Lionheart

This is probably the best fantasy movie set in a historical period that has been made. The story does not insult the audience by assuming they are ignorant, and requires that people actually pay attention.

Yes, the accents aren't entirely accurate. Yes, some things are not explained. Tough. The arms, armor, and tactics are accurate and properly executed. The duel between Robert and Matilda is both amusing and impressive. No Wirefu, no anachronistic eastern martial arts, nothing in the movie that doesn't belong.

Music is also excellent, and unlike LadyHawk, appropriate to the feel of the movie.

The only reason I can figure for this movie not being a bigger success is that people confused it with the Jean Clod Van-Dummie movie of the same name.

Lionheart is a great film about what happens to everyone, particularly children, during war. As a knight makes his way to join King Richard on the Crusades, he picks up a band of children, which he must protect from the Black Knight. The Black Night wants these children as slaves. Follow the band of children and their lord as they try to beat the odds and make it to King Richard.

It's the end of the 12th century. The young pious Robert Narra (Eric Stoltz) sets out to join The Third Crusade with King Richard the Lionheart. On route, he runs away from a battle. He encounters two escaped performers/thieves Michael (Dexter Fletcher) and his sister Mathilda (Deborah Moore). Michael would like to go to Paris. They seek shelter at a monastery where they're told about The Black Prince (Gabriel Byrne) who captures and sells children to the Muslims. The Black Prince is a disillusioned former crusader. In Paris, they are captured by the orphans of the Underground City. The Black Prince kills the mayor of the Underground City and plans to capture the army of orphans as they go off to join the crusade.

The Children's Crusade is not a happy story. The problem is that the goal is not well conceived. In order for this to work for a modern audience, they need to find a nicer place for them to strive for. I don't know why anybody would root for the kids to get to the crusade. Also this doesn't feel real enough to be gritty or fanciful enough to be magical. It operates in a weird middle ground where neither is satisfied. Jerry Goldsmith brings an epic score to this not-so epic movie.

This movie is perfect in almost every way, but one thing ruins it. First the good stuff: we have action, romance, evil, great locations and sets, a great Jerry Goldsmith score, and an original plot: what happens to children in war?

So how come the movie doesn't work? It's the pace. Everything in this movie happens at AN INCREDIBLY SLOW PACE. You'll get impatient and frustrated. And that ruins the wonderful feel everything else has built up.

What a shame. What a real shame.

Although Franklin J. Schaffner's last film was considered to be a big disappointment, I would like to point out that the original score composed by the late Jerry Goldsmith for this film is a masterpiece which showcases the brilliance of the greatest film composer of all time. The work propelled two original score album releases issued by Varèse Sarabande, plus a subsequent album entitled "Lionheart: The Epic Symphonic Score". Written for orchestra and subtle electronics, the score presents Jerry Goldsmith in his most thematic, epic and romantic style. Performed in concert, the heraldic "Robert's Theme" remains one of the composer's most memorable compositions.