The Kingdom (2007) July 15, 2009
Posted by gproject in : Recently Viewed , trackbackDirected by: Peter Berg
In an era that holds terrorism as an evil above all others, it is no surprise to see movies tackling the subjects of war, politics and terrorist investigation, usually in the hope of proving just how much of a mess we’re in. Films that put you right on the ground such as Syriana or Rendition [review], have been countered by more talkie ‘discussion points’ pieces like Lions for Lambs [review]. What all these movies have in common is an air of self-important reverence, irrespective of whether they actually earn it. This isn’t that case with The Kingdom, however, a mainstream action thriller that serves its state of the nation address with enough conflict to balance the conversation.
Taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the film opens with a terrorist attack on a western compound, killing innocent families as well as an FBI agent stationed there. Back in the US, Special Agent Ronald Fleury assembles his team and blackmails an Arabian delegate to get them five days in Riyadh. With forensic examiner Janet Mayes, bomb technician Grant Sykes, and intelligence analyst Adam Leavitt in toe, Fleury sets about investigating the crime on the ground. But hindered by Saudi military rulings, and jerked around by local soldiers, it soon looks as though the five days might not be enough. Only with the help of a sympathetic local colonel, do the team start to discover that The Kingdom may hold more danger for them than they expected.
First glance at the marketing would probably have you believe The Kingdom is another overblown action blockbuster, posing as a politically aware discussion piece. In fact, it is rather more the other way around, even if the plot does take a left turn into budget-draining action during the final twenty minutes. Before that, however, we follow the team through all aspects of their challenging inspection. From their struggle against red tape at home, to the difficulties of dealing with restrictive access rules in Saudi Arabia, the story has its roots bedded in CSI more than Armageddon. Luckily, there’s always enough happening to stop the film getting lost in its own plot machinations.
This leads to some intriguing story points, especially regarding the attitude of Saudi authorities to the presence of American agents. Conversely, it also means that some inevitable conveniences find their way into the plot, as the small team of four manage to put together the entire crime in a matter of days, leaving little room for ambiguity in their hypothesis. It’s true that the film works hard to accurately reflect the process of investigation, but why it then lets some aspects - such as the impracticality of bringing a woman to such a notoriously conservative country - pass without comment, is anyone’s guess.
Once the pulse-pounding sequences kick in the pace takes a sudden change, and as much as this could be considered a cheap move to add some spectacle to the proceedings, the film actually works rather hard to earn this last twenty minutes of frivolity. The action is quite good too - intense and with acknowledgement of the constant surrounding threat, rather like the best sequences from Children of Men [review]. Director Peter Berg has been criticised for his use of the infamous ’shaky camera’ effect in this film, but it isn’t overly noticeable if you’re familiar with movies like the Bourne Trilogy [review]. For the most part, Berg directs effectively and with a loose style that adds a nice sense of realism to each scene.
Meanwhile, writer Matthew Michael Carnahan has produced a script that is surprisingly aware of the history surrounding its situation. A credit sequence including a bullet-points summary of oil distribution and warfare in Saudi Arabia is particularly impressive, and a solid opening act for what turns out to be a politically conscious piece of action drama. The film benefits from a reasonable cast too, with Jamie Foxx pulling from his Jarhead experience, while Jason Bateman steps into a whole new genre but holds on to his wisecracking demeanour. Chris Cooper and Jennifer Garner make up the rest of the team, but maybe more impressive is Ashraf Barhom who plays the Saudi FBI aide, Colonel Faris Al Ghazi, with great compassion.
The Kingdom manages to introduce some reasonable points of debate into the traditionally vapid action genre, with enough consistent pace to keep audiences engaged. It is far from all-encompassing, but it at least attempts to show both sides, even if you never really feel too far from the American viewpoint. One final moment of ideological comparison may not quite land with some, but even the sentiment is more than most manage to accomplish. While not perfect, it has provided a path for director Peter Berg to go on and make Hancock [review], while writer Matthew Michael Carnahan took the knowledge gained here and scripted the more interesting conversational drama, Lions for Lambs [review]. While it lasts, The Kingdom is well-engineered edu-tainment, and that’s something you won’t forget even when the bullets start flying.
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This review has been featured at Only Good Movies as part of the blog post: ‘25 Military Movies to See Before You Die‘.