Roger Ebert Hailed Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven as Better Than Gladiator

by

As a huge film buff, I’ve always been captivated by Ridley Scott – a truly modern master. He consistently tackles these massive, sweeping stories, often rooted in historical events. His work spans everything from grand historical epics and intense war dramas to really smart science fiction, which I think gives him one of the most remarkable careers in cinema. It’s funny, though, because even though many consider Alien his greatest achievement, the respected critic Roger Ebert actually preferred a different one of Scott’s epics. It just goes to show how subjective film can be, right? You can find more about his work on his official website.

It would be an understatement to say Ridley Scott is one of the most respected directors in film history, given the wide range of movies he’s directed. After introducing one of the first female action heroes, Ripley, he tackled increasingly ambitious projects over time. From 2000 to 2005, he largely brought back public enthusiasm for historical epic films, establishing himself as a highly influential figure in modern cinema. While many consider Gladiator to be his most important work, film critic Roger Ebert actually preferred Scott’s lesser-known epic from 2005.

Gladiator Cemented Scott’s Status As A Legend

In 2000, Gladiator was released, starring Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a general in Ancient Rome. The film begins with Maximus successfully leading his troops against Germanic barbarians, culminating in a visit from the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Inside his tent, Aurelius reveals his desire to pass power to Maximus, believing him to be a more suitable leader than his own son, Commodus. Aurelius hopes Maximus will support a democratic government and bring greater freedom to the empire. However, when Commodus learns of this plan, he murders his father, concealing the decision and ordering the execution of Maximus and his family. While being taken to be killed, Maximus fights his captors and escapes, returning home only to find his wife and son have been hanged.

Stripped of his status and homeland, Maximus is quickly captured and enslaved, forced to fight for survival as a gladiator. His victories earn him popularity, and he travels with Proximo, a former gladiator now running the slave trade, to Rome. There, he’ll battle others in the famous Colosseum. After a stunning debut, Commodus demands to meet the gladiator, and Maximus is horrified to discover it’s his old friend, the man he thought he’d killed. With his identity revealed, those loyal to him learn of the treachery, and his former lover, Lucilla – also Commodus’ sister – tries to help him escape. But before she can, Maximus is forced into a final, deadly duel with the emperor himself, a battle the entire city of Rome will watch.

Soon after its release, Gladiator quickly became known as a truly exceptional film, setting a new standard for historical epics. Even though it wasn’t entirely accurate historically, the movie was widely loved by everyone involved in cinema – directors, viewers, and critics all overwhelmingly praised it. This was because of its many strengths, including outstanding performances from the actors, beautiful and impressive sets, a compelling story, and exciting action. Essentially, it brought back to life the sword and sandal genre, which had been declining in popularity by the late 1990s. The success of Ridley Scott’s film led to the development of other movies like 300, Troy, Immortals, Clash of the Titans, and many more. For the next ten years, fans of historical epics had a wealth of options to choose from.

Kingdom of Heaven Is The Director’s Underrated Masterpiece

The story centers on Ibelin, a young blacksmith living in a quiet village, still deeply saddened by his wife’s suicide. Everything changes when a company of Crusader knights arrives, led by Baron Godfrey, who reveals he is Ibelin’s father. Though hesitant at first, Balian is compelled to leave his home after killing a priest who spoke disrespectfully of his deceased wife. During their journey to Jerusalem, his father begins training him to become a knight, teaching him how to fight with a sword. Sadly, their group is ambushed, leaving Godfrey fatally wounded and placing the responsibility – and his father’s mission – on Balian.

Following a dangerous voyage, Balian found himself stranded and alone in the desert, where he had to fight off a Muslim warrior. After winning the battle, the man, who was a servant of the fallen warrior, guided Balian to Jerusalem as a reward for sparing his life. In Jerusalem, the young knight first met the harsh and ambitious Guy de Lusignan, and was then presented to the city’s king, Baldwin IV. The king, weakened by leprosy, befriended the hero and asked him to learn the qualities of a true knight, hoping he could help restore peace and fairness to the Holy Land. Balian then traveled to his father’s land – a dry, desolate area – and dedicated himself to improving it, working to bring water for irrigation and enable farming. Meanwhile, Guy attempted to seize power, undermining Baldwin’s authority and ordering his ally, Raynald of Chatillon, to attack pilgrims, which provoked Saladin, the leader of the Islamic army, to seek retribution.

