Balian of Ibelin travels to Jerusalem during the Crusades of the 12th century, and there he finds himself as the defender of the city and its people.
There were a number of films that fell victim to post 911 political sensitivities. This is one of them. A movie showing the brutality of the Crusaders (and Arabs) and the fall of Jerusalem to Saladin, plus the original 3 hours and 9 minute running time killed this magnificent epic in its cradle. IMHO it's even better than Scott's Gladiator. Check it out. (The Director's cut only)
"It is the time of the Crusades during the Middle Ages - the world shaping 200-year collision between Europe and the East. A blacksmith named Balian has lost his family and nearly his faith. The religious wars raging in the far-off Holy Land seem remote to him, yet he is pulled into that immense drama. Amid the pageantry and intrigues of medieval Jerusalem he falls in love, grows into a leader, and ultimately uses all his courage and skill to defend the city against staggering odds."