"Kingdom of Heaven is an epic adventure about a common man who finds himself thrust into a decades-long war. A stranger in a strange land, he serves a doomed king, falls in love with an exotic and forbidden queen, and rises to knighthood. Ultimately, he must protect the people of Jerusalem from overwhelming forces while striving to keep a fragile peace," reads the producer's Synopsis.
Several different opinions are appearing from both involved sides - Christian and Muslims. Some believe the movie may improve Christians' understanding of the Muslim world. Other critics say it is not describing characters in the right way, according to Bob Waliszewski, director of Plugged In Film Review, a programme heard on 300 radio stations.
Director of the movie, Ridley Scott said that he has "tried hard to be fair to both sides in his film, which depicts the 12th-century battle between Muslims and Christians for Jerusalem." He even employed Grace Hill Media, a Los Angeles public relations agency that markets potentially problematic films to increasingly influential Christian opinion-formers. The agency organised a private screening for Christian journalists at which Scott spoke.
However, many Christian leaders, such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Buchanan are waiting to see the film before they will comment.
Anna Lisa
anna@christiantoday.com
Christian Today Correspondant