The Kingdom

Universal Pictures | Release Date: September 28, 2007

6.0	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 143 Ratings

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BrandonWJan 24, 2008

It was a good action flick. The reviews i read that say "0" are prejudiced at best. It's an action flick; it's not a deep, artistic film. Every film can't be. I'm a big fan of deep, intelligent movies, but sometimes i It was a good action flick. The reviews i read that say "0" are prejudiced at best. It's an action flick; it's not a deep, artistic film. Every film can't be. I'm a big fan of deep, intelligent movies, but sometimes i want to see a good action flick. Those of you complaining because it didn't lean properly to your overly self-conscious anti-American views need to get some perspective. I'm a Middle Eastern analyst and a friend of many Arabs. This film addressed the issue of terrorism fairly well, although somewhat simplistically. Yes, there's the revenge angle that's underlying in the film. I felt, however, that the positive work between the Faris and Fluery was more apparent, as it should have been. Americans need to see that there are a lot of positive people in the Middle East just as there are in America. Not every American is arrogant and self-centered, and not all Saudis (or Arabs in general) are terrorists or anti-progression. They want 3 square meals and a hot bed just like we do. Good flick...no Oscar nominee, but a good flick.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

THWSep 26, 2007

It's definitely entertaining, but easily forgettable. The first half plods along and has a firm grasp of reality where a crackteam of FBI agents are stifled in their investigation by an overpowering foreign government trying to retain It's definitely entertaining, but easily forgettable. The first half plods along and has a firm grasp of reality where a crackteam of FBI agents are stifled in their investigation by an overpowering foreign government trying to retain some control. The latter half, while definitely thrilling and entertaining with random acts of violence and gun fighting, is poorly contrived and doesn't flow with the movie all that well, and appears to be based completely on comic book logic. Example: the SUV transporting the five characters finally comes to a complete stop from highway speeds after a crash and flipping over multiple times, and not a single person is injured or disoriented. Or, 20 vs 5 in a machine gun shootout with the 5 in a disadvantaged position and they win without a scratch. While the movie started off intelligent, it turned into a comic book near the end, and then the film ended with a poorly constructed cheese-ridden political statement that left me rolling my eyes.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

equality7-2521Sep 30, 2007

Disappointing. I just spent $14 and saw it at the Arclight Cineramadome - the most optimal setting, yet the film was a huge letdown. I'd give it a C+. If I'm not mistaken, Michael Mann produced this... That's where my high Disappointing. I just spent $14 and saw it at the Arclight Cineramadome - the most optimal setting, yet the film was a huge letdown. I'd give it a C+. If I'm not mistaken, Michael Mann produced this... That's where my high expectations came from. I did NOT care for ANY of the characters. I think the filmmakers TRIED to make a good film however, and I appreciate the effort but I was BORED, even the action at the end bored me. Since a quarter of the film focused on the forensic investigation, they should have at the very least studied the last couple seasons of CSI Las Vegas on CBS - I mean, isn't that THE gold standard? The coolest thing in the film was the graphical timeline at the opening credits... at that point I was thinking "hell yeah, this will try to put the action in its proper context! America's relationship with Saudi Arabia and the very real blood-for-oil necessity due to our addiction... I love it..." but of course it was just downhill from there. I do appreciate lofty aspirations, even if pretentious. Nevertheless, if you have not seen this yet, SAVE YOUR MONEY. If you are drawn to the subject matter of THE KINGDOM, I suggest you do this instead: 1. BUY or rent the widescreen version of SYRIANA. 2. BUY Seasons 1 and 2 of SLEEPER CELL (the Showtime series). Really, I'm not always this discriminating. I do know how to watch films, know how to suspend disbelief. I tried to like this, wanted to like this... But it's just no good.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

DarrenZ.Sep 6, 2008

Rather limp for an action film. I appreciate the effort to use cultural conflict to create drama, but I don't believe the Saudi Arabians were well portrayed as they seemed very Western in their behavior and attitudes which tended to Rather limp for an action film. I appreciate the effort to use cultural conflict to create drama, but I don't believe the Saudi Arabians were well portrayed as they seemed very Western in their behavior and attitudes which tended to undercut the drama. What to say about the plot? It was almost inconsequential, really, since there wasn't much to it, and it didn't seem to drive the film forward in any meaningful way. I also question the plausibility of four FBI agents being to solve the case in five day's time, especially given the difficulties they faced and the fact that they didn't really start the investigation in earnest until the third day. By the end, the film devolves into a standard action-movie shootout with the requisite implausible physics (i.e. characters outrunning RPGs or being only slightly injured by an explosion that is close enough to shatter the windows of the vehicle they're occupying). In short, THE KINGDOM doesn't work particularly well on any level. It's barely even worth a rental.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

MikeNOct 5, 2007

Chris Cooper and Jamie Foxx are amazing actors, but they were delegated to Hollywood stereotypes. Poor Jennifer Garner

