The Kingdom tells of a fictional terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia. On a warm summer's day a group of oil company workers and their families are playing a game of baseball. Suddenly, armed men dressed as the police force starts gunning down whomever they can. A sole man tells panicked people to run to him, before chanting and blowing himself up.
Scenes of carnage follow and the attack culminates in a huge explosion after an initial rescue team thinks the coast is clear. This is the setup for the film. The problem is the Saudi government wants no more further investigation of the attack by the FBI.
This request to not intervene in the apprehension of the criminals in Saudi Arabia doesn't sit well with Agent Ronald Fleury (played ably by Jamie Foxx). Agent Fleury and a squad mate both lost a close friend in the attack. After some tough guy power plays, Fleury is allowed to assemble a special invegistation squad and head to The Kingdom. Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper, and Jason Bateman play the other special agents sent to Saudi Arabia. All of them give excellent performances.
Upon arrival, they are placed under the strict watch of Colonel Faris al Ghazi (played with incredible skill by Ashrof Barhom) and his close friend Sergaent Haytham. Culture clashes follow and the FBI team and these men grow closer as their end goal is the same: to bring the terrorist cell to justice.
The Kingdom: Violence For a Purpose
The Kingdom spares no expense in earning it's R rating. It is visceral and raw in how it handles the violence encountered by the characters of the film. The Kingdom feels more real and gritty as a result. It is very hard to not have some sort of emotion be stirred as you watch the movie. Faris al Ghazi is revealed to be a loving father and a man of deep faith. Like American fathers, Colonel al Ghazi wants his children to grow up in a world not fearing for their lives. The humanization of the Saudi people elevates The Kingdom above a simple good versus evil affair.
In fact, as violent and over the top as the final leg of the third becomes, the film is brought back to reality by the crushing loss of one of the characters. After all that has passed, this character is killed mercilessly and shockingly. The film ends with a recipropical phrase of vengeance. The cyclical need to avenge the dead is the reason The Kingdom shows the audience for the neverending War on Terror.
The Kingdom is definitely worth renting and worth watching. A single viewing is enough to boil the blood and feel bad about not doing more to combat the evils occuring in the Middle East. The Kingdom is well acted, moving, and shocking. It hits you over the head, but maybe you deserve it. The situation in Saudi Arabia has been complicated and deadly for decades. It is important to get any kind of perspective on the situation.
