REVIEW - "The Kingdom" (2007)

I don’t think it would be too bold to say that “The Kingdom” is something of a “Blood Diamond” for this year in that it realistically portrays a country that is drastically misunderstood by the general American public and why it’s important we intervene. It doesn’t have the emotional prestige of “Blood Diamond,” but in place of it comes utter tension that will keep the audience gripping the arms of their chairs.

After two Saudi Arabia bombings, that took the lives American civilians and agents, U.S. Government agents secretly leave for the Middle East to investigate what happened. Agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) and his team are not welcomed at first, but the seemingly unlikely allies come together to take down a terrorist threat. The friendship destroys the narrow notion that “Middle Eastern = Automatic Terrorist”—This is the catalyst for the anti-war theme that is accompanied by reasons American needs to intervene in the Middle East.

No matter what political party you’re for it doesn’t really matter, “The Kingdom” appears to “tell it as it is”. It’s no wonder it was ill received by most mainstream critics, because they would prefer a clear-cut message upholding one party’s beliefs or the other. The fact is that “The Kingdom” doesn’t have time to cater to such trifles because the majority of the movie takes place in another country and ends up becoming about that rather than America. Although, the movie does pull out good points as to why it is important for America to pitch a tent out there. It’s all fiction, but it does a good job of staying neutral while throwing out vital points.

I also commend the movie for finally blurring the line of friend and foe when it comes to Middle Easterns. Too often do Middle Eastern born actors play the parts of terrorists, and while that stays true here, the Saudi Arabian military become well-liked characters and even friends with the American Agents. The result is a blatant fact that not all Middle Easterns are terrorists and even places like Saudi Arabia have to contend with radical bombings and abrupt attacks.

Apart from the bold and surprisingly strong political statements, the movie delivers some fine, well-rounded characters. Jamie Foxx looks the best I’ve seen him since “Collateral,” and offers a level headed, approachable character that the audience can feel comfortable with. The interaction between his team (which includes Chris Cooper and Jennifer Garner) and the Saudi Military is well executed and progresses well as the movie moves forward. Cultural differences are revealed, brotherhood is initiated and overall you don’t want characters from either team to end up dead— The end result, as far as deaths go, is notably appropriate.

The film begins with an eye-popping bang and then settles and develops before sending the audience in to the most tedious, final half-hour we’ll see this year. The obligatory action at the end may seem rather abrupt, but was important to the film. This is the part where the movie really begins playing with the audience: Knowing full and well what these people have done, I was feeling utter hatred and contempt for the Saudi terrorists. My fist pumped the air as several were gunned down before they could kill our main characters. It was both scary and invigorating.

Is feeling hatred for real groups of people during a fictional story bad? The action makes you feel okay about it at first. However, as the final line of the film is uttered, (delivered by both Agent Fleury and the son of a Saudi terrorist) you sit there remembering how you felt—Remembering how much hate you had for the Saudi “villains” and how good it felt to see them shot dead… Suddenly you feel like a horrible human individual, but only because both characters said the same line. (And no, I won’t reveal it here. Go see it.) After walking out of the theater, feeling horrible, I surmised that perhaps “The Kingdom,” isn’t trying to preach anything, but rather weigh the pros and cons of our current war. Perhaps it’s just saying that as an entire race we’re as hopeless as ever. Or perhaps you should decide.

***½ out of ****