The Kingdom

Director: Peter Berg

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Ashraf Barhom, Jennifer Garner

The Kingdom is a somewhat unusual film in Hollywood, in that it manages to deal both with sensitive political issues in a considerate and even handed way, while at the same time being an exciting and entertaining thriller. The Kingdom also marks the third partnership of Michel Mann (Heat, Collateral), who produced the film, and Jamie Foxx (Collateral, Ray), who plays FBI Special Agent Ronald Fleury.

The film begins with a series of bomb blasts in an American housing compound in Saudi Arabia. FBI Special Agent Fleury, who loses a close friend in the blasts, arranges for an FBI team led by himself to go to Saudi Arabia to try to solve the crime. Unfortunately, their early efforts to investigate are blocked by the Saudi authorities, represented by Colonel Faris Al Ghazi. They must not only win over the trust of Colonel Al Ghazi but also find the culprit before they’re forced to return home by politicians who are unsympathetic to their efforts. The climax to the film is not only spectacular but also truly shocking and the final scenes will stay with you long after the end of the film.

The acting from the whole cast is superb. Jamie Foxx, in particular, stands out with another great performance, once again demonstrating how well he works with Michael Mann. Ashraf Barhom, a previously relatively unknown actor, also deserves mentioning, as his sympathetic and believable portrayal of Colonel Faris Al Ghazi helps to give the audience an understanding of terrorism from the Saudi Arabian point of view. It is also satisfying to see Jennifer Garner finally getting the chance to demonstrate that she can hold her own in more serious film roles.

Most films are either exciting or tend to be more deep and consider political and cultural issues. The Kingdom, however, manages to balance both excitement and depth perfectly, never feeling like one is being sacrificed in favour of the other. For this reason it is definitely a must see.

George Marshall