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'Kingdom of Heaven': Still short of divine

Historical epics have fallen on dark times. Recent lavish, pricey spectacles such as "The Alamo," "Alexander" and "Troy" have been beset by critical brickbats and largely ignored by audiences.

British director Ridley Scott, who revived the genre with his Oscar-winning 2000 film Gladiator, now finds himself charged with redeeming it. Unfortunately, his 12th-century Crusades epic, "Kingdom of Heaven," falls short of the task.

20th Century Fox 'Kingdom of Heaven' B- Director: Ridley Scott Starring: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Eva Green, Martin Hancock, Michael Sheen, Nathalie Cox Run time: 145 minutes Release date: May 6, 2005 Rating: R for strong violence and epic warfare. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate "Kingdom of Heaven"   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

The well-made film is visually spectacular, as well as historically sound, but its story isn't fully involving. While "Kingdom of Heaven" easily surpasses any of last year's epics, it's no classic, like "Gladiator."

The Crusades film itself is a brave venture, exploring the centuries-old discord between Christianity and Islam at a time when war rages between the Western and Muslim worlds. But an Islamic backlash to Kingdom of Heaven appears unlikely, given that the film's central conflicts are between Christians with opposing agendas, while the Muslims are depicted as just and noble soldiers.

Kingdom of Heaven follows an historical figure, Balian of Ibelin, who in 1187 led the defense of Jerusalem against a vast Saracen, or Arab, army. However, Balian's story has been dramatized in modern fashion to make him a humble blacksmith who rises to greatness in the Holy Land as a military leader.

Orlando Bloom — the poster boy for period-action films thanks to "The Lord of the Rings," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Troy" — once again picks up his sword and leaps to leading-man status as Balian.

The young French blacksmith feels that he has been abandoned by God after his son's death and his wife's subsequent suicide. His chance for spiritual redemption arrives as a Crusading knight, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), who informs Balian that he is his father and asks the lad to join him in Jerusalem.

Godfrey is mortally wounded during a fierce ambush en route, but not before training and knighting his heir.

Jerusalem at the time is ruled by a Christian king, Baldwin IV (Edward Norton), who allows Christians, Muslims and Jews to worship within its walls. Baldwin, a frail leper, has forged a fragile peace with Saracin leader Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), but it is threatened by his failing health.

Christian knights such as Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas) — husband to the king's sister, Princess Sibylla (Eva Green) — are eager to wage war with Saladin, driven by religious fanaticism and greed.

Refusing to take part in a plot that would prevent Guy from claiming the throne, Balian ultimately finds himself as Jerusalem's sole defender against Saladin's insurmountable siege.

Kingdom of Heaven builds to the massive battle, a staggering sequence that involves huge rocks and fireballs being hurled from giant catapults and thousands of deadly arrows filling the sky.

The bloody hand-to-hand combat scenes recall Gladiator with their blue tint, varying film-speeds and flying debris.

But the film suffers because Bloom's brooding Balian isn't as interesting as the characters around him, portrayed by the likes of Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis and Brendan Gleeson.

In addition, Balian's romance with Sibylla is under-developed, and the villains are fairly one-dimensional.

"Kingdom of Heaven" is good enough to keep the genre afloat, but it's not the salvation for which Hollywood hoped.