Review of The Kingdom (2007) by Penelope B — 18 Jun 2009

While it is not the best movie ever it still will entertain the people who are not harmed by the whole terrorist stuff. The Kingdom succeeds as both a shoot 'em-up popcorn flick and a thoughtful study of culture clash. While director Peter Berg definitely keeps the emphasis on action and thrills, the script by Matthew Michael Carnahan offers a largely balanced and multi-dimensional view of the realm the American protagonists find themselves in. The story's point that there is more that unites these two opposing cultures than divides them is explored through the nicely drawn relationship between Fleury and Al-Ghazi.

Foxx is in Jarhead and Miami Vice mode here as the veteran Fed, playing Fleury as a loving dad and a no-nonsense lawman who is not above bullying or bluffing powerful people in order to get things done. The standout of the film, however, is Ashraf Barhom. Al-Ghazi is not some token "good Arab" character; he's as capable of saving a colleague from a vicious beating as he is of vowing to execute killers without hesitation. Al-Ghazi is a common man caught between a number of hostile factions, including homegrown terrorists, impatient and often intolerant Americans, and his own ethically dubious police department. Barhom finds the vulnerability and humanity in his character.

The rest of the cast is solid, with Bateman serving as both comic relief and damsel in distress. Cooper is all world-weary wisdom dressed up like a good ol' boy on a bass fishing trip. Garner is serviceable, but it strained credulity that the Bureau would send a female agent -- a potential catalyst for conflict -- into an already volatile culture clash situation. The story acknowledges these issues, but it still felt a wee bit too Hollywood to be totally believable. The only weak link in the cast is Jeremy Piven as a smarmy U.S. diplomat; he plays him as Ari Gold with a bad wig and glasses and it pulls you out of the movie. Be on the lookout for Danny Huston, Richard Jenkins and Kyle Chandler in small but memorable supporting roles.

The Kingdom follows an elite FBI squad (Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman and Chris Cooper) that is sent on a secret five-day mission to investigate a terrorist bombing at a U.S. housing compound in Riyadh. Facing resistance from his own government as well as the Saudis, FBI Special Agent Ronald Fleury (Foxx) finds an unlikely ally in the man who should be his greatest obstacle.

Colonel Al-Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom) is supposed to be the FBI team's minder, the official who informs them of the rules and of what they can and cannot do. But these two cops soon find they are more like-minded than not, forging a union to hunt down the terrorist cell behind the bombings. An FBI team in a hostile territory is too tempting a target for the terrorists to resist, triggering a life-or-death struggle for our heroes to not only bring the bombers to justice but to also get home alive.