Pluralistic Crusaders

Culture | The authentic costumes and set in the new Hollywood blockbuster Kingdom of Heaven all suggest the year 1186, but the philosophy behind the script screams 2005 | Jamie Dean

PASADENA, Calif. – When George W. Bush referred to the war on terror as a “crusade” less than a week after 9/11, critics balked, calling the moniker offensive to Muslims and destructive to Middle Eastern relations. The president’s aides defended Mr. Bush, saying he used “crusade” as a synonym for struggle. The word never crept back into the president’s public vocabulary. More than 700 years after the end of the European Crusades, the bloody, 200-year conflict between Christians and Muslims still proves a volatile subject, even when only alluded to.

Director Ridley Scott steps into the historical minefield this month with the release of The Kingdom of Heaven, a $130 million epic film set in the 12th century between the Second and Third Crusades. But Mr. Scott doesn’t risk getting hit by any shrapnel. Instead the director plays it safe by skimming over reality and making a film that is both politically correct and historically revisionist.