Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut) (DVD)

Talk of Ridley Scott's director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven was more than just talk, it was a reality. It has always been known that Ridley's true vision of the film would one day see the light, and that day is today... Well, in a couple of days for most of you, and I must say it is a day worth waiting for.

Upon seeing Kingdom of Heaven in theaters there is no denying this movie is visually astonishing. I still contend the scene where we see Saladin's Sister (Giannina Facio) kneeling in a wheat field is one of the most visually appealing scenes ever caught on film. Unfortunately the visuals of the theatrical cut didn't quite... well... cut it. You could tell something was missing, this story was too grand, too big, for the theatrical version to be the version the filmmakers intended to release.

Now I am not faulting 20th Century Fox for this. Kingdom of Heaven is not exactly Lord of the Rings, releasing a three-hour-plus film in theaters, that is not exactly appealing to mass audiences, isn't a great idea. So, it was cut down and managed a meager $47 million at the box Stateside. Fortunately for us, Fox isn't stupid, they know a good thing when they see it and they have given Ridley the chance to give it to us on DVD, and boy are you fans of the epic going to like it.

This four-disc set has it all from the 3 hour and 14 minute cut of the film (45 minutes longer than the theatrical), to three commentaries, to a massive behind-the-scenes look at the film that is absolutely phenomenal!

Let's start with the movie shall we, and three of the things I most enjoyed about this new cut.

First off, Michael Sheen, who plays the priest at the beginning of the film is actually Balian's brother. This little plot point drags you immediately into the picture in a way the original cut never did.

Next, is the introduction of a new character never even seen in the theatrical version. Sybilla (Eva Green) has a son! This may not seem like anything too major, but this film is about more than just the overall outcome of the war over Jerusalem. This movie is about the sum of its parts, the sum being the people involved. This additional plot point adds so much depth, not only to Sybilla, but to the decisions made throughout the film.

Finally, is an additional fight scene at the end of the flick. I can hear you now, "Another fight scene? What, there wasn't enough fighting?" This is not just another balls-to-the-wall fight between massive armies. I am not telling you anything more than that, but I think you are going to like it too.

Based on the comments above I don't think I need to tell you that I really liked this movie, and this is coming from a guy that gave it a dismal "C+" rating upon its theatrical release. I have already watched this 194 minute cut three times!

Part of the reason I watched it multiple times is, of course, due to the fact that it has the three commentary tracks. Of the three I would say two are definitely worth listening to. The first is obvious, as Ridley Scott, Orlando Bloom and writer William Monahan chat up the flick. The best part of this track is hearing these three talk about the additional footage added into the movie and you can tell they are all three very excited about it.

The second track worth listening to is with editor Dody Dorn. What? The editor? Yup, the editor. I can't exactly tell you my reasons why because they are numerous, but just watch the making of featurettes and you will soon learn why. This woman cut about a bazillion cuts of this picture as the filmmakers and the studio were never sure what version of the movie would make it to the theaters.

Speaking of the making-of featurettes I can't go too far in-depth or you will be reading forever. Basically the features span across two discs and give you every little bit of information you could ask for. The best part of it is that none of it goes too long, and on top of that you don't have to watch it all to get a wealth of information. The segments are nicely broken up to a point that you know exactly what you are getting into.

You can learn about the filming locations, the way they turn a scene on dry land into a scene on stormy waters, the lengths Dorn had to go to to edit this thing and some spectacular looks at the visual effects of the film. Altogether it is phenomenal!

I should probably stop here since I have turned this into quite the love fest, but you should know that if you are a fan of Ridley Scott films and the epic itself this is the DVD for you.