Kingdom of Heaven

I always watch these epics just in case they turn out to be good, and I thought that there was a better than average chance that this one would be, seeing as it was directed by Ridley Scott (who, most relevantly, directed Gladiator, which was one of the good ones). In the event, watching it was a bit of a frustrating experience, for while it was stirring in parts, I felt as if it really needed more space in which to sprawl for it to find its natural, expansive shape; as it is, the pacing of the film seems a bit off, and it never quite coheres. Adding to the problem is that while Orlando Bloom fills the central role effectively enough, he doesn't have any genuine presence or stature; moreover, the love interest is pretty weak (in most senses of the word) and, in fact, several of the secondary characters cry out to be better developed. So, good in patches but mildly disappointing.