LBY3
The continuing adventures of Beau Yarbrough

Kingdom of Heaven

Sunday, February 5, 2006, 21:04
Section: Arts & Entertainment

Orlando Bloom packs on the pounds and muscle to play a 12th century blacksmith turned Crusader turned baron in Kingdom of Heaven, a strong “historical” action-adventure.

The action moves quickly from France to the Middle East, where the tale becomes a parable on the endless futility of Middle Eastern conflict. Despite a few “ripped from today’s headlines” speeches, the action is well-done, the military conflict interesting and there are strong performances all around. The climactic battle at the Christopher Gate of Jerusalem, if it doesn’t quite measure up to similar siege sequences in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, is exciting and involving, even if the populism seems a few centuries early.

Great fun with a more rounded story than the more intense Gladiator.

Strongly recommended for fans of getting medieval.


Red Eye

Sunday, February 5, 2006, 21:00
Section: Arts & Entertainment

Red Eye doesn’t have many ambitions beyond being the ultimate “bad guy to sit next to on an airplane” story. It’s like an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents given a slightly longer running time.

Fortunately, Rachel McAdams, who has to carry this film, does an admirable job of doing so, without the sort of “look at this great performance” stuff a bigger name might well have given us. And that elevates this bit of fluff into being quite impressive fluff.

Fun stuff, and a film that should definitely keep McAdams’ star on the rise and help director Wes Craven get more chances to spread his wings without Freddy Kruger around.

A definite recommendation for thriller fans.


 





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