Tonight I am reviewing The Kingdom
an action film about FBI agents trying to solve the murder of American citizens in Saudi Arabia. Scott was unable to attend.
Mike: So what did I think?
When I saw the trailer for this movie I thought it would be pretty kick ass. As it turns out, this is a great action thriller with a good story as well.
The film starts out with a shooting and bombing in an American compound in Saudi Arabia. The movie literally starts out with a bang and continues on for its 110 minute run time. Apparently, if Americans are killed on foreign soil, it is in the FBI's jurisdiction to investigate. Unfortunately, the Saudis strongly suggest that the Americans keep out while they handle it. In Hollywood style, Agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) manipulates things so his FBI team gets permission to investigate.
This movie is both intense and very violent, but it's not gratuitous. The violence is integral to a story that deals with the reality of terrorism. This is one of the better action films I have seen lately and the bonus is that there is an interesting story to go with it.
The Kingdom features an all star ensemble cast to great effect. At first the choices don’t seem like they fit together: Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman? This is a mix that works well. Hollywood newcomer Ashraf Barhoum is a strong lead as Arab Colonel Faris Al Ghazi. His may actually be the best character in the story. Cooper always does a great job. Garner is one of the reasons I came to the movie in the first place. As in Alias, she plays a capable woman who can hold her own. Unfortunately, like in Alias, it seems she can't make it through a movie or an episode without crying. Bateman adds welcome comedy relief, without going overboard.
I was surprised at the quality actors who showed up only briefly: Jeremy Piven (Entourage), Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), and Frances Fisher (Titanic). I will say that it is disappointing to see Piven reprise his Ari Gold character one more time. Even director Peter Berg makes a cameo as one of the FBI agents at the beginning of the film. You will find that you recognize him too, from Alias.
This is writer Matthew Michael Carnahan's first movie, but from the quality of the script I think he will be busy in the future.
Peter Berg probably has more credits as an actor, but he is starting to show real promise as a director. His first Movie Very Bad Things is a bit of a mess. The Rundown was a good action/comedy showcase for The Rock, but Berg made a mark with the 2004 film Friday Night Lights. He followed this by taking a fine drama and turning it to a television show that is irresistible. Berg writes, directs, and produces the show. If you haven't seen it yet, buy the box set or jump on when it returns for a second season. Ok, I'm off my soapbox now. If Berg keeps up this kind of movie directing, he may find himself following in Clint Eastwood's footsteps.
How do I rate this?
I give this movie a 4.5 overall and a 4 for Action Drama. This is one of my favorite films of the year. I definitely prefer this to some recent global politics films like Babel and Syriana.
