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The Kingdom
Universal Pictures
R
Running Time: 110 min (Previews to Credits)
A terrorist attack aimed at Americans on foreign soil sends an elite FBI unit into the jaws of the lion in this week's thrill ride; "The Kingdom."
When a massive explosion rocks a western housing development in Saudi Arabia political protocol threatens to slam the window shut on the fragile timeline needed to gather evidence from the scene.
Touched personally by the tragedy, special agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) assembles his own special crew to travel to Saudi Arabia and gather the necessary evidence. With some political wrangling of his own he procures a 5 day visit for he and his team consisting of agents Sykes and Mayes (Chris Cooper and Jennifer Garner) as well as technical support from Adam Leavitt (Jason Bateman).
The team lands in a world unlike anything they have grown accustomed to here in the US of A. Fleury's political tact will prove to be their greatest asset if they are to traverse the many factions of the Saudi government, a slimy US State department liaison Mr. Schmidt (Jeremy Piven) as well an enemy with an established network and no fear of the after-life. Can Fleury and his team beat the clock and survive their voyage to "The Kingdom?"
A well conceived contemporary plot coupled with a well written, linear script prove to be the solid base upon which director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) constructs this taut, no frills action thriller.
Jamie Foxx is hired to lead the ensemble as well as the FBI team. Mr. Foxx is truly a hot commodity these days and lives up to his billing with a strong stoic performance containing no over the top melodrama. The lack of being something I appreciate tremendously. Jennifer Garner turns in her best tough / hot gal impersonation and actually "sticks the landing" via a rock solid performance (thankfully Mr. Affleck hasn't rubbed off). But, as one would expect the true show stealers prove to be the laid back cool that is Chris Cooper and the almost surgically precise comic timing of Jason Bateman. Cooper is among the elite character actors in Hollywood and once again shows why, while Bateman's quick wit and self-deprecating manners bring a sly smile to one's face time and again. One would have thought that Jeremy Piven's worm of a State Department character would have warranted a nod. However, I believe channeling his "Ari Gold" character for the role was a bit tedious. Note to Piven: leave "Ari" for the frat-boys that actually tune into that "Entourage" thing.
Aside from some surprisingly poor editing and an ending that proved to be a teensy bit too tidy, I loved "The Kingdom" and recommend it most highly. It is an intelligently realistic flick that delivers again and again with solid thrills and likeable characters. Obviously not lost on anyone is the connection to what goes on in our world on a daily basis. The horror and suffering of innocents at the hands of those that proclaim themselves in the right based on religious belief and the thinly veiled guise of those proclaiming self-righteousness to hide the diseased troll that is corporate greed bring scenes like this to the forefront far too often. Now, if "The Kingdom" can make any of these folks see the error of their ways …. well, in my book that would trump even an "Oscar." |
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