Gladiator director Ridley Scott once again finds inspiration in the past with this exciting mix of action, adventure and history lesson. Orlando Bloom stars as 12th-century French blacksmith Balian, who loses his family and is invited to the Holy Land by the Crusader father (Liam Neeson) previously unknown to him. The uneasy peace in Jerusalem between the Christians, under King Baldwin IV (Edward Norton), and the neighbouring Muslim forces of Saladin (a wonderful Ghassan Massoud) is threatened by fanatics, prompting Balian to defend the city against overwhelming odds. A story about western forces in the Middle East has obvious contemporary resonance, but Scott steps skilfully through the minefield, stressing the desirability of co-existence and tolerance and the dangers of fundamentalism. Bloom is rather unconvincing as a leader of men, but the siege is breathtaking, the characters colourful, and there's even some intelligent dialogue.

After his wife dies, a blacksmith named Balian is thrust into royalty, political intrigue and bloody holy wars during the Crusades.