1 of 1 users found this helpful

AMovieCriticOct 7, 2007

Ended up being pretty boring. The characters were annoying, several not acting at all like professional FBI people should act. That's one problem. Another problem was that the whole thing seemed so thrown together. The characters spend Ended up being pretty boring. The characters were annoying, several not acting at all like professional FBI people should act. That's one problem. Another problem was that the whole thing seemed so thrown together. The characters spend seemingly the entire movie examining a watery hole in the ground...and it adds to nothing. Eventually they get in a gunfight, leading to a big action finale, and then the movie's over. Nothing seemed to "advance" in the story and very little progress ever seemed to have been made. The "mystery" seemed completely disconnected from the final action scenes, the editing was jumpy and the camera moved at a nauseating level.....ugh. Too bad, the trailers made it look amazing. It was mildly diverting at times and the music was sometimes good (although at other times it was strangely absent) but the first 30 minutes or so seemed incredibly convoluted and the movie just never gets off the ground. Just...not good. Too bad.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

JudyTFeb 27, 2008

Too shallow to be taken seriously.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

JesseSep 29, 2007

I guess the film's sink into a generic action movie is great for anyone who can't stand politics for very long, but for the rest of us, we just walk away feeling cheated out of a potentially great movie.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

EricSNov 6, 2007

Kingdom was ok but it felt like every Middle East set terrorist vs. America movie I've ever seen. I literally turned to my wife in the theater and said "I think I saw this in another movie before. Must be Deja vu".

0 of 1 users found this helpful

SpiderA.Jan 21, 2008

This is a film that doesn't pace itself, first turning to plot, then action, then boredom, then ending. It has so many empty characters, so many missed chances to thrill us, to wow us. Boredom- Towards the middle of the film, the action This is a film that doesn't pace itself, first turning to plot, then action, then boredom, then ending. It has so many empty characters, so many missed chances to thrill us, to wow us. Boredom- Towards the middle of the film, the action takes a backseat to try and support the weak plot that follows. In fact, the entire plot seems to center around politics and not enough on character and action. If I wanted a movie about politics, I would've watched one. What I wanted was an action movie, and from the looks of the trailer it seemed like an action thriller. In other words, the action wasn't even action. They seemed more like scene to intensify the movie, in which it fails. There are so may flaws with this movie, it's hard to pay attention to it without losing interest in it.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

NickW.Jan 31, 2008

This movie was OK at best but the problem I had was it felt like an American propaganda film, especially with the "Kill them all" remark at the end. Just my two cents.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

TyranianFeb 22, 2020

Well setup but fades into mediocrity by the end. Foxx is possibly miscast. Music is a highlight.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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SpangleSep 4, 2016

The Kingdom, at its best, is a riveting and powerful look at the effects of war on those in the Middle East and in the United States, as well as the politics leading up to modern day conflicts. At its worst, it is an anti-Muslim film thatThe Kingdom, at its best, is a riveting and powerful look at the effects of war on those in the Middle East and in the United States, as well as the politics leading up to modern day conflicts. At its worst, it is an anti-Muslim film that plays far too much into action movie cliches. The positives largely come in the first half, in which the film is far more detective-based as this group of FBI agents head to Saudi Arabia to investigate who perpetrated a bombing in the American compound in the country. Here, the writing is quite good and the film showcases just how much the Saudis hate the terrorists as well. However, it seems as though director Peter Berg thought this was boring and decided it was best for the final half hour to turn into a shoot 'em up action movie that demonizes the Saudis and half hazardly tries to show some of their humanity, only to revert to concluding that everyone - even children - are evil anti-Americans. This is unfortunate, but luckily does not completely wipe out the positives of the first half, in which the film is a very compelling and interesting look at determining the guilty parties behind such an awful attack. If only Berg had confidence in this portion of the film enough to see it through to the end without relying on every cliche in the book.… Expand

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CineAutoctonoJul 26, 2015

Good movie , a little because it has not reached the Oscar knowing it was so but I'm honest, the war against the Islamic State is not over , and i don't knonw what's happen with Saudi Arabia.

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DawdlingPoetNov 28, 2021

This is a reasonable war based thriller film. It seemed a bit predictable and while the performances are alright, its nothing to write home about by any means. What really frustrated me was the constant, overuse of very jerky/shaky cameraworkThis is a reasonable war based thriller film. It seemed a bit predictable and while the performances are alright, its nothing to write home about by any means. What really frustrated me was the constant, overuse of very jerky/shaky camerawork - if you're prone to motion sickness then you may be best to avoid this one. There have been many films made which reference the Middle East, Saudi's and the demand for oil, I imagine - I wouldn't recommend this one particularly. It's not unwatchable, there are some tense moments and one or two surprising details towards the end I guess but its certainly not great.… Expand

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geewahJan 21, 2021

A movie that should of either been action flick or geo-political thriller and not tried to combine the two. As soon as they tried, this turned into a convoluted mess.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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