5 "Oscar Bait" Films That Totally Sucked

5. Kingdom Of Heaven (2005)

kingdomOfHeaven The only film on our list that almost deserved some Oscar buzz. Unfortunately the studio got involved with the project and cut it to shreds, opting for an action heavy, soulless product rather than the Crusades-based epic the material deserved. Ridley Scott had crafted a personal story finely interwoven with the bigger religious conflict, but with full storylines cut from cinemas, the story lacked heart and structure. With an emphasis on action, any philosophical questions that may have existed were removed from the film. Performances like Edward Norton€™s King Baldwin became novelty, rather than central to the narrative structure. It€™s only when the Director€™s Cut was released that audiences realised what a masterpiece Ridley Scott had constructed. Alas, Oscar season came and went for Kingdom of Heaven, but luckily for us viewers the film redeemed itself and is now up there with some of the legendary director€™s best works.
Contributor
Contributor

As a pretty nerdy guy, I've loved film and television since I was a wee lad. Growing up in Ireland, The Den was the show to watch with it playing Batman The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation and everything in between. I have an MA in Radio and Television Production and have written for various sites, hope you enjoy my articles/lists for What Culture!