The Kingdom

Whether or not terrorism should be treated as a civil matter
opposed to a military one is a key question at the center of the
Iraq war debate. The issue is clearly raised throughout the
Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, the Rundown) directed thriller
"The Kingdom." Despite the controversial topic, Kingdom delivers
as Berg's best project yet.

To movie begins with a terrorist attack on a U.S. facility
populated by Americans in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After so many
are killed in this heartless attack, an elite FBI team, led by
FBI special agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx), is assembled.
Fleury Grant Sykes (Chris Cooper), Janet Mayes (Jennifer
Garner), and Adam Leavitt (Jason Bateman) negotiate a secret
five day excursion into Saudi Arabia to find out the culprits
behind the bombing.

The locales struggle to cooperate with the Americans, as they
felt it was a local matter and the Americans were impeding their
investigation. Despite the fact his people despise the
Americans, Saudi Colonel Faris Al-Ghazi (Ashraf Barhoum) is
determined to help Fleury & company find out who committed the
horrid act of terrorism.

The last 30 minutes keep you on the edge of your seats,
producing the most exciting action packed sequence you will ever
see. It's realism is what makes the "Kingdom" rise above all
other action movies in 2007.

Touching on a topic such as terrorism inevitably leads to the
question of whether or not this is an opinionated/statement
film. Exploring the horrors of terror is something most people
would be afraid to do. "Kingdom" touches on what life is like
for Saudi Arabians, and how America can attempt to cooperate in
order to make things right.

With sequels, remakes and comic/novel adaptations seemingly
taking over the movie industry, "The Kingdom" gives a much
needed boost to a mediocre batch of movies to end off the 2007
year.

The riveting performance of Ashraf Barhoum should give him a
shot at an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. With Jamie Foxx
splendidly leading the star-studded cast, this movie is bound to
garner some attention for Best Picture.

Even if its politics is confusing, "Kingdom" makes us think
about the Middle East in a different way from the evening news.
It is a must-see and is worth every penny, as it is a non-stop
heart-wrenching adventure from the beginning to the end.

About the author:
Eastside Staff