Following his key contribution to defending a fortress against Saladin, Balian continues to be a problem for Guy, leading to Chatillon’s punishment. However, as Baldwin feels his death approaching, he understands his ability to keep the peace is diminishing, and he leaves the throne to his nephew. This is when Guy takes the opportunity to gain power and officially declares total war against the Muslims. As war nears Jerusalem and the knights prepare for battle, Balian is tasked with defending the city and demonstrating his capabilities as a knight. In this role, he exemplifies the qualities Baldwin recognized in him and gains Saladin’s respect through his honor, courage, and leadership. He truly becomes a worthy defender.

Kingdom Of Heaven’s Director’s Cut Earned Newfound Appreciation

When the original version of Kingdom of Heaven hit theaters, honestly, it got slammed – and for good reason. It felt really disjointed, like a lot of important stuff – building up the connection between Balian and Sibylla, or even helping us understand characters like Saladin and Guy – had been cut out. I’ve since seen the director’s cut, and it’s a completely different experience! Even though it’s longer, the story actually feels tighter and more focused. The theatrical cut introduces no shortage of subplots and side characters just to make it run longer. Both versions do a great job of tackling what it means to be a good person, but telling that story through a knight who’s losing his faith during the Crusades just felt like the perfect setting, in my opinion.

While the original theatrical release of Kingdom of Heaven wasn’t one of Ridley Scott’s best-received films, the director’s cut quickly gained a dedicated following. Fans championed Scott’s complete vision for the movie, and the director himself believed this longer version was the one audiences deserved. It presents a far more cohesive and detailed telling of the story, offering more complete character arcs, clearer explanations of why characters act as they do, and a significantly stronger sense of immersion in the world of the Crusades-something few filmmakers achieve. Elements that felt confusing or unnatural in the theatrical version now flow logically and are better developed as we follow Balian’s story.

Roger Ebert Wasn’t A Big Gladiator Fan

Staying true to his contrarian nature, Roger Ebert surprisingly preferred Kingdom of Heaven over Gladiator, giving the former a 3.5/4 star rating while the latter only received a 2. After critiquing Scott’s artistic choices, he focused on the film’s overall mood. As he wrote in his 2000 review, “Gladiator lacks joy. It uses sadness in place of character development, and assumes that if the characters are gloomy enough, we won’t realize how uninteresting they are.” While acknowledging that Gladiator wasn’t trying to be a traditional adventure film-it’s more of a dark story of revenge against a potential dictator-Ebert still strongly disliked it. He appreciated the acting from most of the cast, but ultimately called the film, at best, a weaker version of “Spartacus” and felt the amount of publicity it received was excessive.

I remember when I reviewed Kingdom of Heaven, it really helped me solidify my thoughts on Ridley Scott’s historical epics. I wrote, I might have been kinder to his Gladiator had I known that Troy and Alexander were in my future, but Kingdom of Heaven is better than Gladiator – deeper, more thoughtful, more about human motivation and less about action. Looking back, it felt significant that Scott released this film during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He wasn’t afraid to tackle a story that mirrored those real-world conflicts, again showing a clash between Western and Middle Eastern forces. I always felt Kingdom of Heaven faced an uphill battle to win over audiences, unlike Gladiator, which seemed to connect with viewers much more easily.

Look, at the end of the day, which film is *better* is totally up to you, the viewer. They’re both different enough that fans will likely gravitate towards one or the other. Both are classic historical epics, but they approach the genre in distinct ways. One is a really personal story of revenge, fueled by intimate action and powerful speeches. The other? It’s a much bigger, broader war film, diving deep into politics, religion, and what it truly means to be a knight. Both deliver great characters and genuinely satisfying moments, but I have to say, the 2005 film really felt like director Scott unleashed his full, most epic vision yet. It’s just on a different scale.

Kingdom Of Heaven Is The Ultimate Knight’s Quest

In many ways, Kingdom of Heaven portrays a man traveling to the Holy Land, worried about his wife’s soul and seeking forgiveness. While grappling with his own beliefs, he intends to reconnect with God, but quickly finds himself caught up in a fierce political conflict. The film takes liberties with the historical events of the Crusades, compressing the timeline and portraying historical figures as either clear heroes or villains to suit the story. However, similar to Gladiator, director Scott’s flexible handling of historical accuracy allows for a captivating and imaginative tale. Balian is a character who represents the ideal knight, prioritizing honor, fairness, and strong leadership over the pursuit of power and conquest.

While Gladiator focuses on getting revenge, Kingdom of Heaven aims for a grander story with more developed characters. With fewer large-scale historical films being made today-superhero and horror movies often dominate the box office-these older films deserve another look. Gladiator was a huge success worldwide, but Ridley Scott’s complete version of Kingdom of Heaven is a brilliant film that perfectly captures what audiences enjoy about knights, adventures, and bravery.

Read More

2025-10-03 06:09