I covered the press junket for Kingdom of Heaven and they were already talking about the director’s cut then. Ever since it came out a year later, it’s been the only version of Kingdom of Heaven considered, and the one now on 4K.
Blacksmith Balian of Ibelin (Orlando Bloom) joins the Crusades to redeem his late wife in the afterlife. At its epic length, Kingdom of Heaven actually shows how longing for his wife prevents Balian from marrying the queen (Eva Green). So she marries to protect her son but it leads to war.
It all builds. When Balian defends Jerusalem against Sultan Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), whom he befriended on his journey no less, he’s become a believer, if not in spirituality then in the human cost of such belief. And the battle kicks ass like only Ridley Scott delivers.
4K brings out those epic landscapes and fills them with battle later on. The intimate moments stand out too. Balian’s blacksmith shop at night balances the dark corners with flaming steel and sparks. Later, torchlit prison cells recapture that look. The Jerusalem battle spans several nights lit by fireballs.
Surround sound is epic too. In the blacksmith shop, flames envelop you. You’ll hear forest birds, swooshing swords, arrows, wind, armies of hooves and all the castle storming sounds in the rear speakers.
The director’s cut was a big deal on DVD so all of the bonus features are still available here