The Kingdom (2007)
I have had this film sat on my shelf now for a while and had not got around to watching it. As the pickings on the tv were a bit slim, I decided to give it a go.
Basic Plot
The story is centred around a terrible terrorist attack that takes place at the beginning of the ... Read review
Oscar winners* Jamie Foxx (Collateral) and Chris Cooper (Jarhead) team up with Jennifer ... more
Garner (Daredevil) and Jason Bateman (Smokin' Aces) to ignite the screen in this high-intensity action thriller.A team of elite FBI agents sent to Saudi Arabia to solve a brutal mass murder find themselves in a race against time to find a killer before he strikes again.Out of their element, under heavy fire and trusting no-one, the team must join forces with their Saudi counterparts. As these unlikely allies begin to unlock the secrets of the crime, the team is led into a heart-stopping, do-or-die confrontation.
Oscar winners Jamie Foxx (Collateral) and Chris Cooper (Jarhead) team up with Jennifer ... more
Garner (Daredevil) and Jason Bateman (Smokin' Aces) to ignite the screen in this high-intensity action thriller.A team of elite FBI agents sent to Saudi Arabia to solve a brutal mass murder find themselves in a race against time to find a killer before he strikes again.Out of their element, under heavy fire and trusting no-one, the team must join forces with their Saudi counterparts. As these unlikely allies begin to unlock the secrets of the crime, the team is led into a heart-stopping, do-or-die confrontation.
Saudi Arabia is a country defined by paradox: it sits atop some of the richest oil ... more
deposits in the world and yet the country's roiling disaffection produced sixteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers. It is a modern state driven by contemporary technology and yet its powerful religious establishment would have its customs and practices rolled back to match those of the Prophet Muhammad over a thousand years ago. In a world where events in the Middle East continue to have geopolitical consequences far beyond the region's boundaries an understanding of this complex nation is essential. With "Inside the Kingdom" British journalist and bestselling author Robert Lacey has given us one of the most penetrating and insightful looks at Saudi Arabia ever produced. More than twenty years after he first moved to the country to write about the Saudis at the end of the oil boom Lacey has returned to find out how the consequences of the boom produced a society at war with itself. Filled with stories told by a broad range of Saudis from high princes and ambassadors to men and women on the street "Inside the Kingdom" is in many ways the story of the Saudis in their own words. It is a story of oil money that opened the door to Western ways and produced a conservative backlash with effects that are still being felt today. It is a story of kings and princes who worried more about keeping power than the dangerous consequences of empowering radical clerics. It is a story of men who challenged orthodoxy and risked prison or death in the name of furthering open society and of women who defied laws saying they should not write drive or play sports. And at its heart it is a story of a people attempting to reconcile the religious separatism of the past and the rapidly changing world with which they are increasingly intertwined. Their success - or failure - will have powerful reverberations in their own country and across the globe.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Advantages: Very good action scenes Disadvantages: Would have like more characterisation
...to watching it. As the pickings on the tv were a bit slim, I decided to give it a go.
===Basic Plot===
The story is centred around a terrible terrorist attack that takes place at the beginning of the film, in an American compound which is located in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - (hence the title). With the presence of American investigators being likely to further inflame an already volatile situation, America is ... ...are quite capable of finding the people behind the attack. Not happy with this response, FBI agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) blackmails an official representing Saudi Arabia in America and gains permission to have five days on Saudi soil to be satisfied that a proper investigation is being carried out. They are accompanied by Saudi police at all times, for their own protection and to keep them under control. A personal element comes into the story ... more
The Kingdom (2007)
I have had this film sat on my shelf now for a while and had not got around to watching it. As the pickings on the tv were a bit slim, I decided to give it a go.
Basic Plot
The story is centred around a terrible terrorist attack that takes place at the beginning of the film, in an American compound which is located in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - (hence the title). With the presence of American investigators being likely to further inflame an already volatile situation, America is told not to send any personnel; that Saudi Arabian police are quite capable of finding the people behind the attack. Not happy with this response, FBI agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) blackmails an official representing Saudi Arabia in America and gains permission to have five days on Saudi soil to be satisfied that a proper investigation is being carried out. They are accompanied by Saudi police at all times, for their own protection and to keep them under control. A personal element comes into the story as one of the victims, was known to the team sent to investigate. The film follows their progress, as they attempt to hunt down the killers.
Main Cast
Jamie Foxx ~ Ronald Fleury
Chris Cooper ~ Grant Sykes
Jennifer Garner~ Janet Mayes
Jason Bateman ~ Adam Leavitt
Ashraf Barhom ~Colonel Faris Al Ghazi
Director - Peter Berg
Acting
In my opinion all of the acting was good in this film. I particularly enjoyed the understated performance of Ashraf Barhom, as the Saudi police representative. He did a great job of slowly befriending the Americans; escorting them around the bomb site, gathering evidence. For me, he was perhaps the only one who we got to see a real personal side to. Yes, a little was shown of Jamie Foxx family, but this didn't seem that real to me.
