KoH musings (some spoilers)

[dangermousie]

I kept thinking about this movie tonight (I even dreamt of Balian. Oddly enough it was just stills, like looking at slides in a projector). There are so many layers to the story. And the "messiness" I think is what made it so.

I don't understand critics who complained about not being able to identify with Balian. I could. More importantly, I could feel sympathy for him and find him interesting. I don't need to know every thought in his head to do so. Look at Lawrence of Arabia. The guy was an enigma but that is what made the movie so much extra fun: trying to unravel it.

Balian is a simple (sometimes too much so) honorable man who seeks peace and salvation. And he is still young enough not to be too scarred by tragedy and used to the world. That is not a hard concept, I would think.

He is also unyielding when he thinks he is right, shortsighted he might be (he is a knight, not a politician). I confess to going "go for it, boy" when Baldwin was offerinbg to get Guy out of the way, even though I knew historically how it turned out. But I knew he wouldn't, not because of extra-heroics, but because of the parameters of his character.

The scene where he gives up Jerusalem is amazing. Also, when he prepares to defend against Saladdin though he knows it's hopless. But I still keep coming back to that amazing speech before the knighting of soldiers, and his to the point bleak statement to the defenders of the wall: if you throw down your arms, your families will die. Orlando Bloom really did mature. You believe him as a Crusader lord with the whole city on his shoulders.

And the fascinating characters who swirl around him: Jeremy Irons doing reaslly great work for the first time in years reminds me why I love him so. You could believe that every step he took was all about pain and decision. Abd Liam Neeson who really towered over every one, and not just because of his height. And Edward Norton who broke my heart (I have a very soft spot for historical Baldwin as well), using nothing but his eyes and his voice. (Oh God, the scene where he makes Reggie give him the kiss of peace. Wow. Just wow.")

There is so much more that I can write. and will later. I am so eagerly looking to Director's cut because of the extra hour and which will focus on the relationships. I am interested if my opinion of Sybilla-Balian relationship would change. Now I love it as it's not a passionate love story, but a combination of companjonship, need, like and deep respect (you can see Sybilla compare Guy to Balian and Guy coming up horrendously short). And I like that. It's realistic, and not wrong, and has been the foundation of many a great marriage.

I do wish they kept the ransoming bit, because I always thought that showed up Balian (and Salladin's brother) in an extra-good light, and they didn't have to make Balian a blacksmith (that way his combat skills and leadership would be more natural), but those are miniscule problems.

I can't wait to see it again. If I loved it so much when so tired, I can imagine how much I will like it when properly awake.

Comments

[elvensapphire.livejournal.com]

There's so much I could write back to this! But I agree with everything you said and don't even know what more to add. :D It's really an exquisite film.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh, please write back. I love reading your comments because somehow you always have these amazing insights that I love to read (or at least comment on my SW stuff :D)

Btw, that icon? To die for.

[vierran45.livejournal.com]

I really agree with your comments (will have to see the film again soon). The thing that bothered me about the film was how quickly this alleged village blacksmith suddenly became an expert swordfighter and a genius strategist, with no tutoring at all. I would have preferred that he be kept a nobleman, because then these things would have felt a bit more believable.

Still, I'm anxiously waiting for the longer version on dvd (some rumours say it'll be 3 hours 45 minutes long...), because then they'll have the time to further expand on the characters.

Jeremy Irons was very charismatic and I love to hate Guy & Reynauld. The guy who played Saladdin was very good.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Re: skills. I will give them some slack as there is obviously a significant amount of time that has passed between when he got to Jerusalem and the seige. I assume he trained in between. But yeah, a full proper nobleman would have made more sense (they could have made him impoverished, with an absent father).

[katranna.livejournal.com]

:-P

http://www.livejournal.com/users/thegreatmissjj/203584.html

[elvensapphire.livejournal.com]

:) Okay, I will think about what I want to say and definitely write back!!! *saves the entry* I'd do it now, but my mum needs the phone. hehe Come yell at me if I take too long again! *g* <3

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

I have kept away from any reviews so far but now that I have seen the movie, I agree with you :)
I also did a lengthy review in my LJ, I liked the movie very much and even though I did not get FANGIRLY on OB, I'm glad he did so well.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

3 hours 45 minutes long
Thank goodness if this is true :) Either I have been spoiled by Masala movies or the movie was really too short ;-)

[ewanspotter.livejournal.com]

I really ejoyed it too. I wish there had been more father/son stuff because I was really into that...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Now I need to think about my reply *g*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It really was way too shart. The longer the better, I say! :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Wheee...off to read. Btw, that icon? rowr!

I did get fangirly. Sometimes he is too beautiful to look at.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked. I assume theat the extended version (thank you LotR for starting a trend) would have more. I hope.

[ewanspotter.livejournal.com]

Ohh, that would be cool.

I was kinda hoping that maybe he was still alive in the end. lol Cause we saw him fall over on Lupin, but he *could* have been passed out. But alas, again, Liam is dead...

[elvensapphire.livejournal.com]

I don't understand critics who complained about not being able to identify with Balian. I could. More importantly, I could feel sympathy for him and find him interesting. Oh, me too! He's got such an amazing heroic spirit, and yet seeing him constantly battered in his convictions and his faith adds a layer of sadness to him that makes him really beautiful and human. He's still young and fallible, yet at the same time this youth has an underlying gravity that makes it easy to see why the people would love him and want to follow him wherever he might lead.

He is also unyielding when he thinks he is right, shortsighted he might be (he is a knight, not a politician). I really need to stop thinking about Anakin. Just thought I'd throw that in... ;D Because this is so true of both of them. Choosing the path of what they see as right even if it means sacrificing something. Luckily, Balian sees things a bit more clearly than does Anakin. If he had agreed to marrying Sibylla, then the whole concept of building a "kingdom of conscience" would have been lost. And what a powerful concept it is.

The scene where he gives up Jerusalem is amazing. I cried. I cried at that and when he delivered his "rise a knight" speech (which I'd seen in a hundred interviews, but was so much more powerful in context). His interest is not in metaphor or land or power, but in the heart of Jerusalem: the people. He is a defender of the people, and the stones mean nothing. He "gives up" the city, but he does not lose. It's so amazingly powerful.

I feel like I can't even put into words what I really wanted to say! The more I look back on it, the more I realize how beautifully done KOH really is.