Distant Travels

I hate how they show Alien as "the good guy" when in reality he was a treacherous man. After being captured in the Battle of Hattin, Balian asked Saladin for permission to return through the lines to Jerusalem to escort his wife and their children to Tripoli. Saladin allowed this, provided that Balian leave the city and take an oath to never raise arms against him. Despite Balian betraying Saladin, the sultan felt no ill-will to Balian for breaking his oath, and arranged for an escort to accompany Maria and their children to Tripoli. This shows the chivalry and grace of Saladin, yet the movie portrays him as an evil man who wants to butcher women and children. Its sad to see such misinformation and propaganda to be present in a film that "tries to advocate for peace". And Saladin never killed innocent souls. He never humiliated his prisoners and rather treated them with utmost respect. He never advocated for war. War was forced upon him by brutal Christian warlords who massacred pilgrims of all faith. Yet, they make Balian and not him the noble man of the film. What a shame. When the Crusade started people viewed Saladin as the anti-Christ, a monster out to slaughter Christians. However, even the Christians actually ended up discovering he was a good man. Saladin was extremely generous, donating insane amounts of money to the poor. He also treated enemies with great respect and often lent his own doctors to treat sick European nobles. After the Crusade, the Crusaders ended up viewing Saladin as this honorable giving man and Saladin would be held up as the image of chivalry in Europe for centuries to come. Indeed when Saladin passed his personal treasury was 1 gold piece and 30 silver pieces. He had given all of his money away to the poor. His decision to spare the Christians of Jerusalem, in stark contrast to what had happened 88 years earlier is the true personification of justice. Not to mention, it was hilarious seeing Balian's logic in the film: "We took Jerusalem before Saladin and his men were born so they have no right to it but we do." Just because they stole Jerusalem and butchered all the Muslims living within it doesn't make it their homeland. The things this film promotes is inhumane. Saladin took Jerusalem rightfully as he should've and returned it to the Muslims, but unlike the Crusader warlords, let people of all faiths live peacefully. Saladin is an example for all of humanity. If only the producers of this film would learn that.