The Path to Redemption

Lauzirika and Scott did not disappoint. The Path to Redemption is one of those films about film that, after you have watched it, leaves you thinking about what more you still want to know. In addition to the basic mapping of production from the initial versions of the screenplay through the casting of the characters, making of the props (roughly seven minutes are dedicated to the flags alone!), the actual filming (giving us cause to recall, among other things, the time when pubescent girls lost their minds and inhibitions at the sight of Orlando Bloom) and the arduous editing, the filmmakers have given us a lot of outstanding material. Scott originally wanted to make a project called Tripolis, but then chose a screenplay by the same writer at the last moment. Though the story of Kingdom of Heaven is set in a period several centuries earlier, the theme that Scott felt the need to address after 9/11 – the relationship between Christianity and Islam – is similar. The fidelity to historical facts, which is essentially the leitmotif of the whole documentary (especially in terms of the portrayal of Muslims), is judged by several academics, who are not afraid to point out a number of simplifications made for the sake of greater dramatic impact. Unlike documentaries that focus primarily on what went right, one significant storyline here involves two versions of the film (with and without the boy), the shorter and, at least according to the obviously crestfallen editor, inferior version of which was released in cinemas and was mostly panned by critics and ignored by viewers, which is something that the film does not try to conceal. The result, especially unfortunate in light of the tremendous commitment of everyone involved, as we have seen over the previous two and a quarter hours, fits into the narrative of a visionary director who decided to make something more than an action historical spectacle (i.e. a political film that defines itself against the stereotypical portrayal of Muslims as barbarians) and that was not understood by the broader (especially American) public. If Kingdom of Heaven left you feeling underwhelmed at the time of its release, you will want to give it a second chance after watching The Path to Redemption. (23.04.2016)