Friday, August 27, 2010

Watch Kingdom of Heaven


We went to the Great Lakes Medieval Faire this summer and it really peaked my interest into authentic medieval attire, combat, arms and armor.  I've seen many movies and most of them depict knights and warriors as being able to things that would be so physically hard to do while wearing a full set of armor most would not even attempt it.  In my internet searches I came across many redirections to costumes and replicas of Kingdom of Heaven.  It seems this movie took great pains to be historically accurate as possible.
History provided all the action and drama movie creators would need for this film.  I am not sure which crusade this was set in (I'm no expert on medieval history) but it ends when King Richard is headed to the holy land, if that gives you history buffs a time frame to work with (so right around the Robin Hood era).  When the movie begins it opens on grave diggers burying Baelin's (sp) wife.  A column of crusaders pass by and ask directions to the blacksmith and it happens to be the baron's bastard son Baelin whom he has come to take with him to the crusade.  After a fight in the forest the baron is injured and we all know that medieval medicine is not quite up to modern standards and Baelin succeeds his father and heads to Jerusalem to serve the Christian king. 
I don't want to give much away as there is much political intrigue that happens especially between the various orders of knights, but I was entertained through this very long (over 3 hours) movie.  I like how they didn't depict either side as "bad" just both wanted something and both felt entitled to it.  Pretty much how the various religions feel about it to this day.

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