“The Kingdom” (Universal Pictures)
The FBI Hunts A Killer
“The Kingdom” is a political thriller. It involves a murder of American civilians in Saudi Arabia by terrorists. The FBI sends a four-man team in to catch the bad guys and that is when the excitement begins. Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper and Jason Bateman play the members of the team and each adds a specialty to the enjoyment of the movie.
The political overtones of the movie are confusing at best but the basic hunt for the evildoers is plain and simple. When a group of civilians working in Saudi Arabia are gunned down in a recreational park in Saudi Arabia, the FBI is enraged. Especially when it is learned that one of their own was on the list of casualties.
By hook and by crook a four-man team led by Special Agent Ronald Fleury (Foxx) is allowed into the country to look for clues. Their stay is only good for five days. This is a short time to solve a complex case but Grant Sykes (Cooper), Janet Mayes (Garner) and Adam Leavitt (Bateman) are all tops in their various areas of expertise.
The group also finds an ally and supporter in Colonel Faris Al Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom). He knows the city and knows the people so his involvement is a major asset. He is just as determined to find the terrorists as the FBI group is.
The last third of the movie is pure adrenaline producing action. The good acting comes first followed by the good action. Foxx is dynamic as the strong and sensitive leader while Garner proves she is a solid action figure. Cooper is droll and dry, and Bateman steals the movie as a wisecracking and worried agent.
Jeremy Piven pops up as a member of the US Embassy and has some bright moments as a harried civil servant. Frances Fisher makes an impression as a newspaper reporter Fleury uses as a messenger. And Kyle (“Friday Night Lights”) Chandler is another sensitive and emotional agent.
Director Peter Berg has skillfully blended in the political topics with the straight action. Neither is too heavy. There are messages in the movie but they do not control the film. As an aside, Berg can be seen in the FBI briefing sequence at the start of the movie.
The film is rated R for violence and profanity.
“The Kingdom” is an action packed film that challenges your mind and your emotions. Foxx and friends do great work to make the characters come to life. They are all good but somehow it is Bateman who lingers in the mind the longest.
I scored “The Kingdom” a royal 7 out of 10.
