This production tried so hard to be great in every way. It certainly has the visuals to justify the budget. The acting was a bit stiff, especially the main character. I understand that his options were much more limited than what we have today. Maybe it's a point the director wanted to make, but instead produced a cardboard character. I kept thinking I was watching some sort of soap opera. It wrung the heart strings too often. At times, it seemed to drag a bit.Having said that I must give this movie kudos for depicting life as it might have been. The endless struggles between clans, kings and religions is pervasive. Much of the costuming was accurately simple. I don't regret seeing this epic, but I won't be buying the DVD.

This was one of the best foreign (partially) language films that I have watched it quite a while. I thought the fact that it was done without any CG effects made it all the more realistic and believable. The acting was first rate. I have to agree with several of the other reviewers. My previous experience with Swedish films has been a somewhat dreary, black & white exercise in tedium. This film was absorbing, intelligent and interesting. If you're looking for a good story with action and some strong and basic statements about honor, loyalty and courage watch this move. If you're looking for comic book blood and gore you'll be disappointed.

The film starts on a battlefield where Arn (Joakim Nätterqvist) is saving a group of Arabs, one of whom is Saladin (Milind Soman). At the same time Cecilia (Sofia Helin) is under control of a very mean nun (Bibi Andersson), and has a baby, which is, of course, taken from her.We soon switch to Arn's life in his younger days, as a monk being trained in knowledge and warrior skills. We then see the relationship between the two and how it is forbidden as they come from different clans. Both Cecilia and Arn are punished. She must remain in a nunnery, and he is sent off to fight.Before he has any chance of returning home, he must take part in the battle for Jerusalem with Saladin. After doing that, he is sent to the desert under a new master that doesn't like him.But, he survives only to fight again at home when the rival clan claims the throne.Nätterqvist and Helin both were extremely good. The battles were exciting, and the music was excellent.

Summary: Arn, the son of a Swedish noble is sent to a monastery to be educated, where his fighting skills become obvious and he is trained to be a knight. Following political intrigue, Arn has to travel to the Holy Land to serve as a Knight Templar.Review: Firstly, the movie I rate and the movie that is internationally published is made of 2 Swedish movie: Arn (2007) and Arn 2 (2008). The original movies are about 4 hours each, with the international movie being little over 2 hours long. I browsed through the 2 Swedish movie and have to say, you don't miss much in the 2 hours that have been cut out. It's mostly romantic stuff and a lot of talking. The international version is probably better, 4 hours of this movie would definitely be too long for me. Anyway, it's a good movie, surprised to see one this good from Sweden, where the only movie export seem to be a lot of third rate Wallander thrillers. I like the multilingual aspect of the movie; English, Swedish and some Arabic. The acting is good, editing, filming, script, everything decent, nothing really to criticize. Watch it on a Sunday afternoon.Highlight: The Templar ambushNotable Actors: Stellan Skarsgard (Mamma Mia)