Ridley Scott has always been a divisive filmmaker, if not for his controversial statements, then for his checkered filmography. It’s fitting then, that one of his most misunderstood films falls somewhere in the middle — and that, 20 years later, it feels more essential than ever.
Kingdom of Heaven came in the midst of a venerable hot streak for Scott. The director was riding a high after Gladiator became an instant classic in 2000, and the three films that followed only strengthened his success at the box office. Kingdom of Heaven, meanwhile, would cut that streak short. Few knew what to make of the film when it premiered in 2005: sure, it benefited from Scott’s characteristically tactile battle scenes, a scintillating score by Harry Gregson-Williams, and an engrossing attention to detail in its costumes and sets. It had the look of an epic, but its story was totally empty of the substance a 140-minute film should have.
