Orlando Bloom’s Absolute Worst Casting Is Trending On Streaming
Orlando Bloom's Crusade action-adventure movie Kingdom of Heaven is trending on Amazon Prime Video.
This article is more than 2 years old
Maybe it’s his casting in the upcoming video game-turned-film adaptation of Gran Turismo, or it could be due to the uptick in fans giving the Lord of the Rings trilogy a rewatch following the premiere season of The Rings of Power, but whatever the case may be, audiences are flocking to Amazon Prime Video to catch Orlando Bloom in the historical fiction flick, Kingdom of Heaven.
Released in 2005, the feature fell in the middle of a busy time for the actor, seeing him between Pirates of the Caribbean films and taking on romantic features like Elizabethtown as well as another historical war flick, Troy. While it may not have been a box office smash, Kingdom of Heaven boasted an all-star lineup and is clearly doing something right for viewers.
Along with Orlando Bloom, Kingdom of Heaven featured performances by Edward Norton, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, Michael Sheen, Eva Green, David Thewlis, Ghassan Massoud, Jeremy Irons, Marton Csokas, Velibor Topić, and Alexander Siddig. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film told the story of Balian (Orlando Bloom), the village blacksmith whose heart is completely crushed after the unexpected death of his wife. With no hope for his future, Balian travels alongside his father Baron Godfrey (Liam Neeson) on a journey to Jerusalem as a crusader.
Upon their arrival, Balian joins ranks with King Baldwin IV (Edward Norton) but soon finds that all is not as it seems. With the King’s trusted advisor Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas) ready to declare war on Muslims, Orlando Bloom’s character must find a way to put an end to the bloodshed before it takes a disastrous turn. Penned by William Monahan (The Departed), the film’s screenplay weaves reality with fiction in this tale of duty, religion, and treachery.
Kingdom of Heaven’s critical reactions were less than glowing. The film currently sits with a 39% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences gave it a higher score of 72%. Several performances, including that of Orlando Bloom’s, earned a positive critical reaction and, when Ridley Scott dropped his director’s cut in 2005, the film gained more of a following.
A legendary name in the world of filmmaking, Kingdom of Heaven is just one title in a sea of historical dramas that Ridley Scott has attached his name to. For a little refresher, the director was the eye behind similar features including The Duelists (which served as his directorial debut), 1492: Conquest of Paradise, Gladiator, and The Last Duel, among others. Kingdom of Heaven would be the second time in which Ridley Scott and Orlando Bloom teamed up, with the first being in 2001’s high-action war feature, Black Hawk Down.
In the years since appearing in the semi-historical Kingdom of Heaven, it’s safe to say that Orlando Bloom has stayed incredibly busy and continued to be a sought-after member of Hollywood. Along with the Gran Turismo feature, the actor will soon be seen in Ian and Eshom Nelms’ action thriller Red Right Hand. There have even been rumors swirling surrounding his possible involvement in an upcoming Marvel feature. With the recent cancellation of his crimes series Carnival Row, there’s no telling where we’ll catch the Kingdom of Heaven star next.
