered in the editing suite.

Karl Hungus

Kingdom of Heaven is one of the most grossly underappreciated movies of all time, and people who've not seen the director's cut are truly missing out. I'd definetey agree, the theatrical version was a complete hatchet job, the studio obviously wanted a different film from Ridley Scott, another Gladiator, which Kingdom of Heaven simply wasn't.

krudler

I saw the DC before i saw the theatrical, missed it at the cinema after hearing dodgy reviews, and was horrified at the difference, the DC is an underrated masterpiece imo, and its better than Gladiator, there i said it

quickbeam

I actually liked the original cut (saw it in the cinema). I thought it was a pretty decent film. However the director's cut certainly puts it from a decent film to a great film - loved that version. Both suffer from Bloom's bad acting though.

Kess73

Kingdom Of Heaven stands alongside Daredevil as a film that was hugely improved by having a Director's cut released.


Both films flowed so much better in their longer formats.

Instant Karma

Completely agree, I've been recommending this film to anyone who will listen for ages now, it's difficult to comprehend just how much of a difference the DC makes to the movie. It is definitely a masterpiece.

MikeC101

I know I say this every time someone mentions Kingdom of Heaven, but I really wish they hadn't cast Orlando Bloom as the lead. It needed someone with more presence, someone believable in the role, and maybe a bit older. (I think Schwarzenegger was floated as a potential lead for it....I would almost have taken him instead, that is how bad I thought Bloon was.)

But that aside, it's a very good film, though it was woefully misrepresented in the trailers - "from the director of GLADIATOR ....*swords* *explosions* *fight scenes* *BOOOM*" kind of thing, and the cinema release was shredded in an effort to make it more of an action movie, and just doesn't work.

tman

Might watch this one again in that case. The theatrical release was watchable, even with Orlando Poon in it