It’s been 20 years since Kingdom of Heaven was released and, in that time, Ridley Scott’s love for a historically-based epic certainly hasn’t waned, with the likes of Robin Hood, Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Last Duel, and the lacklustre Napoleon, all receiving his distinct take on events of the past. But to be fair to him, he’s never remained quiet that these tales are to entertain and tell a story, and he’s not intending to be a historian, just offer a version that’s ripe for escapism.

With a huge ensemble cast lead by Orlando Bloom, during the pinnacle of his career, he offers a decent enough performance but lacks a little grit that’s raging in the world around him, whatever the character intention. Alongside him in the journey is Liam Neeson, who’s a little Ducard from Batman Begins (which is fine by me), plus David Thewlis, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Marton Csokas, Eva Green, Edward Norton, and Ghassan Massoud, plus keep an eye out for the mighty tone of Iain Glen, as well as Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Michael Sheen, who indulge in the environment created, as Ridley plays homage to the period and creates a world for his action audience.

Kingdom of Heaven feels like a film from before the 21^st century, with bloodshed, sword fights and heavily dramatic sequences, it excels in scope compared to some of his more recent work, where practical setups and sprawling landscapes really offer their worth. This release is the director’s cut, and you can genuinely understand why it’s Scott’s favoured version, as the differences are quite vast, where accompanying stories previously unseen get room to breathe and expand, adding depth to the characters which we see less of in the shorter version. The film has an added introduction from Ridley, which appears to be from a previous DVD/Blu-ray release, as we sit back and commence with the black screen Overture, not forgetting an Intermission and Entr’acte, before a total runtime of over 3 and quarter hours begins.

The film itself clutches at a righteous regard running through its story equating to a suggestion of a fairer world, whatever your beliefs, which feels like a modern view in an era that is less than likely to have bee. While it works within a world of moral choices that are allowed, that certainly pushes the boundaries of what we know is probably true, especially in relation to the crusades – yet religion is represented fairly enough (whatever you truly believe) so you can make your own decision on where your feelings lie. It’s interesting to know that some experts believe the setups we see are also a fair depiction, because if we were to meet actual true-to-life- characters, then we probably wouldn’t like anyone at all.

For the 4K UHD restoration, or possible upscale, the darkness and atmospheric nature of the setting is beautifully striking. The coldness of the earlier scenes, in relation to the journey to come and those expansive desert scenes, is experienced in this edition and the director’s cut. The wonderful visuals, via cinematographer John Mathieson, means you really sense the sand sweeping up around the horses and armies, the battles are vivid in grey and blood red, it’s sublime in that regard. And there’s certainly bloodshed aplenty, the huge battles really portray blood spurting out everywhere, and that element works well in this fresh look. This is a film that certainly revels in its scale, with the Kerak Castle scenes looking particularly spectacular, and so it’s also a restoration that’d surely look awe-inspiring on the big screen. Much like the substantial scenes from Spielberg’s earlier films, and those epic Hollywood films from the 50s and 60s, Scott and his team have spent much of their time on creating such vivid sequences, and it’s rewarded by this refurbishment – in a dramatic and cinematography sense – so there’s no denying their impact for this 4K UHD, and such filmmaking work deserves to be celebrated.

For this release, Kingdom of Heaven works as the Director’s Cut, and the 4K UHD colour adds that extra edge of brutality and scope in equal measure. There are certainly interesting historical characters, even if fictionalised, but this is the nature of Ridley Scott’s work, and it’s difficult to argue against those choices. Sweeping sequences and grand gestures hold their place on film, but it’s modernist take on the ethical side separates you from the world you’re witnessing. Like much of Scott’s similar work, the simplified script doesn’t make it too complex to follow, yet the need for a stronger lead actor (and I don’t mind Bloom, but ironically Russell Crowe-like would have been perfect) would have benefitted its longevity, because a much of the narrative development is slow scenes, followed up by a wealth of bloody swords and deep, contemplative looks off into the distance. However, if you love the likes of Gladiator, then you’ll enjoy this intensely scored (by Harry Gregson-Williams) epic as well.

Kingdom of Heaven is out now on 4K UHD and Limited Edition Steelbook: https://amzn.to/4n6E990

The 3-disc set also has the Blu-ray, plus the Extras, of which there are over 8 hours off, which is such as massive as the idea of the story. I’ve listed everything below, to give full coverage:

Disc 1: 4K Ultra HD Movie + Bonus Content

Director’s Cut Roadshow Version & Director’s Cut
•    Introduction by Director Ridley Scott
•    Roadshow Commentary with Orlando Bloom, Ridley Scott and Writer William Monahan
•    2 Additional Roadshow Commentaries with Filmmakers
•    The Engineer’s Guide (Roadshow Version only)

Disc 2: Blu-ray™ Movie + Bonus Content

Director’s Cut Roadshow Version & Director’s Cut
•    Introduction by Director Ridley Scott
•    Roadshow Commentary with Orlando Bloom, Ridley Scott and Writer William Monahan
•    2 Additional Roadshow Commentaries with Filmmakers
•    The Engineer’s Guide (Roadshow Version only)

Disc 3: Blu-ray™ Bonus Content

•    The Path to Redemption
•    Sound Design Suite
•    Visual Effects Breakdowns
•    Press Junket Walkthrough
•    World Premieres
•    Special Shoot Gallery
•    Poster Explorations
•    Deleted & Extended Scenes with Optional Commentary
•    Orlando Bloom “The Adventure of a Lifetime”
•    Additional Featurettes and Much More