The other outstanding actor in this film was Chris Cooper, which is no surprise as he is an Oscar winner himself, for the best actor in a supporting role for Adaptation (2002). Maybe his accent helps, but I loved watching him to try to communicate with the Saudi's with the help of hand signals, as he tried to get his message across.
I think also the performance by Jennifer Garner was good, she was obviously playing a person with quite a tough job, and she played it in quite a gritty way. This was no glamorous Lara Croft type warrior, she played some tough fighting scenes intensely and really had you on the edge of your seat.
Soundtrack
The music had a Middle East feel to it - it was very tense from the beginning and made you feel tense at the right moments. It was used to good effect, as was silence when required to highlight moments of sadness.
Location
Considering this was filmed mostly in Arizona, they did a fantastic job at making you believe the whole thing took place in Saudi Arabia. It never ceases to amaze me how clever the film makers are at constructing a set and making you believe it exists in reality. It really felt like the hot arid desert of the Middle East.
Overall Opinion
This was a film that had my attention from the very beginning. The film starts with a kind of story board, detailing the recent history of Saudi Arabia and it's place in the world. This was a great place to start, so that any gaps in knowledge could be filled and I felt better prepared to watch it, having been able to view this snippit.
The film gets right into the action at the start, with the terrorist attack being shown and the subsequent aftermath. These scenes are not for the faint hearted, but are well constructed.
You have to pay attention then to the discussion by the FBI about the next course of action to follow. Of course nothing runs smoothly and at first the Americans are denied access to the crime scene. At times, I felt you had to listen very carefully to the dialogue as it was difficult to follow and pick up, what was being said at times. In fact, sometimes I was glad o fthe subtitles because then at least I could be sure about what was going on!
The stunts and gunfire must have taken ages to shoot and were very well put together. They were not done in a glamorous, nor gratuitous way, which is often the case in films of this type. I have to say that I admired the solution to how they avoided being followed in their car; I can't believe this hasn't been done in a film somewhere before - see what you think...
The only real criticism that I have is over characterisation. Yes the characters are skilled and tough, but apart from the main Saudi policeman and Jamie Foxx, there is very little back story or human element to the people involved. I know that there are limits to what can be achieved within a certain timeframe, but I would have liked a little more detail as to what makes them tick, because it is only then that you really begin to feel for the characters and get totally immersed in the characters and their story. Peter Bergs' original cut was two and half hours, but Universal cut it - shame on them.
Overall, I enjoyed this film and the story it wanted to tell; I felt it captured the way of life in Saudi Arabia, without being stereotypical and importantly I felt that I had actually learned something from watching it.
Availabililty
It is available from Amazon for only £3.98, which I think is a very good price, considering rental prices. In fact, even though I knew what was coming, I enjoyed it more the second time I watched it, as there were nuances that I picked up better and I could follow the dialogue better this time round.
Running time: 106 minutes
Certificate 15 (about right considering the violence and odd swear word)
Studio : Universal Pictures
If you saw and liked Body of LIes then you will probably like this film.
Advantages: A decent story and an interesting take on the Middle East Situation Disadvantages: Not a film for an easy nights viewing
...agents are sent to investigate the scene. The probem is they only have 5 days to figure out exactly what happened and attempt to find out who was behind the attack that killed their colleagues. When they are teamed with a local Police officer they slowly start to make head way into the case but now they have another problem as well. The terrorists responsible for the attack are now targeting the team and not only must they try and find out what happened, ... ...sure what to expect from the Kingdom. With a lot of tension surrounding the American militaries presence in the Middle East I was particularly keen to see how they handle that aspect. The result is a movie that gives quite a frank and honest view on how the American's are perceived by the locals and just how cautious they have to be. This is a very unique view at the Military presence and with a fast paced storyline and interesting angle this is ...
Andy.mack 25.03.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Kingdom (DVD)
Advantages: Intense, Fierce, Good Performances, Great Visuals Disadvantages: A Little (well a lot) One Sided and Frantic
After the horrific bombing of a U.S camp in Saudi Arabia and an explosion on the country's outskirts (resulting in the death of an F.B.I Agent) the American government realise that they have a major problem on their hands, but the insider politics of the situation makes a definite course of action hard to decide. However, Agent Fluery, spurred on by the death of his friend, assembles an elite force of agents and organises a secret 5 day trip to Saudi ... ...to follow the traditions and examples of the Saudi police, stopping them from following their own line of enquiry, until the kidnapping of one of the clan ignites an almighty showdown. The discovery of a selection of bomb makers and double crossers makes the situation messier. But will the conflict ever be resolved with any sort of rational outcome?
