Soldier of God

It's well acted that's for sure. Not bad to watch at all.

It doesn't compare to Kingdom of Heaven in the shear scale of modern film making, but it's an interesting critique on the madness of absolute belief some warriors may have lived by, at the time of the crusades. I noticed a previous comment mentioned that a member of the crusading knights would not have acted in the way depicted in the film - I wonder how you would know that of every knight. It's an interesting take on the ambiguities that could beset devote individuals of any faith.

I doubt we have come that far since the time depicted in the film, but I'm sure it will all turn out all right in the end.

Oh dear...

Before watching this film, leave behind any references to The Kingdom Heaven. This is an extremely low budget film shot somewhere in the desert (certainly not the judean desert) and with no sets to speak of. The film gives the impression it's going to lead you to some profound revelation at some point. This never happens and by the end I was left feeling cheated that I struggled through Rene's (The Templar) rare, mumbled, accented dialogue for nothing. I will never cease to be amazed at how easily some film goers are pleased. The reviews that paint this as some sort of beautiful, well acted, historical treat are myopic in my opinion and I am being kind. This was an awkward, pointless film, with a pointless story.

I noticed some really bad reviews of this movie so decided to comment. Firstly the movie isn't a story of the Knights Templer or the crusades, it is about life, the decisions we make, how we can spend our lives chasing the unimportant and miss the real life staring us in the face. Secondly if you look at the really bad comments,you will see that they were written by people who seem to think the know all truths. One of the reviewers wanted something that was on par with the Da Vinchi code!!!! I have no beliefs in any Gods but I would stand with Christians denouncing that book/film, because a 12 year old could have produced much better (no insult meant to 12yr olds). So if you have a bit of a brain and are open minded enough and realise that we are always learning, well this film is of a reasonable enough standard to spend some time on.

This film was compared to Kingdom of Heaven. Wow. Ridley Scotts crusade movie cost tens of millions to make. Even so, it is arguably one of Scotts worst films and contains very bad production flaws for a Scott film. On top of this, the story told in Kingdom is an absolute perversion of history and gives a moronic portrayal of the Knights Templar. This movie, Soldier of God, appears to have had no budget. The story seems to be limited by this fact. That said, I will judge it on its own merits. - The filming is beautiful work. Obviously done with a low end camera, yet masterfully shot. - The editing is extremely well done. Some of the best editing I have seen for a film in this budget range. Can't say enough here. - Costumes looks great. A better job was done on costumes than many big budget movies. - Accents are very good and give authenticity. - Although the story is sparse, plot subtle, it is a much more believable and authentic film than Kingdom of Heaven in the portrayal of the people and the period.

Not an action packed fun movie. An interesting watch. Requires an appreciation for film making and not simply a desire to be quickly amused.

I watched this incredible HD feature at the Dallas Deep Ellum Film Festival (where it walked away with a big award) and was amazed that the filmmaker had pulled off such a huge film for a small budget. Filmed in California, Mir Bahmanyar somehow managed to transform a California desert to the middle east, but that transformation was second to the incredible transformation by Bill Mendieta into a Muslim fighter who harbors a deadly secret. At the completion of the movie, at first I was surprised by the ending, but realized the subtext of the story must be met (congrats to Bahmanyar and Kuhlen). Tim Abel's Knight Templar and Mendieta's characters dominate the story with an ease of slipping into the skin of such three dimensional characters. Mapi Galan, whom they discovered in Spain, helped develop the story into a rich depth with her beautiful and exotic Sohelia who mesmerizes the men who visit her tent and seem to alter their attitudes towards war. Neil Lisk's cinematography was exceptional and if you look at the crew you'll note that Mir Bahmanyar's name is all over the place, and this was due to his dedication of getting the story made and offered to the viewing public.