The Kingdom is a frantic, blistering hot-head of a movie; gung-ho in all respects, zealous in its ...
JayHall1991 06.03.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Kingdom (DVD)
Advantages: A Rollercoaster Ride Disadvantages: Shakey Camera
A Foxx Among The Sheep
======================
The Kingdom stars Jamie Foxx as leader of a team of FBI agents who has one of his agents killed in a surprise suicide attack on an American company based in Saudi Arabia (hence The Kingdom).
After pulling some strings he gets his team over to the site and along with some reluctant Saudis instigate a hunt for the perpetrators of the crime. This gets them in deep with the Saudi authorities and even the ... ...with the culture and have to work the system and use all their persuasive talents.
Can they locate and eliminate the Terrorist cell before they strike again and have they become targets themselves. The tension is high and so are the stakes.
Conclusion
==========
The explosive first scenes of the film set the scene well for this Jamie
Foxx vehicle, is there anything he can't do? This film treads a fine line
between stereotype and reality.
Acting ...
lilmsnaughty1979 20.02.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Kingdom (DVD)
Advantages: Great Action Sequences Disadvantages: Unrealistic outcome Jamie Foxx & group defeating terrorists with no American Forces
...film definite to watch with the quality surround sound. It is based on Americans investigating bombing and the underlying terrorists in Saudi Arabia. Star Jamie Foxx and some other Americans gain authorisation to help investigate but do not have permission to use / take in troops.
It is very realistic with the story following the religious beliefs of Islam, An example is when American Women looks over a dead body but is not allowed / prevented to ... ...the story is to help locate terrorists however we see Jamie Foxx and a few other American take on the terrorists and become heros/heroin on the way by defeating Abu Hamza the main person the authorities are after. This is done with help of Saudi troops and no American Military. ...
bul786 25.03.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of The Kingdom (DVD)
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******************************************************************
TITLE : Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)
RATING: ***½
CAST: William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling, Woody Strode, Lieux Dressler, Altovise Davis, David McLean, Natasha Ryan, Joe Ross, Marcy Lafferty, Adele Malis-Morey, Roy Engel, Hoke Howell, Bill Coontz, Whitney Hughes, Jay Lawrence.
DIRECTOR: John "Bud" Cardos
SCREENWRITER: Alan Caillou & Richard Robinson; Stephen Lodge & Jeffrey M. Sneller (story)
STUDIO: Dimension Pictures / Arachnid Productions, Ltd.
RUNNING TIME: 95 min
RATED: PG (US & UK); for some bloody scenes and brief nudity.
DVD AVAILABILITY: 2.50 GBP from Amazon; ASIN #B00006I042
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INTRODUCTION: ARACHNAPHOBES BEWARE ...
Contains strong language, bloody violence and threat
Video Category
Feature Film
Country Of Origin
United States of America
Plot
Following a terrorist attack on an oil company compound in Saudi Arabia--which leads to the death of a visiting FBI agent--a determined team from the bureau set out to apprehend those responsible.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
Universal Pictures UK Video Rental
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Creating THE KINGDOM, 'Surveillance' featurette
Aspect Ratio
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Professional reviews
Review
A heart-pounding drama (Empire, 27/12/2007)
DVD Description
Actor, writer, and director Peter Berg (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) delivers a fearless, action-packed political thriller with THE KINGDOM. Shot in the Middle East with unsettling immediacy, the hand-held cameras put viewers right inside the action, while the tension between American FBI agents and their Saudi counterparts maintains an interesting uncertainty about who's 'right' and who's 'wrong'. The bad guys, however, are unmistakable: the film opens with a brutal terrorist attack on an oil company compound in Saudi Arabia, where a visiting FBI agent is killed. Back home in Washington, fellow agents Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx, RAY) and Janet Mayes (Jennifer Garner, ALIAS) want revenge, and will do whatever it takes to gain access to the investigation. Fleury all but blackmails a Saudi prince to get clearance against the wishes of a timorous attorney general, and flies overnight to the scene of the crime. Accompanying him are the no-nonsense forensics expert Mayes, Southern-fried bomb authority Grant Sykes (Chris Cooper, ADAPTATION), and smart aleck Adam Leavitt (Jason Bateman, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT). Once there, they encounter the resistance of a Saudi government more interested in getting the Americans safely out of the country and avoiding conflict, rather than in solving the crime. They are assigned a smarmy handler with a weak stomach (Jeremy Piven, ENTOURAGE) to make sure they stay out of trouble. The team must navigate a maze of bureaucracy to begin collecting evidence, but they have an unlikely ally in their Saudi escort, Colonel Faris Al Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom, PARADISE NOW), a scrupulous and intelligent officer whom Fleury befriends. Soon enough, procedure and protocol give way to car chases and explosive fire fights, and the bleak political climate of extremism and violence is portrayed in a stark light with no easy answers.
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